A rockslide occurred during the late hours of March 17 at the scenic attraction at Grandfather Mountain. The slide was discovered on the lower half of the Mountain just before midnight by a security officer.     

Large slabs of rock slid down from the hillside and covered the main road just below the Split Rock and the Sphinx Rock. Heavy equipment was used the morning of March 18 to move two of the boulders and open up the road to one-way traffic.

Grandfather Mountain remained open to visitors on Thursday, with employees directing traffic around the debris. A crew will be brought in to dynamite the large boulders that still remain on and near the road.

Landis Wofford, news director for Grandfather Mountain, said the blasting is tentatively scheduled for Friday morning and anticipates the park to open in the afternoon. 

 

Grandfather Mountain is a 600-acre scenic attraction and nature preserve located near Linville, NC on US Highway 221, one mile from the Blue Ridge Parkway at milepost 305.  For more information phone (800) 468-7325 or visit http://www.grandfather.com .