http://www.newwest.net/adventure/article/flash_floods_in_slot_canyons_avoid_them/C620/L41/
CANYONEERING Flash Floods in Slot Canyons: Avoid Them Like avalanches, being in the wrong place at the wrong time is not only dangerous, it’s fatal. Here’s a checklist for smart canyoneering. By Jill Adler, 7-30-11
Nudity’s OK. Going in without checking the forecast is not. Photo by Flickr user Robert Swier.
Slot canyons entice you to reach in and “taste’— just like the food bins at the supermarket when no one’s around. The narrow slivers of space sandwiched between twisted stone walls make for an adventure of skill, guts and athleticism. And it’s all fun and games until one black cloud creeps overhead.
Slot canyons, like those you find in the southwest and throughout southern Utah, are formed by surges of water over thousands of years that grind away the limestone or sandstone surfaces. If water can do that to rock, imagine what it could do to poor fleshy you if you were caught off guard.
When those storm clouds rumble and threaten to drench the ground, it’s a stellar idea to be far away from any slot. Heavy rain over a short period of time in arid areas equals deadly flash flooding. Imagine a torrent of water, sediment, sticks, logs and debris charging down the narrow opening. That kind of power can lift and drag a car for miles.
Flash floods are like avalanches. The best way to survive one is to not get caught in one. In fact, the National Weather Service’s motto is “Turn Around, Don’t Drown.”
But don’t let the threat of flash floods deter you from exploring these wonders of nature.
1. Do your research so that you are aware of your risks with any particular slot. Ask around for beta on escape routes and weather patterns. Check the forecast.
2. Let others know where you are going. Aron Rahlston left his arm back in Blue John Canyon because of that brain fart.
3. Once there, pay close attention to your surroundings. Are there ledges you can climb to escape the water? Are there exit points along the way? Trees to anchor to?
4. Is there vegetation on the canyon rim to help absorb the rain? If not, water running down the walls will join the stuff rushing down the middle and make the situation even more fatal.
5. How much has it rained? If it’s been as dry as a clay pot, it won’t absorb the incoming water as well.
6. Go early to avoid afternoon (2-3 p.m.) rains.
7. Looks for signs of flooding- thunder, rain, red, black or muddy water. Are there watermarks from past floods? Maybe you can climb above those.
8. Communicate with your group. Talk to them about options if a flashflood appears.
9. If you think it’s time to quit, it may be best to backtrack through familiar territory versus the unknown. There may be an Indiana Jones-sized boulder blocking your way.
Where to go:
Utah has most of the best and longest slots in the country. Check out Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. Northern Arizona has Antelope Canyon and Secret Canyon among many others.
Jill Adler is a full-time freelancer and broadcaster. To find more of her work, visit her website.