2011 Flash Flooding

[accadacca]

With all the extra moisture statewide in Utah, how will the flooding affect the canyoneering season? What is the snowpack like around the main canyon hot spots? Flooding could very well be a major issue this year in northern Utah.

Thoughts?

[Scott Card]

The biggest effect for canyoneering as I see it is that it will delay doing a bunch of canyons in Zion for a week or two and maybe Escalante but then again, Escalante is just under 100% of normal so that shouldn't be any different than, well, normal. It will also fill up the canyons too but for how long??? Who knows.

[Iceaxe]

As a general rule.... Flash Floods have a lot to do with rain and little to do with snow-pack.

Your typical every day run of the mill flood is a different story...

[Canyonbug]

You won't have to worry about Flooding from Snow in Cedar Mesa, North Wash or Lake Powell Canyons. We got jacked on the snow this year. I only had to shovel snow once here.

[bladerider]

As a general rule.... Flash Floods have a lot to do with rain and little to do with snow-pack.

Your typical every day run of the mill flood is a different story...

All the snow in Escalante this weekend doesn't have us worried about flash floods, but it does have us worried that Choprock may become too full. I heard some beta that choprock was high but doable about 2 weeks ago, but with the additional moisture from this weekend we are nervous that it may be too high.

How long does it usually take for snow melt to seep it's way into canyons? I think we have Choprock on the schedule for later in the week. Does Choprock ever become impassable if it's too high, or just more grueling?

[bladerider]

As a general rule.... Flash Floods have a lot to do with rain and little to do with snow-pack.

Your typical every day run of the mill flood is a different story...

All the snow in Escalante this weekend doesn't have us worried about flash floods, but it does have us worried that Choprock may become too full. I heard some beta that choprock was high but doable about 2 weeks ago, but with the additional moisture from this weekend we are nervous that it may be too high.

How long does it usually take for snow melt to seep it's way into canyons? I think we have Choprock on the schedule for later in the week. Does Choprock ever become impassable if it's too high, or just more grueling?

[nat]

I could be wrong, but I don't think you have to worry about it being too full. I've done it when it was in some sense , as full as it gets. There was an epic rain storm a couple of days earlier, and the canyon was still flowing with water when we did it. We didn't have any serious problems, though there was one unstable mess of floating logs that we had to climb over that was tricky. Of course floods can always change the conditions.

Nat

[ratagonia]

I could be wrong, but I don't think you have to worry about it being too full. I've done it when it was in some sense , as full as it gets. There was an epic rain storm a couple of days earlier, and the canyon was still flowing with water when we did it. We didn't have any serious problems, though there was one unstable mess of floating logs that we had to climb over that was tricky. Of course floods can always change the conditions.

Nat

Nat is a talented climber and canyoneer. I cannot say the same for bladerider, but perhaps it is true. When full, with various sand-dams in place, Choprock can present some quite difficult climbing-up from swimming problems. It is recommended to have a strong climber in your party, plus some etriers (to assist the less-strong climbers in getting up these spots). These spots occur late in the day, after a lot of work, and after being exposed to cold water for a long time. Take heed.

Tom

[trackrunner]

checked the snow pack weather stations for the head waters of the narrows. More snow and water equivilant than last year (2010). Kolob station is less than 2005 totals. Webster Flat though has more water equivalent than 2005 and only 3 inches less snow depth than 2005.