floodlands

A series of monsoonal storms nailed Utah starting about a week ago, including flash floods that inundated Moab's Main Street Wednesday, leaving some intersections awash in +/- two feet of muddy water.  We were twitchy enough about the flooding that we took an impromptu long weekend to go check things out, leaving Thursday after work and taking Friday off.  As it turned out, our place is just a little bit higher than the low parts of town and we were fine.  The waters had receded by then, leaving Main Street covered with a skimcoat of dry red dirt.

Kane Creek Road washout

On Friday, we went to check out Kane Creek which had been impacted by the flash floods, along with Pack Creek and Hunter Canyon.  The water was only running about ankle-deep but the damage was readily apparent, starting with a newly-repaired washout just after the Amasa Back hiker/biker parking lot.  

 

Sign says: Trail closed due to flood damage, 

debris dams and bridge washout

The connector trail between that lot and the Amasa Back trailhead was closed.  That trail runs along Kane Creek which had completely flooded the whole drainage, pulling the bridge off its footings and stranding debris well over ten feet above the creek bottom.  A tree had come down at the main creek crossing as well, blocking the Amasa Back trails to any motorized traffic.  That was fine with us: we only saw one MTBer out there with us.

Usually there's a 4x4 road here

It was really humid - like, East Coast-style, 83% humidity - when we started but it did dry out a bit after we got away from the creek and up on the mesa.  There were lots of puddles for Milton to drink out of, although he did end up wearing his white t-shirt as the sun got higher in the sky.  We went up Hymasa to the Jackson's Hole overlook, and then down the 4x4 road.

Still damp and lots of puddles up here

It was a pretty chill hike, with no one else around; it's a real gift anytime we get these trails to ourselves.  Milt overdid it, per usual, and crashed for a cat-nap in the parking lot while H and I had a beer, and then he didn't even lift his head later in the day when we walked over to Woody's.

It's possible he overdid it

Hike stats: 6.35 miles; 2:11 / 2.9 m.p.h. moving; 2:27 / 2.6 m.p.h. overall; 990' elevation