Earlier this year I heard...

... In February of this year, I spoke with a worker at Mount Mitchell State Park, and he told me the following:

1) The Blue Ridge Parkway road construction/ detour was going to take a little longer than Summer (2008).

2) The Mount Mitchell summit, itself, was to be closed until at least mid-to-late July (2008), due to construction at the summit observation deck.
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Perhaps these projects are both still incomplete?
It appears further research is needed.