Tragedy in the Utah Backcountry

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Two sisters, 7 and 3, lost their lives in a flash flood through a popular Utah slot canyon. A rare intense storm passed in the area Monday afternoon and these drainages filled with the run off. Luckily, at least 21 people made it out, but authorities reported a father and mother and two young children "got trapped in the worst area you can picture.” and were swept away. The father located his 7 year old daughter, who had perished from injuries she sustained. The 3 year old was located yesterday. 

I've hiked these canyons a few times. Ned's probably been there too. You don't go in there if it may rain, but this was a fast moving, very intense storm that produced nickle-sized hail.

In the twitter videos, you'll see water slowly coming down Bell Canyon on the left. Little Wildhorse goes off to the right  In the shorter second video, you'll see water roaring out of there also. You can see the white hail on the sides of the washes.    

https://twitter.com/tommgowan/status/1260107545890263041

This AP story has pictures to show how narrow the slot canyon is and in many places there is simply nowhere to get high to avoid the water. 

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/flash-flooding-kills-2-sisters-ages-7-...

A very sad ending to a Mother's Day weekend trip to the desert. Be careful out there when you venture out.  Nature can be unforgiving. 

That's some far out shit, how intensely trod are these paths that there'd be so many people crammed in at once?

And those pics are claustrophobia inducing.

Sad story.

Just awful and so sad.  Losing the kids on Mother's Day.

Sad. The crazy thing is it can be sunny where you're in a slot but dumping rain upstream 10 miles away. Very sad.

Slick...here's some shots from Buckskin Gulch and Coyote Buttes last week...

buckskin.jpg

South Coyote Buttes (considered "inferior" to North Buttes)

south buttes.jpg

North Coyote Buttes.....walked in early evening and out by the full moon.

 

wave_0.jpg

above wave.jpg

SWEET Ned!  Glad you had a good time, good weather, and hopefully less people. I totally spaced those dates you told me about. 

The weather was perfect.

The Buttes were empty (especially when we chose to go in the evenings). Buckskin was busy as expected.

Those shots are great, and that bottom one is just spectacular. It looks kind of like an Anton Rasmussen painting, which you've seen if you've ever gone to the SLC Airport. 

https://www.google.com/search?source=univ&tbm=isch&q=anton+rasmussen+uta...

Bottom shot is above the Wave. I the distance is The Dive on the other side of Buckskin.

 

Here's one from below the wave. Endless beauty.

 

below wave.jpg

Sad, tragic beginning to the thread. The pics at the end are so beautiful; other worldly.