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Paria Canyon Flooding
Posted: Sep 08 2003 12:10 pm
by Peter Kosednar
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PariaCanyon
Posted: Sep 08 2003 1:20 pm
by Hoffmaster
The weekend before Labor Day weekend, 11 feet of water tore through Buckskin Gulch on its way to Paria Canyon. I went to Buckskin Gulch over Labor Day weekend and the Gulch and the Canyon were almost bone-dry. It was a muddy hike but there weren't even any pools of water to swim or wade through! While this isn't the best time of year to visit slot canyons like Buckskin or even Paria, the weather called for 0% chance of rain or storms. It was perfectly sunny up there, but your story is definitely a testament to how suddenly water levels could change. Good thing you trusted your judgement. Be safe!
Posted: Sep 08 2003 2:10 pm
by Daryl
June thru December is a definite do not hike period for these hikes. I wouldn't even consider it. Flash floods are regular this tine of year.
285-325cfs would be a pretty good wall of water, easily 10 feet high or more.
Good thing you canceled.
Posted: Sep 11 2003 8:31 pm
by RedRoxx44
I went thru Buckskin to Whitehouse May of 01, had a fair forecast and decided to chance it. Got caught in Paria Narrows and had to climb up 15 feet onto a ledge- that water was a minimum of 4-5 feet deep and full of debris in less than 1.5 minutes. This was the same storm that dumped on Zion and a young hiker was "washed" off a trail and was killed in the fall.
I ended up in an overnight bivy at Bridger Point in the sand dunes and came on into White House that am in all the mud in the flood plane. As I had planned on a day hike the overnighter did not have all the amenities but it beat being a statistic. Stay out of this area if any sig chance of rain anywhere in Bryce/Pink Cliffs drainage area. Still remember the sound of all that water coming down- really sounded like a freight train.