Landslide on US 441

As mentioned in our previous posting yesterday the road we normally travel each week to and from The Ridge had a landslide on January 16, 2013.  Instead of heading through Cherokee and GSMNP to Gatlinburg from Dillsboro, we now head to I-40 through Waynesville.  This detour adds about 30 minutes to our drive.  

Below is a link and official statement from the GSMNP:

Newfound Gap Road (US-441) between Gatlinburg, TN and Cherokee, NC is closed to through traffic due to a landslide at Mile Marker 22 on the North Carolina side of the park. 

At this time, access to Newfound Gap from the Gatlinburg entrance in Tennessee is closed to all traffic due to ice and snow. Access to Smokemont campground is permitted from the Cherokee entrance in North Carolina.

http://www.nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit/temproadclose.htm

This link will show a video of the slide.
http://www.wbir.com/video/default.aspx?bctid=2107918666001

The wash-out on 441.

The road is now in the river.

Glad we were not driving to or from Gatlinburg in the dark and run into this situation.  I doubt we would have had time to stop.