When the interstate on the mountain opened the next morning, the truckers insisted I drive in formation with them. They told me how dangerous Fancy Gap Mountain could be and they were afraid some patches of ice could still be on the road. I had to drive in the left lane with a truck in front of me and one behind me. To my right were three trucks in that lane. If my little VW convertible slid, I would hit a truck and not slide off the side of the mountain.
The view on the drive up or down Fancy Gap Mountain is beautiful. On a clear day I really enjoy the experience. However, Interstate 77 on Fancy Gap can be a very dangerous place to travel. My most stressful moments of driving on I-77 have been on this section. When the rain is heavy or snow is falling, the drive can be difficult, but a fog bank or low clouds can make the trip dangerous. A national weather forecast may not inform those traveling through the area of the possibility of low clouds on the mountain. On March 31, 2013, three people were killed in a 95-vehicle pileup on this stretch of road. The link to a Huffington Post article describing this deadly incident is provided below this post. Travelers should be careful and vigilant while driving on this mountain.
(Photos taken in 2013)
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/31/virginia-vehicle-pileup_n_2989782.html
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