High Water Remains in Stormy Aftermath

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avery county, banner elk nc, black ice, high country wether, highcountry, ice, outdoors, rain, rain storms, storms, watauga counties, water freezes, weather

24 Hours after one of the biggest rain storms in Highcountry memory, high water levels remain throughout the area and dangerously cold temperatures have made driving and even walking on wet surfaces a daunting task.  Everything that got wet in the rain storm has frozen solid in the nearly 20 degree temperatures.

Water hasn’t receded enough not to spill over roadways and driveways.  This is the scene at many Highcountry homes and businesses; water overflowing and threatening to freeze.

Standing water remains in spots all over Avery and Watauga Counties.

If you recall these shots from last night’s post; shot from the same location.  The sign is still not out of the water and the normally calm spillway at Mill Pond, in Banner Elk, is running almost as strong.

This scene has been replayed all over the area.  Work crews trying to dig out drains that became unstable and collapsed during the rain storm.

At this location, water was running across the road instead of beneath it.  Work crews had to dig out the dig clogging the drain pipe.

More shots from the same locations as last night’s blog show the water has gone down but still has a long way to go.

Highcountry roads are going to continue to be dangerous for the next few days as water freezes and new snow comes down.

If you must be out on the roads, take extra care and time getting to your destination.

Banner Haven B&B and Cabin Rentals
Greg and Amy Gardner
www.BannerHavenBedAndBreakfast.com
509 Beech Mountain Parkway
Banner Elk, NC 28604
980-329-8101

Serving Banner Elk, Beech Mountain, Sugar Mountain, Boone, Blowing Rock,Grandfather Mountain, Newland, Linville, Spruce Pine and more.

Rooms starting at $65; including breakfast

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What to do on a rainy day in Banner Elk

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avery county, Elk River, nature, outdoors, travel, vacation, waterfalls

Small town life can be great.  Small towns can be tough, but the North Carolina High Country is packed with things to do; goof weather, fair weather, or bad weather.  It’s been raining all day but there’s always something to do.  Today it was another trip to Elk River Falls in Pisgah National Forest. Elk River Falls is a popular summer spot for locals, especially young people that like to jump off the rocks, as you can see from the photo above.  Unfortunately, people have died here but that doesn’t seem to stop other’s from taking the plunge from both sides of the falls.  The internet is full of videos of Elk River Falls Jumpers and information about people being hurt or killed, but every summer more people are on top of the falls, looking for that exhilarating plunge.  The Avery County dive team has recovered several bodies from beneath the falls, after jumps haven’t gone as planned. Aside from the tragedies, the falls are beautiful any time of year and a great place for a short walk through the woods, whether you’re day hiking, picnicking, bird watching or just looking for some solitude. Greg and Amy took a quick trip to the falls with Trudy Pope and Jamie Gardner, mother-in-law and son.  The rain came down steady all day but didn’t dampen the spirits of this great spot.  The falls are about 15 minutes from Banner Haven B&B and a great place for guests, friends, and family to visit when in the High Country. Hundreds of waterfalls for the mountains of North Carolina and are popular amount hikers photographers and others.  Elk River is one of the easiest to reach.  The trail rises about 50 feet from the parking lot, before dropping about 100 feet to the bottom of the falls. If you choose Elk River Falls or any other waterfall, be careful.  Waterfalls are beautiful but many waterfalls claim lives and hurt unsuspecting people every year.  Elk River is so easy to get to, it happens more here than some other places.

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Check out these great pics from the falls. If you’re staying at Banner Haven or anywhere in the High Country, there are lots of beautiful waterfalls to checkout.  If you’re looking, checkout NCWaterfalls.com for a list and directions to North Carolina’s best waterfalls.  And … as always, if you’re looking for a place to stay, checkout Banner Haven for a relaxing B&B or cabin rental.

Banner Haven B&B and Cabin Rentals
A Banner Elk North Carolina Bed and Breakfast

www.BannerHavenBedAndBreakfast.com
Innkeepers – Greg and Amy Gardner
509 Beech Mountain Parkway
Banner Elk, NC 28604
980-329-8101

Rates starting at $55 per night (including breakfast)