Photo Stories from western North Carolina
Chris Hlavay, who previously worked at a river outfitter assisting customers with tubing, rafting, and kayaking trips, stands on PVC Island on the French Broad River. MountainTrue has removed 2.8 million pounds of debris, with Stamper’s team hand picking an average of 8,300 lbs per week. To qualify for the 12 person clean-up team, one had to have lost their job because of Hurricane Helene. (Photos by Sean Rayford)
Hurricane Helene trashed NC rivers. Now what?
On Section 9 of the French Broad River in Western North Carolina, Jon Stamper and his crew of former river guides wrangle what looks like a charging cord drawer from hell. Seven months after Hurricane Helene, this special pilot team spends their workdays pulling trash and debris from rivers and creeks in storm ravaged Southern Appalachia.
Bat Cave Family Rebuilds After Hurricane Helene
“Everything I ever owned went right in the river,” recalls Micah Sherrill, nearly nine months after hurricane Helene tore through Western North Carolina, “I couldn't watch it. But the lady on the hill filmed the house twist 90 degrees and go under the bridge. And I had a flagpole on my porch and it kind of looked like a ship going down.”
Hurricane Helene: Steinhatchee to Chimney Rock
Follow along with photojournalist Sean Rayford as he visually maps out his coverage of the historic storm from landfall in Steinhatchee, FL and into Southern Appalachia.
Helene and WNC: 6 months later
“Most parts of Western North Carolina don’t look or smell like disaster zones — but some areas still do. As the six month anniversary of Hurricane Helene’s impacts on the area, I spent Monday afternoon and early evening documenting the Asheville area.”
“U.S. Rep. Chuck Edwards (NC-11) did his best to remain composed as he addressed an angry audience Thursday night in Asheville, North Carolina.”
OLD FORT, NORTH CAROLINA - SEPTEMBER 30: Ed McMahon stands on Catawba Ave. as a fire department vehicle passes in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene on September 30, 2024 in Old Fort, North Carolina. McMahon said he was evacuated by National Guard but after three to four hours, was returned to Old Fort because there was no routes out of the area. According to reports, at least 90 people have been killed across the southeastern U.S., and millions are without power due to the storm, which made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane on Thursday. The White House has approved disaster declarations in North Carolina, Florida, South Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, Virginia and Alabama, freeing up federal emergency management money and resources for those states. (Photo by Sean Rayford/Getty Images)
If you’re a photographer looking for someone to guide you in western North Carolina, I offer private fall foliage photography workshops here in southern Appalachia.