PDA

View Full Version : floods



BigDaveZJ
05-24-2009, 11:42 PM
Hopefully everybody down there is okay. Sounds like a flash flood on Kane Creek somewhere that might've taken out a couple rigs?

http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=6593300

CrawlerReady
05-24-2009, 11:57 PM
Pretty crazy.....we were on Pritchett Canyon yesterday and got off the trail right when the rains hit town, it came down quite hard!

wannabe_offroad
05-25-2009, 12:15 AM
WOW. Just goes to show you can't underestimate what can happen out there. Can't take anything for granted.

Mochisme
05-25-2009, 12:23 AM
Hopefully everybody down there is okay. Sounds like a flash flood on Kane Creek somewhere that might've taken out a couple rigs?

http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=6593300


MAN!! That does not sound like the way to start a long weekend in Moab!

Looks like a Horse and some rigs are the only casualties, which is good I guess.

Matt
05-25-2009, 12:34 AM
I have some friends camping in the Kane Creek area this weekend. I bet they have a story. Glad nobody was hurt!

PassRunnerZJ
05-25-2009, 12:34 AM
A little more erosion in the lower canyon and Kane moves up a bit more on the challenging scale.

Ds4x4
05-25-2009, 01:19 PM
man that sucks but quick thinking from the parents... wheres the video?

besthaticouldo
05-25-2009, 02:17 PM
dang that really sucks

Matt
05-25-2009, 02:46 PM
I got word from my buddy today that they got hit with the flood. Luckily a ranger stopped by and told them a minute or two before it happened so they were able to get the rigs to higher ground. I guess the tents didn't like being ripped out of the ground at lightening speed and suffered some damage. They weren't in the creek bed but near the trees on the shore. He said the initial wave was was just rocks and trees about 5-6 feet high and then it kept getting higher and higher. Soon it dumped over the banks where the jeep trail crosses and flooded where they were camping.

Also, about 10pm the helicopter showed up at their campsite and started dropping those people off who were in the video linked. I guess he made about 4-5 trip in the canyon at night. They're headed back from junction today and I guess they have some pretty good pics of it. It's a damn lucky thing it happened at 3pm and not 3am!

BigDaveZJ
05-28-2009, 12:20 AM
Extended forecast has high's in the mid to upper 80's and chances of storms in the afternoon. Should be nice as long as the storms aren't too bad!

Pitch
05-28-2009, 11:49 AM
Extended forecast has high's in the mid to upper 80's and chances of storms in the afternoon. Should be nice as long as the storms aren't too bad!

Trails in canyons may not be wise if this weather pattern continues. Better to stick to the ridgelines.

Hmmm...Pritchett? Kane Creek? Maybe not. Living in the SW I love the rain, but this is getting out of hand for May!

CrawlerReady
05-28-2009, 02:48 PM
Pritchett isn't really an area to worry about flash floods....Kane Creek, yes

BigDaveZJ
05-28-2009, 02:59 PM
Yeah, we might do something other than Kane on Saturday. Hopefully I can get some intel from someone who's been through there since the flood.

dads5.9
05-28-2009, 10:15 PM
If there was serious erosion Kane could get very scary. There were a number of washouts last year that made the trail pretty narrow in a few spots.

Kraqa
05-28-2009, 10:19 PM
i love it when it rains in MOAB.

but not if its gonna take out a rig. Thats like gettign punched in the junk by a midget.

BigDaveZJ
05-28-2009, 11:18 PM
If there was serious erosion Kane could get very scary. There were a number of washouts last year that made the trail pretty narrow in a few spots.


Ask Stan about our trip through there in the fall, he got quite tippy at one point.

CrawlerReady
05-29-2009, 01:30 AM
Ask Stan about our trip through there in the fall, he got quite tippy at one point.

I remember this....good times :)

BigDaveZJ
05-29-2009, 10:09 AM
http://www.mallcrawlin.com/wheelinpics/moaboct2008/moaboct200800318.jpg

Obviously doesn't look nearly as bad as it was, but it was pretty tippy even for the shorter rigs.

BChristensen
05-29-2009, 11:52 AM
That's my jeep in the vid from KSL. Ouch.

You think your jeep was "tippy" in Kane Creek. Mine "tipped" about 50 times downstream.

We got a 911 call out to warn search and rescue because we knew there were a ton of people camped downstream and too close to the river. I've been through Kane Creek a hundred times and never seen anything like this.

Wouldn't you know that on this trip I decided to bring my full armada of tools which are now spread for miles downstream. We didn't even get out with our shoes on. Only enough time to get the kids out of the stream and get to higher ground.

My jeep was parked in front of the stalled jeep and was the first to get hit. It then was lifted over the other jeep sideways and they both rolled downstream for about 1 mile.

We left the car seat in the 4dr Rubi after rolling it back onto its tires the next morning to give passer-by's a little humbling visual. It was close. 9 kids and 6 adults.

It only takes Kane's creek about a day to dry up and be usable again. You will need at least 2 jeeps for a week just in case. It took us an hour to get back in the next morning winching ourselves all the way. The stream varies from a foot deep to 4 feet deep so watch where you place your tires.

I'm headed down this weekend to pick up what is left of our two jeeps.

If it's raining in the LaSals - I suggest staying out of Kane Creek. Go around to the Hole-in-the rock store and just wait for the flood. Should be pretty cool to see from high ground. Not so much from inside the stream.

Anyone that has gone through Kane Creek should note that the entire canyon from left to right was filled with water. I found out that high ground is not "out of the stream", it's on the side of the mountain at least 15 ft up.

Here's some aftermath pics to enjoy and if you like geocaching, there are $1500 worth of tools somewhere from the trailhead to 2 miles upstream. (and a phone, shovel, flashlights, keys, wallet, vaiar compressor tube with a very nice tire gauge, tow rope, did I mention tools?....sigh)

- Brian

http://www.simpleproductscorp.com/img/Rubi1.jpg
http://www.simpleproductscorp.com/img/Rubi2.jpg
http://www.simpleproductscorp.com/img/Rubi3.jpg

PassRunnerZJ
05-29-2009, 01:11 PM
Wow, that really sucks. If I get some free time I'm willing to go look for your stuff and if I find anything I will get in touch with you.

ArloGuthroJeep
05-29-2009, 01:14 PM
Damn...destroyed!

CrawlerReady
05-29-2009, 01:14 PM
Locals eh? I'm right by you in Sandy, about 11400 S and 1700 E. I watched that on the news while in Moab, that sucks way bad! Glad everyone got out safely though!

Are you a member on Rocky Mountain Extreme?

BChristensen
05-29-2009, 05:07 PM
Not a member but have bumped into a few groups while tooling around AF canyon and such. We talked to a dealership and they said they'll help out a bit with the price of a new JK. We'll see.

Brian

CrawlerReady
05-29-2009, 05:31 PM
You oughta join up there, I know there was a thread that people would love to see the pics! Plus it's a great group of locals and there are lots of people to go wheelin' with.

Here's the thread...http://rockymountainextreme.com/showthread.php?t=65787

black_zj
05-29-2009, 05:47 PM
We ended up on Metal Masher after deciding against Kane Creek area that afternoon, so glad we did! My question is, if the Jeep stalled by the water, why didn't you simply tow it further up the trail where it was safer before working on it??!!

CrawlerReady
05-29-2009, 06:46 PM
We ended up on Metal Masher after deciding against Kane Creek area that afternoon, so glad we did! My question is, if the Jeep stalled by the water, why didn't you simply tow it further up the trail where it was safer before working on it??!!

Probably because it didn't seem like an "un-safe" area to work on a rig to get it started.......You're saying you would've known about the flash flood coming at you in order to say, "hey guy, lets pull the Jeep up further, we are in a potential flash flood area of this canyon."

BChristensen
05-29-2009, 07:16 PM
First of all, where would we have towed it to? We thought it was a nice sunny day to hang out. The kids were tired of the bumps and wanted to play in the water.

Tow it further upstream? the canyon narrows more and the only place NOT in the stream is on little sand banks that were also flooded. Probably would have faired a little better but still a problem.

The fact is, it was a very nice day. There was no hint of a storm coming until later that evening when darker clouds rolled over (after the flood). Were it cloudy or threatening, I probably would have moved them to higher ground. The trail at this point forward is in the stream with a few spots where you get out then right back in. In hindsight, I could probably ask why we didn't check the forecast but reality is, I've been in this canyon for many years and never seen it flood like this. I've been down there in a torrential downpour and only had slight water level increases (which were fun to play in).

We thought it would be a quick fix also.. 10 minutes of drying out the intake. Then we pulled the plugs and found water in the cylinders. You just don't think, "we should move higher just in case a flash flood is coming."

Brian

BigDaveZJ
05-29-2009, 09:38 PM
Brian,
It's easy for others to second guess you when they weren't there. You guys escaped with your lives, everything else can be replaced. Don't even sweat the doubters.

Matt
05-30-2009, 10:55 PM
X2 on what Dave said, many of us would have done the same thing knowing the trail and area.

Glad you were able to get to higher ground in time!

SCAMPER ZJ
06-01-2009, 10:10 PM
Yikes. Glad you and your fam are OK.

Schwarttzy
06-01-2009, 11:19 PM
Crap, that sucks for your Jeeps, glade to hear you made it out alive.

There is the reason I never off-road there with out a good amount of water and snacks, even know what could happen.







Hey any chance that jeep is going to be parted out?

Goosed76
06-02-2009, 12:47 AM
Man, that brings the suck big time!! Never would have seen that coming!! Sorry about the Jeeps and all- glad everyone is OK. I'd hate to loose everything- including the tools. Salvage what you can I guess.