https://www.ksl.com/?sid=41017271&nid=148 Zion National Park Reports of flash flooding, large boulder close roads in Zion National Park By Natalie Crofts | Updated - Aug 10th, 2016 @ 7:20pm ZION NATIONAL PARK — Reports of flash flooding and a "house-sized" boulder in Southern Utah has caused road closures. The flash flooding was reported in Zion National Park and near Mount Carmel, according to the National Weather Service. Park officials reported that all of the roads in Zion National Park were closed as of 3 p.m. due to the extreme weather. Zion National Park tweeted that a "house-sized" boulder landed on the main park road near Canyon Junction, closing the road to the east gate until further notice. The National Weather Service issued a flash flood warning for southwest Garfield County and west Kane County at about 2:30 p.m. The warning for west central Kane County and east central Washington County, including Zion National Park, was extended through 7:45 p.m. There was also a severe thunderstorm warning issued for southeast Washington County. Zion National Park
@hank moon Pretty, I see ice cream castles in the air...and feather canyons everywhere! Looks like southern Utah is finally getting some much needed precip.
Considering how popular that stretch of road has become for parking cars anywhere they can fit them in, I do hope everyone made it out in one piece. By my count that's three major rockfalls along that the section of road from Canyon Junction to the bridge over Pine Creek in the last five years (I was doing Spry during the one in 2011, and that one was more, say, dump-truck size, plus of course all the rest of the stuff it brought down with it). And that's why I don't park there myself.
If you are on Facebook, the Zion FB page posted these and more. Looks like some work needed to repair the road after removing the rock. Glad NPS decided to close the road...just might have saved a tourist or two.
Well, this sucks. I've got a Pine Creek/Keyhole permit for Monday. Any suggestions? How long did it take to clear that big boulder a couple of years ago on the road into Springdale? I don't suppose they'd let us walk up the road, through the tunnel to Pine Creek. Do you think they'll let us come in from the East side?