Antelope Canyon Flash Flood Remembered

in an effort to compile dramatic canyoneering stories i thought i'd post this one from 5 years ago, a reflection on the flash flood that occured 10 years ago, this coming august, when 11 people died in a slot in antelope canyon, AZ. if you've heard Quintana speak about this on television it's gripping ... Quintana was the guide and, miraculously, the only survivor. one day he wishes to create a movie reenactment of the event to educate others about the power and reality of flash floods in slot canyons.


Remembering the flood
By Seth Muller Lake Powell Chronicle
Aug 22 2002

[b][i][color=darkblue]Following surgery for his hand, 22-year-old Anders Wassenius lived
with a titanium pin in his thumb.

Crew members working to recover his body thought they could find his
before the others using a metal detector, knowing that pin would set
it off.

But, five years later, Wassenius's body remains one of the two
unfound after the Aug. 12, 1997 flash flood in lower Antelope Canyon,
which drowned 11 visitors and became what most residents consider the
worst event in the area's history.

Five years to the day, Coconino County Deputy Lt. Ron Anderson, who
coordinated the recovery efforts, paid a visit to the tourist
attraction, located a few miles east of Page.

There, tour operators Ken and Emily Young greeted him with smiles and
handshakes.

Anderson's work on the Antelope flood

We were out here on the 5th anniversary and saw the TV interview with the guide. he was obviously affected quite a lot by the unfortunate experience. He said he had no idea how he survived, and I have to agree with that assessment. It was a minor miracle.

Just relaying a message from whom appears to be Pancho Quintana, relayed via the "Contact Us" link up top. Hopefully he can fill us in with some more details:

Hey,This is Pancho the only survivor of the Antelope Canyon accident..I read your article.A few thing aren"t quite correct..I have documents that show that Ken Young wasnt even at the canyon till long after i was found...No one pulled me out of the water..I could of climbed out but didnt have time to tell the others. So i decided to stay with them insted..My book is finished and being shopped right now,so with the Sheriffs documents,police reports,and the Navajo statements ,one which is Ken Youngs I'm going to set the whole story strait......Incuded will be the life changing events that transpired throughout the years and what it took to stop the dead bodies that swam uncontrolable in my head for over a decade..........

That's great that you've heard from him. Was in Antelope Canyon last month and was just reading about the flood.

My family and I just visited Arizona this past week and were caught in a flash flood in the Upper Antelope Canyon. I will be posting some pictures and a more detailed description of what happened. I actually met Deputy Ron Anderson and he told me about the accident in the lower canyon. Does anyone know if Pancho ever published his book?

I was one of the Trek America tourists, who was down in the Canyon 10 minutes before the flood hit. I went out to get my tripod, but then decided not to go back down... lucky me! I have a scrapbook containing a load of pictures from that tour complete with Poncho and the whole group... half of whom tragically died. There is hardly a week goes by when I don't think about that awfull day. I am still trying to get in touch with Poncho so if anyone knows how to contact him? I have tried Lt Ron Anderson, but he has not heard from him in sometime.