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"Either the falls or a flood, or maybe both..." A Flash Flood in La Verkin Creek
While this is not technical canyoneering, I thought to post this here since it does involve a subject that fascinates most canyoneers: flash floods. I set out on the 23rd with the intention of getting hit by the storm that was forecast for the day. I was hiking on the La Verkin Creek Trail, taking it as far as I could, perhaps to Beartrap Canyon, one of my favorite places in the park.
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The day dawned cool and cloudy, which was nice for the hike in. The ground was a bit muddy from the previous day's rain, but I had come fully equipped for water. I had both rain pants and a rain jacket, and I decided to wear my Adidas HydroPro boots, thinking I might need to wade through some water in order to get to Beartrap Falls. Not a decision I would make with the Five Ten Canyoneers, but the Adidas are comfortable enough I didn't think twice about putting them on for a high mileage mostly dry hike like this.
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After ripping through some miles I reached the creek, which was flowing murky and a little bit high, but not enough to make me think I'd have any issue with it. I stopped at the little falls for a minute to watch the water, then continued on, trying to get as much in as I could before any storms developed. I knew that to get to Beartrap I'd have to make a large number of stream crossings that could easily become impossible to return from in the event of a flood. If necessary I was prepared to wait it out, hopefully not overnight, on safe ground.
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A quick shot from the trail overlooking campsite six and the little swimming hole there.
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I stopped for a bite to eat at campsite twelve, where I have spent many enjoyable nights. The many stream crossings presented no trouble, though I couldn't help but feel a little uneasy the further I went. Soon enough though I found myself in the narrow confines of Beartrap Canyon.
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The canyon seemed to outdo itself in scenery... the light seemed to be just right, the water here clear, and the walls lush with bright green vegetation. With just a little thick mud to deal with the going was easy, and I could enjoy myself.
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Before long I arrived at Beartrap Falls. Just before I reached it I could hear the roaring water from around the corner, and as always I remarked to myself: "Well that's either the falls or a flash flood... or maybe both!" Today the joke had a bit of a serious undercurrent to it, but I tried to just enjoy the falls. Though small there's something very peaceful and personal about the falls, and it is a place of good memories for me. It is, I suppose you could say, just a place that is good for the soul. I remember coming down from above last year about this time, rappelling off a tree on the left. I cannot make out my anchor, which was barely visible to begin with. Perhaps it is hidden by the leaves, or didn't survive the winter or the monsoon. I wonder if my landslide lake is still up there?
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I knew I shouldn't linger, and so reluctantly I turned from the falls and hiked out of the canyon. At each stream crossing I breathed a little easier... one less worry. With the last crossing made I felt great, and decided to stop at Kolob Arch, even though I had been there many times and had a long enough hike already. It would turn out to be a good decision, because it delayed me just long enough. As I returned to the main trail and began the hike out, the skies darkened. Yet they seemed to slide to the north, and it looked as though I would be in the clear.
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Reaching the little La Verkin Creek Falls just before starting the ascent out of the valley, I took a moment to rest. As I turned to look back up the valley I realized it was happening... the storm was hammering the upper canyon, Gregory Butte, and Timber Top Mountain. Waterfalls... which I knew to be enormous but from a distance looked like thin lace ribbons.... coursed down the sides of the mountains.
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Grabbing my gear I took off in a full sprint back towards the falls, the way I came. It began to rain, just moderately, as I ran. I passed several other hikers, looking miserable in the rain, who asked me where I was going. I shouted that I had to see this and continued to run until I just couldn't keep it up any more, and consented to a brisk hiking pace. Finally I reached the base of the falls thundering from thousands of feet above.
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I stood at the banks of a dry wash that I could see drained the area. It wasn't flowing at all, but one look at all that water... it wouldn't be long. I was just beside myself in excitement.
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=4133488569438
After about five minutes of waiting the waters suddenly rushed down the drainage, in seconds turning the wash into a river. I watched it for several minutes as the waterfalls began to taper off. Starting back again, I stopped to chat with a young couple who had found themselves in for a bit more exciting of a hike than I think they wanted. Suddenly I heard sounds from up the valley... loud crunching and thumps. Realization hitting me, I shouted "the creek, La Verkin Creek is going to go, right now!" and ran off to the same overlook of campsite six that I had taken pictures from earlier. I made it just in time.
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=4133683414309
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A powerful wave of water surged over the falls, and within the space of seconds the creek had turned into a nightmare of churning water. You'll have to excuse my giddy laughter on the video... I was pretty much ecstatic at this point, and a little breathless from all the running I'd be doing!
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=4134629797968
I watched the water tear through the valley for some time. The roar of the water was loud but couldn't drown out the sounds of the trees and rocks bashing into each other. Heading back, I managed to snap another photo from almost the exact same place as earlier when the creek was flowing normally. It gave a great opportunity for comparison.
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Pre-flood
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After the flood.
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I returned to La Verkin Creek Falls to find them entirely hidden in the floodwaters. I was happy to see the other hikers had not lingered there as many people would. Having watched the surge come in I knew it gave maybe ten seconds of warning at best, and only if you were paying attention. My thoughts of 'oh, I'll just get to safe ground and wait it out' from earlier now seemed remarkably silly.
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=4135065448859
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I watched the flood for quite a time... by this point the upper valley already had blue skies. Finally I began the ascent out. By the time I reached campsite three I was hiking under clear skies myself. Timber Creek ended up flooding... the third drainage I watched flood that day... but it was small and simply a matter of hopping across rocks to deal with. The rest of the hike was long and a bit hot. By the end with all the running around I ended up hiking somewhere around 21 miles, the most I had ever done in a single day actually, and I felt it for a time afterward. But it was worth to see something like that. Without a doubt a very memorable adventure.
