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Jon Ray
Приєднався 6 лют 2012
Hurricane Helene Hits Elk Park Narrated
Here is the story of my "vacation" to Elk Park Sept 23-Oct 1.
In late September 2024 I started a trip, camping my way North from Tampa. My plan was to head to the northeast, then follow the leaves changing colors, working my way back south. I made it as far as Elk Park, North Carolina, near the Tennessee border when Hurricane Helene caught up with me and stranded me for several days on a remote mountain campground with a couple of locals and no other connection to civilization until we made our way off the mountain.
---
On Monday the 23rd, I reached the HideOut campground and pitched my tent at the highest campsite up the mountain trail. I had a couple of decent nights with minimal rain, but Wednesday night was quite wet, even with a tarp footprint and another overtop of the rainfly, the groundwater was deep enough to soak everything on the floor of my tent.
Curtis, the camp owner came by Thursday morning and informed me that the weather report was calling for lots more rain, possibly more than Western North Carolina had ever seen. He then offered me one of his RVs at the base of the mountain free of charge, to make sure I didn’t get stranded in the storm.
At the time, I thought the rain probably wouldn’t be any worse than I’d seen, but Curtis urged me to move off the mountain in case his driveway bridge to the campsites got washed out in the storm. That was a good call, as the driveway was completely wiped out by debris in the flood, which would have left my car stranded at the campsite…indefinitely.
Luckily, I got most of my things and my car off the mountain as the hurricane approached and the river waters rose under the bridges. (The mountain rivers were already maxed out from the steady recent rains.) For Thursday night, I set up in a comfy RV trailer that had cable TV, WiFi, indoor plumbing, and even a couple of rocker recliners. Outside around me, things weren’t nearly as cozy.
The river crested its banks on one side of the field while water also began to come rushing down the road at the entrance on the other side of the field. The river had become two rivers surrounding the trailer. As the rush of water continued to build, it began flowing under the trailer and the other campers down the hill. Soon, the three RVs (and a few cars) were sitting in the middle of a raging flood that encompassed the entire mountainside. With water on all sides as far as I could see, there was nowhere to go even if I could get out of the trailer. The steps and porch were pulled off and the water was flowing fast and two feet deep outside, reaching the door. All we could do was hope the water didn’t get any deeper, lift our vehicles up, and wash them downriver like so many fallen trees.
Even as the rain continued to pour and the grounds flooded that night, the trailer felt fairly safe - until 3:40AM Friday when the power, internet, water, and cable lines that ran through a conduit in the riverbed were snapped by flood debris. Too anxious to sleep, I was in the middle of watching a Law & Order marathon when everything suddenly went black. For the next few hours in the darkness, I could only hear the sound of rushing water and the occasional log that would bump up against the side of the trailer, reminding me that the flooding was far from over.
I’m glad I was unaware that the RV was only supported by cinder blocks stacked under the axles. That information would not have been reassuring, so it’s best that I was in the dark both figuratively and literally on this. By morning light, I was exhausted from sleeping with one ear open. The rain had slowed to a drizzle. However, the water continued to flow under the trailer for hours after the storm, keeping me from exiting until nearly midday, when I first wearily scrambled out the door to see the damage.
While I was awestruck to see that the trailer had lost its fascia and insulation as well as the porch and steps, it wasn’t until I started walking further that I saw the scope of the devastation. The driveway bridge Curtis had been worried about was completely gone - what had been ten or twelve tree trunks across, with asphalt on top, was now reduced to a single log and a couple of cables dangling above the still-raging waters. The house, campsites, barns, trails, and majority of Curtis’s 20 acres sit up that driveway. All of it was suddenly inaccessible by vehicle for the foreseeable future. Everywhere we looked on the campgrounds, the debris and damage, the washed out drives and the trees blocking roads all laid testament to Helene’s destructive power, but the story was only beginning...
(Full script will be posted to jonpaulray.com)
In late September 2024 I started a trip, camping my way North from Tampa. My plan was to head to the northeast, then follow the leaves changing colors, working my way back south. I made it as far as Elk Park, North Carolina, near the Tennessee border when Hurricane Helene caught up with me and stranded me for several days on a remote mountain campground with a couple of locals and no other connection to civilization until we made our way off the mountain.
---
On Monday the 23rd, I reached the HideOut campground and pitched my tent at the highest campsite up the mountain trail. I had a couple of decent nights with minimal rain, but Wednesday night was quite wet, even with a tarp footprint and another overtop of the rainfly, the groundwater was deep enough to soak everything on the floor of my tent.
Curtis, the camp owner came by Thursday morning and informed me that the weather report was calling for lots more rain, possibly more than Western North Carolina had ever seen. He then offered me one of his RVs at the base of the mountain free of charge, to make sure I didn’t get stranded in the storm.
At the time, I thought the rain probably wouldn’t be any worse than I’d seen, but Curtis urged me to move off the mountain in case his driveway bridge to the campsites got washed out in the storm. That was a good call, as the driveway was completely wiped out by debris in the flood, which would have left my car stranded at the campsite…indefinitely.
Luckily, I got most of my things and my car off the mountain as the hurricane approached and the river waters rose under the bridges. (The mountain rivers were already maxed out from the steady recent rains.) For Thursday night, I set up in a comfy RV trailer that had cable TV, WiFi, indoor plumbing, and even a couple of rocker recliners. Outside around me, things weren’t nearly as cozy.
The river crested its banks on one side of the field while water also began to come rushing down the road at the entrance on the other side of the field. The river had become two rivers surrounding the trailer. As the rush of water continued to build, it began flowing under the trailer and the other campers down the hill. Soon, the three RVs (and a few cars) were sitting in the middle of a raging flood that encompassed the entire mountainside. With water on all sides as far as I could see, there was nowhere to go even if I could get out of the trailer. The steps and porch were pulled off and the water was flowing fast and two feet deep outside, reaching the door. All we could do was hope the water didn’t get any deeper, lift our vehicles up, and wash them downriver like so many fallen trees.
Even as the rain continued to pour and the grounds flooded that night, the trailer felt fairly safe - until 3:40AM Friday when the power, internet, water, and cable lines that ran through a conduit in the riverbed were snapped by flood debris. Too anxious to sleep, I was in the middle of watching a Law & Order marathon when everything suddenly went black. For the next few hours in the darkness, I could only hear the sound of rushing water and the occasional log that would bump up against the side of the trailer, reminding me that the flooding was far from over.
I’m glad I was unaware that the RV was only supported by cinder blocks stacked under the axles. That information would not have been reassuring, so it’s best that I was in the dark both figuratively and literally on this. By morning light, I was exhausted from sleeping with one ear open. The rain had slowed to a drizzle. However, the water continued to flow under the trailer for hours after the storm, keeping me from exiting until nearly midday, when I first wearily scrambled out the door to see the damage.
While I was awestruck to see that the trailer had lost its fascia and insulation as well as the porch and steps, it wasn’t until I started walking further that I saw the scope of the devastation. The driveway bridge Curtis had been worried about was completely gone - what had been ten or twelve tree trunks across, with asphalt on top, was now reduced to a single log and a couple of cables dangling above the still-raging waters. The house, campsites, barns, trails, and majority of Curtis’s 20 acres sit up that driveway. All of it was suddenly inaccessible by vehicle for the foreseeable future. Everywhere we looked on the campgrounds, the debris and damage, the washed out drives and the trees blocking roads all laid testament to Helene’s destructive power, but the story was only beginning...
(Full script will be posted to jonpaulray.com)
Переглядів: 9 811
Відео
RV HideOut & Campground - Before and After Helene Elk Park, NC
Переглядів 804 години тому
I was camping at the HideOut, taking some pictures, and minding my own business when Helene decided to follow me up from Florida and try to rain me out. It was messy.
Here Comes Helene - Elk Park, NC
Переглядів 1394 години тому
Helene inundated the HideOut RV and Campground, where I was camping in a tent in the days leading up to the storm. The camp owner, Curtis Church urged me to take shelter in one of his RVs instead of staying up on the mountain. Thank goodness I listened. The mountain flooded, but the RV somehow stayed put (though it lost some siding, insulation, steps and porch), and it got me through the worst ...
Elk Park, NC Post Helene, Fording 5000 - Fording the river with Ford 5000
Переглядів 2,3 тис.4 години тому
Before Curtis Church could smooth the road enough to get any vehicles out of the HideOut RV & Campground, we needed to get the old Ford 5000 tractor across the river - and the driveway bridge washed out in Hurricane Helene. Here are just a couple clips of the plotting, rock-tossing, and attempting to cross. I ran out of battery long before Curtis made it, but after many rocks were added to the ...
Post Hurricane Helene - Day 2 Elk Park, NC
Переглядів 2,7 тис.4 години тому
Day 2 after Helene, I followed Curtis Church and his camp assistant Nanda over the blocked Dark Ridge Road to survey the area that would be unreachable by vehicles for some time.
Hurricane Helene Cleanup - Elk Park, NC
Переглядів 8 тис.4 години тому
Some of the mess and cleanup around the HideOut Campground and Dark Ridge Road, which was washed out from the campground side and blocked by dozens of trees before being washed out again towards the Tennessee border. As I followed him, Curtis Church shared some of the local history, both personal and regional.
Hurricane Helene Aftermath - Elk Park, North Carolina
Переглядів 8 тис.4 години тому
A tour of the damage around Elk Park, North Carolina and the NC/TN border, recorded the day after the storm passed, once we finally could get off the HideOut RV & Campground property (after plowing Dark Ridge Road semi-smooth for travel in the NC direction).
First Hours of Elk Park, NC (Before & After Helene)
Переглядів 56 тис.16 годин тому
Just the first few clips, before we realized what we were in the middle of. (Raw footage, no edits, to be edited soon - still logging and loading the hours of clips)
Flooding subsiding
Переглядів 3321 годину тому
The "Little Montana River" that sprang up behind the trailer grew to cover the entire hillside during the storm, then receded to this flow through the yard and across the driveway for another 36 hours. Here it is on it's way down to a "trickle."
Busting out of the RV after Helene
Переглядів 2,6 тис.21 годину тому
It's a bit of a struggle to get out of the Montana trailer after Helene stole the front porch and steps, then dropped the canopy over the door.
Post-Helene Montanta RV Trailer Entry
Переглядів 4421 годину тому
Among other damage, Hurricane Helene caused the awning to collapse over the door to the RV, making entry a little more difficult for the first day or so after the storm. I eventually got it to a workable entry, but other tasks (finding a road out, making contact with the outside world) took priority the first day or so.
Hurricane Helene Damage at HideOutRV Park & Campground, Elk Park, NC
Переглядів 15021 годину тому
Walking around the RV area at HideOut, Elk Park, NC, surveying the damage and ongoing flooding.
The Montana RV Trailer and Little Montana River at the HideOutRV
Переглядів 11621 годину тому
Floodwaters recede, but water still flows under the trailer and out through the road, washing it out further. The damage to the trailer is bad, but the structure itself remained sound. By the time I left, the stairs were back in front of the door, but the deck/porch was still detached. HideOutRV and Campground, Elk Park, NC
The Little Montana
Переглядів 5021 годину тому
Floodwaters engulf the RV trailer. An old pond uphill behind the trailer overflowed with the Hurricane Helene rains. The hillside became a river, and the waters reached the doors of the trailer, ripped off the siding and insulation around the base, and detached the deck and stairs moving them several feet away into the yard. HideOutRV and Campground, Elk Park, NC This is after the storm has pas...
Floodwaters engulf the RV trailer. Elk Park, North Carolina, Hurricane Helene flooding.
Переглядів 7721 годину тому
Floodwaters engulf the RV trailer. Elk Park, North Carolina, Hurricane Helene flooding.
Thank you for sharing your experience and video with us. Very well presented.Paise the Lord you survived♥️🙏
That’s insane!
Wow. Not sure how you had the stones to stay in that camper…not recommended but glad you’re alive.
Thank you for sharing about Curtis and his story ❤
You move your camera too fast, its dizzying
In your place I would have been absolutely terrified. Agree with gstar7686 you were very lucky. Unforunately the news media didn't show any of this. So many areas loved ones lived they never said anything about. Have brother in Georgia and couldn't get any information and there was no way to contact him. Lights, phones, everything was out. It was days before I was able to get through and all he said was he was trying to get through to paramedics and had to go to hospital, then we were cut off. It was terrifying for me, and others I'm sure, not knowing how their loved ones were. As terrifying as that was, I can't imagine what people going through it felt. Lives have been destroyed and will take years before they able to half way get back to where they were before the hurricane. One video I watched said there was not only the hurricane but also tornado (which news said nothing about whatsoever) that hit some areas. And the misinformation that was put out from some just made things worse. My heart goes out to everyone there.
30:23 Helping is a good way to start healing.
22:09 and how did the picnic table stay upright 😮
You were fortunate there 19:38
Indeed.
And people think it takes hundreds of years to change a landscape 😢
I'm impressed with the way everyone is dealing with the situation
thanks for sharing your story, the video was a glimpse of what others experienced before their homes and vehicles washed away, I hope they all had found peace with God before or in that storm
Lots of cleanup. Take care & God Bless in life & travels..👍
Thank you!
Nice scenery 1:40 to 2:10
Yeah, the area is gorgeous. Hope it bounces back even better.
Thank you. I'm glad you are all safe. Sending thoughts and prayers from Yorkshire, uk.
Thank you!
Thank you for your video im amazed & seeing the water rush around the camper was heart wrenching thinking its going to wash you away. Terrifying for sure. But the Lord was watching over what a blessing for are safe and others didn't get washed away. God Bless all people who made it through with their lives in this hurricane that devastated so many states & counties.
Definitely blessed, thank you!
Someone or somehting was looking out for you Jon! How that camper didn't get picked up and float away is absolutely mind blowing! Glad you were able to tell the tale!
I didn't realize how close I came to that until the day after, seeing what the flood had done everywhere. Thanks, glad to be here!
How long did you stay there before you could get out? Absolutely beautiful there! I feel so bad for Curtis.
I finally got off the mountain and back to society on Sunday, the third day after Helene passed. The roads were clear enough to get to Boone, so I drove with Nanda (Curtis's camp assistant) to get gas and supplies for a neighbor, and we were finally able to get cell service to message our families. We went back to the camp for a couple more days to help who we could and clean up before we packed our cars and left. Nanda had to leave her camper (her "bus" as she called it) and move her dogs to another temporary place. I got word that FEMA had put Curtis up at a Best Western in the area after I left (Oct 1), but I don't know how long that was for.
Praise God ❤ i hope you are out of there! You are one lucky man to be alive to tell your story❤❤❤ Wishing you the best!
Thank you so much. I certainly feel lucky to be here!
You were very lucky that the camper you were in wasn't swept away.
Agreed! I had no idea how lucky until I saw cars, houses, and tractor trailers washed up downstream a couple days later. That could very well have been me 😨
Old beech mountain rd
You need to know were you are at and you are not in elk park you are on the out side of banner elk
Here's the address of the campground: 1705 Dark Ridge Rd, Elk Park, NC 28622. Plug that in Google Maps and you can see the street view of the driveway that washed out. I'm going by what the map and property owner say.
I’d pull the slide out in to streamline the RV…
Thankyou for sharing this horrific experience. So glad you made it through .
Thank you
Jon you could have done more to help Curtis. He's 70 with a painful leg. I'm glad everyone is okay.
If he's anything like my dad, probably independent and unwilling to "take up people's time"
Traveling you might consider getting an FCC Technician Amateur Radio license. A small $35 handheld transceiver might come in handy. There was a repeater on Mt Mitchell that had very wide spread coverage. You will find these repeaters wherever you travel.
I found a yt channel that was broadcasting the Ham radio feed from Mt. Mitchell on like sat or Sunday after the storm, what a great group of guys on there helping in anyway they could
I would encourage everyone to get a radio regardless if they have a license, and learn how to use it, they could still use it in an emergency without a license. If nothing else, they could listen to it and use it for gathering intel.
Thanks for the info!
Thank you for the video. The power of water is amazing.
Omg how that camper didn't wash away I don't know. I know it was nervous laughter but I would be having a heart attack.
Yeah definitely, I wasn't letting myself believe it was real or something. Nervous denial, maybe? lol
OMG…”y’all: I’ve “survived hurricanes here…so, I offered advice (from what helped ME!) OMG,,, MY experiences are NOTHING COMPARED to what’s happened there; GOD BLESS YOU; I WISH y’all THE BEST….❤️🥰
Thanks, they really need the blessings in Elk Park. I just got myself back to Tampa last week to ride out Milton, which thankfully didn't hit me as bad as Helene in NC. Power came back last night and just some debris to clean here in FL - lucky compared to what I witnessed in NC, something I never thought I'd say.
Tax right off maybe
I’d be moving out mh to higher ground common sense
I don’t know what you guys were trying to accomplish. It didn’t look like you guys did anything through the whole video. You probably could’ve started with cutting the tree across the bridge at least that would’ve been clear that’s where I would’ve started and of course, maybe assess the area before you drove the tractor down there and got it stuck don’t you think, that would’ve been a smarter idea now you gotta spend money to get the tractor out unless you use your pick up which looks like a Dooley that thing could probably yank that sucker out. Do 10 times better than that Ford.
We actually did toss enough rocks in to give the tractor enough traction to get across, but that was long after the GoPro battery had died. The footbridge was low priority, as there was another one a couple hundred yards away. The dually may have had the power, but not the angle with the banks as steep and soft as they were. Anyway, I trusted the farmer and his 70 years experience and he got the job done even if it wasn't the way you'd have done it.
Sheesh. A little harsh, huh? Jon is simply trying to show you his experience of what happened during and after Helene. He's not a "professional" UA-camr" so cut him a little slack. Or, simply don't watch or comment
What an asshat
Nice scenery 2:00
You were on Beech Mountain Rd?
I was staying on Dark Ridge Rd at the campground, but we definitely drove on Beech Mt Rd. It was one of the wiped out roads if I remember correctly, but it was my first time in the area, so it all kind of blurs together.
instead of getting help from the government we get told that we are spreading misinformation as we are trying to get help lol . people in shelters that lost it all are even getting declined for the BS amount of 750.00
12:53 do you have a nearby address or landmark for that cave?
Oh gosh, all I remember off the top of my head is that it's not far from the wiped out fire station. We took turned off the main road near the bridge and it was within the first half-mile, but even looking at Google maps I can't be sure which road, as I was completely unfamiliar with the area and not really paying attention, sorry.
not a trace of FEMA or state DOT. nothing but good decent folks taking care of their own I have spent many days hiking the mountains of western NC from my childhood till now. I look forward to getting back out there and supporting these folks and the local economy
FEMA is all over the place now. And has been sine day 3. As is the National Guard and DOT. This video was taken one day after the storm hit. It takes a minute to mobilize the tremendous supplies, vehicles and people needed for this catastrophe. We are being so supported by government agencies. In the meantime, and continuing, the locals have provided a great deal of help.
Hello hey can you tell Calvary church about this area I forgot area church in but pastor name is Billy . Also I watched a UA-cam "trucking life, about a 12 year old wonder if same your talking about. Lots of UA-camrs have great contact of people ready to help
I'm not familiar with the church, and I'm not from the area, but the girl and family were said to be reunited and fine after the storm. The destroyed house was near the house the girl rode out the storm in, so she was safe, thankfully. With no phones/internet/etc., the lack of good info and contact was very apparent when we kept getting bits of half or misinformation only to get corrected later on.
Jon, you were so calm and collected during the flood. Good job man. 💪
Probably didn't fully realize the danger until afterwards, but thanks!
Thanks for the video! Glad your safe!
Thank you!
Crazy what one event can bring.
Did you ever make it out of there? Probably had to leave the RV, HUH?
The RV belonged to the camp owner, but yeah the trailer and campers will not be leaving on those roads until the county fixes them properly. It was sketchy getting out with the truck and SUVs.
No, he never left. This guy was crazy to stay there during that. I’m surprised that his RV even made it through that flood.
@@Muffinsnuffer The roads off the mountain were all closed due to downed trees and power lines before the flooding even started. At that point, it was the RV, sitting in my car, or climbing a tree. I too am surprised the RV didn't get swept away when I saw how bad the flooding was afterwards.
I see that you do not do much manual work. But thanks for the video.
City boy 🤣🥰👍 Great video aside from not helping. I subscribed then unsubscribed with this video. 🥴
Eh? Do you just enjoy being rude?
The change in the water volume was astonishing. An edited version of your presentation could be used by others to demonstrate just how much and how fast things can change.
Jon, are you originally from Elk Park?
No, it was my first time visiting. I just got stuck with a couple of locals, so I tried to help them and some neighbors while we were trapped on the mountain.
I would love to see Elk River Falls after the flood.
That was part of my plan for the trip that never happened. I'm gonna have to go back for that and Compression Falls. I imagine it was wild right after.
Wow thank you for showing this we have many friends that live out that way and beyond
Is this a private campground?
Yes. I found it on HipCamp. I'd never been to the area before, just happened to be camping here and got trapped for a few extra days due to Helene
@@jonray8429 Glad to hear you are OK
@@michaelspunich7273 Thanks!
Wow... that was a close call...i beat you were thinking i should have left 😮
Yeah, if I had left Thursday morning, I probably could've beaten the storm. By evening the roads off the mountain were closed by fallen trees and power lines and the storm didn't really hit until well after midnight (Fri morning). Power/phone/internet went down for us around 3:30AM Fri, but the flooding started midday Thursday after consistent rains.
When did you get your first clue that it might be time to move to higher ground?! 🤡🌊😳
I was actually camping in a tent for 3 nights prior, which was on much higher ground up the mountain. Unfortunately, the campsites were up a driveway, and the bridge of the driveway completely washed out. The camp owner suggested I move down to the RV area (luckily getting my car off the mountain). By the time the floodwaters rose under the RV, I was pretty much stuck there until they receded. The water was too much / too fast to venture out on foot at that point. Got lucky again that it didn't get any higher.
Here's the story and more clips: ua-cam.com/video/Hrty9OSYtxQ/v-deo.htmlsi=n21z3vscmQpER_vA Part 2 Here: ua-cam.com/video/FXU9QFBlQtI/v-deo.html Part 3 DAY 2 Here: ua-cam.com/video/haBSP-VWw1c/v-deo.html Part 4, more cleanup Here: ua-cam.com/video/GxC5EZwH1zg/v-deo.html