As you all probably know, I went with a huge group of people to the Grand Canyon this weekend and it was such an amazing trip! All 36 of us hiked almost all 12 miles down late Thursday night and camped on the road a few hundred yard from the town since we couldnt check in until the next day. The weather was awesome, the water was nice and cold, and the whole trip was absolutely amazing. Now, what everyone wants to hear about. THE FLASH FLOODS!!!! About an hour before we left to hike back up, 2 people from the tribe came running through the campground yelling out that a flash flood was coming and that everyone needed to take high ground. Well, we all went next to the river because we really wanted to see it! The only thing we saw was the water turning from blue to brown from all the dirt being stirred up in the water. That was kinda cool I guess! We all gave up on watching the flash flood and didn't think that it would come. We went and explored a cave and then came back, packed up, and started hiking out. We were all bummed because we really wanted to see a flash flood. As we were walking through the Village, an Indian lady stopped us and told us to be very careful because there was a flood coming. We thought that they were just overly paranoid because they were freaking out about a flash flood that we waited for that never came (so we thought!). We took her advice very lightly and started our hike out of the canyon. A couple of miles out of town, a huge storm rolls in and starts pouring on us like I have never seen rain pour before. It sure felt nice because we were getting really hot! We had no idea what that rain would bring on though. We noticed a little stream coming down the canyon and within minutes, it was a full blown river rushing down the canyon. That's when things started getting a little bid scary. Our group got broken into two and I was in the back group and we were somewhat stranded on some high ground. The water was rising really fast and the current of the water was very strong. We were on that high ground for about a half hour or so and we really felt that we needed to keep going just in case things got worse. We all had to work as a team to get out of that canyon. We all held hands and made a huge chain to cross the river so we wouldn't fall down and we all had to help each other climb up rocks to try and take the safest way out. It was so intense! I think everyone was a little nervous because we had to idea how bad it would get. Water was pouring over the canyon walls making huge waterfalls that poured right onto what was the trail and that certainly added to the level of the water. After 6 hours, we finally got out of the canyon and up to our cars. We were all so grateful that we made it out ok because I know that some people weren't as fortunate. When I was leaving thismorning I was stopped by the police at a road block that they had set up 60 miles out of the canyon trying to find missing hikers from last night. They asked me if I hiked the canyon last night, took all my information, and told me that they are trying to account for everyone because there were a bunch of people missing. They also told me that then Dam upstream had broken and that a 10 ft wall of water was coming. That made me even more grateful for getting out of the canyon when we did. People today were airlifted out and I am pretty sure that where we were is completely underwater. It sounds like it wiped out a lot of stuff down there! Anyway, here are a bunch of pictures from the trip. Enjoy!!!
The hike in standing above Havasu Falls
The descent going mooney falls. It was straight down the canyon wall and you had to hold onto the chains so you wouldn't fall. If you did fall, you would totally die! Don't worry moms.....we were very careful!
Mooney Falls
Group of us at Mooney Falls
This was at a lookout over Mooney Falls
Me on the rope swing
Right after we got the flash flood warning, the water turned from a beautiful blue to a nasty brown within 5 minutes
Havasu Falls. We actually swam behind the waterfall and let me tell you, that thing has some POWER!
This used to be the trail....we think. It was pretty much non-existent. Here we are working as a team to get out of the canyon. It was pitch black at this point of the hike.
This one is hard to see but we were all helping each other get up some rocks out of the water.
3 comments:
wo!!! scary stuff! Sounds like way fun though! I like when stuff doesnt go as planend though, it makes it really exciting. it reminds me when i went to las vegas with your family and we all got lost in the mines! we thought we would never get out! im glad you updated your blog! I miss reading it especially since your gone in CA! we wanna come!
i'm still blown away that you were actually there during all of that! we are sooo thankful that you guys made it out! but wow...that is such an AWESOME story to be able to tell people! we love you!
WOW, WOW, WOW!!!! That is CRAZY that you were there durring all that craziness!!! I AM SO HAPPY YOU ARE SAFE AND HOME!!!! Now that you are home in your warm bed all safe isn't it SO RAD that you were there to experience that??? Kip is actually Jealous that he was not there to see it all! Love the video and the fact that you took the time to take some pics! RAD!
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