This contributed photo from TDOT shows the U.S. 64 rock slide area from the air.

Staff Photo by Dan Henry
Taylor Newman, director of operations at Crystal Air, a charter flight service, stands near one of the company's planes at the Collegedale airport on Thursday. Crystal Air is offering flights for those blocked by the Ducktown rock slide.

CLEVELAND, Tenn. -- The U.S. Highway 64 rock slide is both a Christmas Grinch and a Santa.

Because of the rock slide, the Whitewater Center on the Ocoee River is closed and the center has canceled its annual Festival of Trees, a collection of decorated Christmas trees.

Long detours around the slide are a hassle for motorists, but an enterprising air service owner is hoping to capitalize on the disaster by going over instead of around.

Evelyn Arp, wife of Copperhill Mayor Cecil Arp, said most folks around town this week are talking about the best detour routes to Chattanooga and Cleveland.

"It's very hard on us. It takes an extra two hours to get to Chattanooga and an extra hour to get to Cleveland, which is usually about 45 minutes," Mrs. Arp said.

Earlier this week, the family traveled to Chattanooga via Ellijay and Chatsworth, Ga., and then up U.S. Highway 411 to the Ocoee community before turning west.

But all that added traffic on U.S. 411 is creating a holiday silver lining for some businesses along the way, said Shyam Nunley with the Tennessee Overhill Heritage Association in Etowah, Tenn. The association promotes tourism and special events in Polk, McMinn and Monroe counties.

Ms. Nunley said Thursday that she began fielding calls when the Interstate 40 rock slide occurred near Asheville, N.C., on Oct. 25. Then came the U.S. 64 rock slide on Nov. 10.

"The Coker Creek Welcome Center tells us they are seeing a lot more U.S. 411 traffic in Monroe County," Ms. Nunley said. That includes diverted travelers and commuters whose routes got about 100 miles longer after the slide.

"Maybe they will see that the diversion can have some nice features, too," she said. "There is the scenery, of course. And there are plenty of great little places to stop and eat."

For travelers who want to move over the rock slide instead of around it, Crystal Air Inc. is offering a flight service. Crystal Air manages airports at Collegedale, Cleveland, Sewanee and Dalton, Ga.

Operations Director Taylor Newman said Thursday that Crystal Air will begin a shuttle service between Copperhill's Martin Campbell Airport and Cleveland's Hardwick Field, Collegedale's municipal airport and Chattanooga's airport. Flight times will range from 15 to 25 minutes, he said.

Flights to other locations are available, Mr. Newman said.

Flights will be arranged according to customer response and demand, he said.

UP, UP AND AWAY

"Rock Slide Special" flight prices:

* Copperhill to Cleveland or Collegedale: $75 round-trip, $40 one way per person

* Copperhill to Chattanooga: $90 round-trip, $50 one way

For more information, call (423) 236-5100 or e-mail info@cyrstalaironline.com

Source: Taylor Newman