April 1, 2021

UPDATE: US 441 (Newfound Gap Rd) is now open. Watch for ice and snow on the roadway.

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Good Morning,

Supposedly April is a spring month. You wouldn’t know it after waking up to our scene high above 6,000 feet. Even after temps dropped well below freezing during the evening, it still took quite a while for the precipitation to convert from rain to flurries. By the time the storm was close to wrapping up is when the ground began to harden and the icy powder decided to stick. There is visible frost on trees and the rooftops and grassy areas managed to hold on to a dusting of snow, but the majority of what we saw fall yesterday came in the way of rain. We spent most of Wednesday in the 40s, and it wasn’t until sunset that the air started to cool. This morning we woke to a low of 12° with occasional breezes providing windchills in the single digits. According to the forecast, we probably won’t get back above freezing until Saturday afternoon at the earliest.

US 441 (Newfound Gap Rd) remains temporarily closed due to the wintry conditions. Guests can still access the trails out of Cherokee Orchard this morning. Traction devices are a must, and so are the warm layers. This goes double for day hikers who hope to visit the mountain these next couple days. Our COVID-19 protocols remain in place regardless of what the weather decides to do, and it is each individual’s responsibility to come appropriately dressed to recreate in these conditions. Reminder that all visitor services are “to-go,” so if you haven’t secured a reservation for one of our cabins, you need to layer up.

Be safe and have a great day.