Lipan Point, Grand Canyon                                   Photo: Brian Lane

Hiker's Body Recovered from Canyon
Park officials received a call on Wednesday evening (July 7th, 2010) concerning an overdue hiker. The caller stated that the female hiker had accompanied the caller's son to Tuweap Valley along the North Rim. The two had planned to hike down on Lava Falls Route to the Colorado River where the male was meeting up with a river float trip in progress. After locating the male with his rafting group he informed the park rangers that he had not seen his companion since they had split up on Tuesday afternoon - when she was supposed to hike back to the North Rim. An aerial search was initiated and the woman's lifeless body was spotted on Thursday afternoon. No names have been released and no cause of death was reported at this time; park officials are investigating.

Man Drowns in Havasu Canyon
The Coconino County Sheriff's Office received a report on June 30th, 2010 of a deceased male just downstream from Mooney Falls. The victim, Michael Allen (32) of Ogden, Utah was on a camping vacation with family and friends when the accident occurred. According to witnesses Mr. Allen was swimming in Havasu Creek near the top of Mooney falls when he apparently went under and did not resurface. He then travelled over Mooney Falls (210' drop) and continued down the creek until his body came to rest along the creek bank. Coconino County detectives and the medical examiner are conducting an investigation into the incident.

North Rim Fire
A lightning caused fire that was first reported on June 26^th is still burning at this time. The Saffron Fire has blackened over 1,200 acres and is currently about fifteen miles northwest of the North Rim Lodge. Swamp Ridge Road and Swamp Point (the trailhead for North Bass Trail) have been closed until further notice. All over previously reported fires have been contained.
 

Canyon Heat Continues

Inner canyon temperatures will be remaining in the 110 degree range for the near future. With monsoon activity possible afternoon temps could moderate a bit as storms pass, but as soon as it clears and the sun comes back out the heat will quickly rebound. I say it all summer long - do not hike the inner canyon between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Rest often, drink a minimum of one liter of water (with electrolytes) for each hour you are planning to hike, and eat salty snacks.

Monsoon Season Primer

The Arizona Monsoon Season officially runs from June 15^th through September 30^th. By this standard, now in effect for the last couple of years, we are currently in the monsoon period.  But, by the old standard, the monsoonal weather pattern has not yet begun. The old requirements were three consecutive days with dew points over 55 degrees. Only then was a monsoonal flow considered in control of the Arizona climate. So far that has not come to pass, but eventually it will. With that in mind, let’s go over some of the basics that visitors to this area may need to know.

On August 26, 2001 the body of photographer and long-time Grand Canyon hiker George Mancuso (46) was found after he and his hiking partner were caught in a flash flood during Arizona Monsoon Season. Mancuso was a highly experienced canyon traveler and made the cover of Backpacker Magazine as a “Grand Master” of the canyon in 1997.  He and his companion had been exploring a side canyon off the Little Colorado River when a violent thunderstorm some thirty miles away, which they probably didn’t even know about, produced a flash flood that caught them in a narrow side canyon and swept them downstream to their deaths. I use this story to quickly illustrate the awesome power and dire circumstances that can be created during monsoon storms.

Monsoon storms are usually highly charged with lightning and produce heavy localized downpours. Enough so that history regularly reminds us how trails can be washed out, much to the chagrin of inner canyon hikers, who then must consider another way of exiting the canyon – when very few exist. The two big issues that one has to deal with during afternoon monsoon storms are lightning and flash floods.

Lightning:

Most lightning strikes the rim of the canyon, the deeper into the canyon you are, the less likely you are to be struck. If you are hiking the canyon’s upper reaches you are still susceptible, so listen for thunder and scan the sky occasionally looking for towering, anvil shaped cumulonimbus clouds.  Estimate how far away the storm is by counting the number of seconds after you see a flash of lightning and hear the crack of thunder and divide it by five seconds per mile. Remember lightning strikes can occur ten miles out from the storm front.
 

If you are caught outside in a lightning storm and hear crackling and/or feel the hair start to rise on the back of your neck quickly crouch down (in the catcher’s position), make yourself small, and cover your head. Do not lie flat, do not huddle in groups (people should be fifteen feet away from each other), avoid wet and damp areas, and avoid standing under tall trees or structures. If you are in your tent you should sit on an insulated mat, and do not touch the walls. Remain in a protected area for a minimum of thirty minutes after the last lightning or thunder is seen or heard.

Flash Floods:

Stay out of canyon washes when storms are forecast. If you must cross a dry creek bed, be aware of escape routes and immediately climb to a point of safety at the first sign or sound of water running down what would normally be a dry wash. Never try to outrun a flash flood.

When driving in Arizona during a monsoon storm…

Do not drive through flooded areas; it takes only a few inches of rushing water to begin moving a vehicle. Arizona has a Stupid Motorist Law that says if you need to be rescued after purposely driving into a flooded wash you will be charged up to $2000. Many such areas are clearly signed “Do not Enter When Flooded” it bodes well to heed that warning.

When the water mixes with grease, oil, and dirt on the road they become slippery so slow down and do not tailgate when driving in a storm. If the storm is so intense that visibility becomes impossible pull completely off the roadway, turn lights off, and take your foot off the brake so that others do not rear end your vehicle (as they may be following your taillights).

Hike Safe & Have Fun!

Brian