NOT EXACTLY AN ADVENTURE (SO. UTAH SEARCH AND RECOVERY)

[peneumbra]

Just returned from SAR mission(s) in Kane County, UT after flash floods from monsoonal rains. Several persons still missing in Zion N.P.

NPS, UTNG, Utah and AZ DPS along with local county SAR teams will be involved in recovery efforts for probably the remainder of this week.

If you have a 4x4 and/or quad-type offroad vehicle and would like to assist, please contact Kane County Sheriff's Office in Kanab, UT.

 

[Terex]

Thanks for posting. Looks like latest news is 7 dead - just terrible.

I have a question. Do you know if this canyon has sky view (satellite access) or is the canyon pretty much closed during the course of the descent? With availability of the InReach Iridium Satellite 2-way communication device it seems like anyone going into an extended canyon exposure would set up a com link with their friends to monitor storm events, assuming periodic satellite access was available.

Last week I met my daughter and her boyfriend in the Sierras. The boyfriend was continuing a hike on the John Muir Trail with the potential for fire/smoke from the Rough Fire affecting his safety. After first viewing his planned route and possible extraction points, he communicated with my daughter on a daily basis using my InReach for data updates. On about the third day out of Reds Meadows (Mammoth Lakes area) he asked for an extraction due to high smoke levels. My daughter picked him up along with two other JMT hikers at an agreed upon access point.

Do you think it would have been possible for the Zion group to communicate with outside sources monitoring weather? If they had been warned about upstream deluges, at least they would have had a shot at reaching higher ground. If at least one person had an InReach, they could have scanned for messages when there was enough sky (satellite) access.

I hike and mtn bike a lot in pretty rough areas and my wife and I get pretty remote with our Jeep and trailer. I've started to carry my InReach with me any time I head into the wild. It's a great insurance policy.

 

[peneumbra]

I believe that sat communication in some of the narrow slot canyons in this area is essentially non-existent. I do know that the public safety radio systems are useless (unless you want to use the radio to scratch your back or something like that).

 

[Terex]

I believe that sat communication in some of the narrow slot canyons in this area is essentially non-existent. I do know that the public safety radio systems are useless (unless you want to use the radio to scratch your back or something like that).

Figured. Thanks. Just sad.

 

[PGGRS]

I live nearby. I have never seen so much water come out of the sky in 10 minutes that day. I've hiked the route they died on in winter, you can touch both walls with your fingertips in some spots. They were warned of possible storms earlier in the day. When that storm hit up canyon, their fate was sealed, no way up & out. The sun could have been out when they were hit. Final toll- 21 dead...

 

[peneumbra]

We seem to be having an overload of wilderness fatalities around here. The latest is a double suicide of an NAU instructor accused of molesting one of his students, and his girlfriend. Abandoned a vehicle in the forest north of FLG, left a suicide note. Bodies were discovered Wednesday.

 

[Jomax]

Such sad news. Prayers out to the families of the lost ones.

Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk

 

[upndown]

My condolences as well! Living in AZ I have seen the wall of water coming down a wash. The amount of power water has is truly frightening!