We are headed to CV Friday and I normally go 66/81/55/42/93. The alternative is to stay on 55 to Seneca Rock/Harman/Canaan. Does anyone know the conditions of the roads?

I usually check the WVDOT website for WVA road conditions. There is a link off their main menu for current road conditions. The list is not comprehensive (e.g., 50 and 93 west from VA are not listed; however, 55 and 32 north from Harman are...

http://www.wvdot.com/default.htm

Tom

Today, those roads are going to be nasty, but by friday, they should be fine...Once this snow and ice move through tonight, they should get out there and clear them tomorrow...and if you make it out here by friday night, you should be ok...I think we are expecting another storm this weekend...so get out here while the snow is good!!!!

I run the 55 to Seneca and onward to CV route every Friday morning. Basically, this route is on the lee side of the Front and is in a rain/snow shadow. WVDOT does one hell of a job keeping the 3 hairpins leading to the Front clear. They also do a great job keeping 33 cleared to the Valley. The only return trip that was sketchy so far was the weekend of 1/19 where the storm came in from the SE. Some squirrely NOVA dumb$ass in a Nissan 350 almost shut down the last pass before the shortcut over Dolly Sods. I'm in Burke and make the trip in 3 hours flat. Just watch your speed in Wardensville...it's a $90 ticket and the town's only source of revenue! (:^O)>>>

Where is this shortcut over the Dolly Sods of which you speak?

Probably FS 19 running west from Jordan Run Rd., right? Its all gravel/dirt and impassable to non-off road vehicles in the winter in my experience.

The shortcut over the Sods is right before the river makes a dogleg left into the canyon about halfway between Petersburg and Seneca Rocks. FYI, DO NOT attempt this route unless you are prepared to stay there for a few days until you are rescued. It is not plowed. (:^O)>>>

I believe the road you turn on is called Jordan Run road. I took this over the summer because my navigation system insisted that this was the fastest way to the valley. The road is dirt, less than two vehicles wide and is nerveracking enough in summer - steep downhill past Dolly Sods and no guardrails anywhere. Certainly NOT something to be tried in winter.

Clay

The Dolly Sods road is about as fast as any other route but only if you have the right vehicle, don't mind bouncing around over po tholes, and aren't afraid of heights. There are no guardrails and several sheer drop-offs. It is closed during the winter so it isn't an option.

I think when I clocked it on my odometer it is about 20 miles shorter than the Seneca Rocks route but my wife refuses to let me take it so I only go that route when traveling solo. I recommend it if only to get a real sense of just what a beautiful wilderness treasure Dolly Sods is.

I took that route in a Subaru Baja 2 years ago and had no trouble. It had snowed about 8", so my front bumper was almost plowing the snow at the top!. The road had not been driven, so on the long downhill on the back side, I let my friend drive, strapped on the board and carved down the road in virgin powder!!! Little nervous at the curves for anything coming uphill though. Rare experience, but fun!

Concerning the short cut...took about 20-30 min longer due to the snow on the road.