Capitol Gorge flash flood rescue June 23rd 2022
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- čas přidán 30. 06. 2022
- See the events as they unfolded the morning of June 23rd the great flash flood that surprised us all.
Also, check out my interview with The Weather Channel as part of "The Earth Unlocked" series and episode "Canyons".
To reach out to me directly send an email to: jowensup@gmail.com
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17:36 - The realization that you almost killed your family by not preparing ahead of time. No satellite comms, no radio, no jack, no traction boards, no weather info. I'm glad your and your family are alive. This is a good learning opportunity for everyone.
Do you bring all that gear with you where ever you go?
@@owensuptosomethingOnly when lives of my children depend on it.
@@owensuptosomethinglol… did you bring ANY of it? This was irresponsible and naive.
We left the gorge minutes before you began filming. We were the last ones to get out before the road washed away. We have been wondering for weeks what it looked like where we had been. Thank you for sharing.
Glad you were safe too!
Amazing indeed and we thank God for your safety and others who were there with you.
IT IS A GORGE!! How do you think they are formed?? Nature is about survival of the more intelligent and strong. You people failed when you weren't smart enough to CHECK THE WEATHER FORECAST.
@@senimiliadituragabekanimol5161 Thank the Federal Government' and all those workn class people who actually pay the taxes only to have Congress keep defunding the forest service and the national parks system.
Irresponsibility doesn't make it okay....
This dude is quite possibly the biggest dork on CZcams.
😳 you had plenty of time to get out instead of staying under the awning. I’ve been in flash floods in a Corolla, van and patriot. User error. Even with no cell service. First rain drop in back country desert you leave fast. Like NASCAR fast. Glad y’all made it out and kids have awesome stories to tell
Agreed! That shelter is obviously for sun, not rain. Hopefully, they have signs posted that say at the first sign of precipitation LEAVE, or you may discover why this is called a "wash"!
100%! Watching all these people just stand around and wait to drown in the coming flood. Kids playing with no idea what’s about the happen. You can tell these people have no idea.
I get the sense that they didn’t understand what flash flood meant.. the way he filmed the water coming down the cliffs for an *extended* amount of time, that would have been the last warning of impending doom but for him it was not enough warning to put the camera down and run to the car, he just kept filming in awe.
The first warning was being in a gorge while it was heavily raining/hailing.. 😞 didn’t seem like many ppl there were alarmed.
For sure they're educated now though.
So glad you all got out safely! However, its sounds like at 6:40 your son says: "That's why they said don't hike when there are storms. But dad 's like this will be an adventure". If that is correct, then you were warned and chose to ignore the warning.
“Didn’t get a chance to check the weather report” - a great lesson to learn for all. There is always time to check the weather first.
I made sure of this all the time when I was out in Moab last August. Actually had to cancel reservations for camping in Canyonlands as storms were rolling into the area mid week. Talking to the Rangers they said I definitely made the right decision especially since my camp site was in a low lying area next to the river. They told me many others had also cancelled.
After you check the weather, then make sure you have a real truck (No Ram junk) that can handle off-road situations with a real jack or winch in the back.
@@JDashRider my testosterone levels elevated after reading this comment
I check it every single day!
@@JDashRider lol a real truck what is that?, most trucks that can handle that mess are heavily modded from stock, i guess they should have had off road tires on instead.....
Telling that couple in the car that's floating by. " Hey! it's gonna get worse" was really comforting 😮
I was warning them of impending impact with very little time.
“You’ll be fine. Keep your window down.” Or.. “it gets worse, brace” Or, “Want to step out now? Or after things get bad?”… decisions to make, and none of them his to make.
Haha captain obvious 😂😂😂 should have yelled out prays and thoughts
🤣🤣🤣🤣
LMHO…..no s***t..what should they do.
As a long time Arizona resident who routinely makes use of the beautiful mountains and canyons of the southwest, this Utah resident knew better. I admire him shamelessly providing this video as a warning to others as he bears so much responsibility for that day’s situation having has endangered the wellbeing of his entire family.
I hope you can find less judgment in your heart when good people find themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time. Without having any cell service all day it becomes difficult to judge what the sky is about to do. Since we assumed the little cloud would just miss us and headed into a dry canyon it ended up not being the case. We all need to leave the house eventually and we all might be stuck in a bad spot one way or another. My family is doing just fine today. I’ve learned more from this experience there are a lot of good people out there and some really bad ones. Take care and be safe out there.
@@owensuptosomething your boy literally goes "they said don't hike in a storm, and dad says 'it's gonna be an adventure' " lmao come on bro, just be careful. It was an adventure tho, that's for sure
This is a great video showing people just how dangerous flash floods in places like this really are. The one thing I would like to highlight to viewers though is one of the most important facts a visitor should know in an area like this one. Flash floods come from rain, but that _DOESN’T_ mean that they come from rain that you can see or that you even think could affect you. They can happen so far away from where you are that you can’t even tell there are storm clouds in the sky. I live in Arizona, and they’re so common around here that the state actually has a “stupid driver” law that states that if you cross a wash in a road and get yourself into trouble, you have to pay 100% of the rescue costs yourself because people constantly underestimate how dangerous flash flooding can be and what even a couple inches of water can do to you or a vehicle. Around here, we can get flash flooding across the desert from rain storms that happened 50-100 miles away in some cases. When it’s monsoon season in places where it’s normally very dry like this, pay attention to local alerts and warnings and do exactly what the authorities tell you to do. Bad weather in these places is extremely deadly if you do the wrong thing.
I agree look for high ground check the weather
"Stupid Driver Law" - i love it !
I live in AZ also- I wonder how many rescued people REALLY pay the rescue
fines? .It's not just the
"STUPID MOTORIST
LAW" - IT also pertains
to STUPID HIKERS- who hike in 114°- pay the rescuers!!! If your that "STUPIP" STAY HOME!!!!
Thankfully this family used knowledge-and are SAFE..
Thank You sir allowing others to witness what your family endured🙏
Your right on, I also live in Arizona and have seen the flash floods come down the washes from a distant rain. When he was going through the tight canyon in the rain I thought of issues that could come from that tight area and being that the road was in a wash.
The people never should have left the parking lot. They and cars would have been fine. They could have safely waited it out. They drove into the canyon and it became narrower and they ended up in the river bed. The campground area did not wash out. Bad decisions were made
"we didn't get a chance to check the weather report" is really another way of saying "we were not responsible enough to take the 3 minutes it takes to check the weather report"
Exactly, I thought the same!
Actually in these areas... Rain can appear out of nowhere. It can be sporadic and rains for a couple minutes. Which causes "flash" floods. Reason why it's called flash.
Totally normal. They were just chilling on the trails. Made for a sweet experience.
@@PrestonGarvey69xxxit doesn't first appear out of nowhere,it comes from clouds.....
@@krismaitland7885 No, it comes from water.
You NEVER go hiking in the gorges WITHOUT checking for rain…. You sir are damn lucky you and your kids survived.
And especially don’t hang around when the rain starts coming. If I even see rain clouds coming my way, I’m GONE
Phew, thank goodness you commented! I was like, should I go hang out in a gorge during a rain storm? We’re all watching a video about a flash flood, and you think a comment this brain dead is meaningful? Who watches a flash flood video and is like “not a problem, time to head out in the rain in a slot canyon…wait, that commenter said not to! Nevermind”
What??? This is so stupid in so many ways??
Maybe it's an infomercial for the rescue services, because your family sure needed them!! Thanks to you!
And they saved the day ❤️
As a dad who drove my kids out through the camp fire, you did exactly what your kids needed. Be smart, improvise as needed, and remain calm. Yes the kids become a handful, and trying to manage their emotions is next to impossible, but showing them that you are calm and making wise decisions is what they need in getting through a “storm”.
That’s being a leader!
Thanks for sharing
My wife is from SoCal and I'm from Denver. I remember driving on the freeway through a blizzard for her first time. She was terrified. I was hyper-alert and aware, but not scared. Remaining calm and in control is often the life-preserver people cling to. It's so important in high-intensity emergency situations. I watched video of people driving out of the Camp fire and that was extremely scary stuff. Glad you guys made it.
@D Perk, America's hearts go out to all those affected by the terrible California fires. So thankful you and your family made it out.🙏
Dads have such a hard job. I can't even imagine going through that, I've seen video. Good job staying calm for your family, I'm sure it meant everything.
@@pamelag7553 thanks for the kind words. It was as bad and worse as the videos showed. Having been through that and see people come and offer help restored my faith in humanity just a little bit. Lots of brokenness has come from that, only with lots of extreme emotional work 3 yrs later can I say I have come out better for it. Most are not, and should not be blamed or looked down upon. It was terrible. My home and lifelong community are gone, many others that had roots just as deep as mine or deeper.
Lol sorry, wasn’t intending to make my post about me, I guess I still have more healing to do. This man in the video was a legend for his family. That’s what I was hoping to point to 🙌👆🏻
Very dangerous situation 😳 😅 😕
I was in the Gorge a couple weeks prior. For folks who may not be familiar with this territory and flash floods: 1) The first mistake was ignoring the rain and not immediately checking weather; 2) Second mistake after going through rain, not paying attention to the large sign at the top of the gorge warning folks about the weather, impassible road conditions,, not getting out ASAP; 4) At the first sign of water falling off cliffs...getting out at full speed. The entire emergency could have been avoided by following common travel rules in the desert canyons.
Yep. Utah canyon country is dangerous. People die in flash floods, it's the first thing you hear about when you travel there. When I traveled there we canceled hikes when rain was expected in the area, even when the weather looked clear. You MUST check the weather reports. These people were clueless and unprepared. They're lucky to be alive.
It can't be that simple for the average traveler. As this event trapped many, not one or two. So, the signs are obviously often ignored, not taken seriously, not understood, or not married with weather conditions in the very near future etc.. You are very cognizant of these things, and you comment is an alert for the rest of us IMO.
Yup AND he didn’t check the weather.
@@wreckim yes people are very very dumb. That’s called natural selection.
Stupidity has injured, maimed, and killed many tourists.
Sightseeing while on low-ground during intense rain. What a DA!
Feels like the dude knew the weather forecast but wanted to test his vehicle while giving his sprogs the memory of a lifetime.
Played a dangerous game.
I've always been told that the moment it starts to rain in an area like this, you turn around and get out as soon as you can for this exact reason. This is crazy.
In such instances "rescued" people should have to pay for the helicopter.....tax payers paying for thrill seekers. 🙃
I was told the same. My fiance and I were there last year we walked nearly to the lower parking lot from the top when it started to drizzle. We turned around and got out of there as fast as possible. Funny enough I also have the exact truck as this lucky family.
I live in southern indiana where we have deep hills and small sandstone narrows…I’ve always been told the same here. I have a health amount of fear of places like this out west because I’ve seen how flash floods happen here and the scale out west is so much larger.
Agree. This is just a vid of unabashed stupidity and idiots who survived only because of pure luck. The type Darwin will one day have his way with. 😀
@@ivanboesky1520 Stay safe inside.
Being Utahn, my husband and I are familiar with deserts and flash foods. He used to say, "you can stop fire with water but water is hard to stop. It finds it way through the path of least resistance." Our state is beautiful, with high mountains, lakes, valleys, deserts. Such diversity in our topography. Canyonlands, Zions, Bryce, Arches....all are amazing places into explore. I'm sure glad everyone made it out safely.
Lots of beauty here in the NE but wow, just wow. The absolute magnificence of that landscape is breathtaking.
I'm a Floridian near the coast & that's what the weatherman say regarding hurricanes & storm surge... water always wins.
“Flash floods help rejuvenate the landscape, but it’s best done without people present” had me cackling lmao
I try to warn tourists that even if it’s not raining where you are, those canyons can fill with water instantly… There really needs to be a program or psa to visitors or non-natives of Utah/Arizona because every year I read about some family disappearing in floods like these.
I was wondering why the location doesn't have information all over the place for tourists. It would make sense to have maps for tourists and a short class like they offer on an airplane before you are allowed in parks. 😢
I was in Sri Lanka in the middle of the 2004 tsunami. 5 friends and I swam out, got onto a roof and survived. I know all too well what that crashing sound of a wall of water is, like a Boeing jet engine coming at you. Great filming and so glad you and your family made it out safely.
😯
Wow that is so crazy. Glad you and your loved ones were safe 🙏🏻
I smell burning pants..
I’m happy you are with us when we lost so many that day. ❤️❤️🇨🇦
You are BLESSED!!!
The waterfalls over the gorge would have concerned me, but not living in this type of geography I never would have expected this. If I ever find myself in this type of area I’ll remember this. Thank you for uploading this and I’m glad your family is safe.
Also I’m buying a winch.
Winches only help if there is something very sturdy to attach to. The desert has very little. People make the mistake of thinking "I have a winch!" without realizing an anchor is 50% of the solution as well
See waterfall , suspects flooding, family gets into truck and he drives down hill to a lower elevation ? lucky to climb the bump
Actually it was pretty predictable. It's a gorge for a reason.
Get to higher ground. You can’t out run flowing water. They got lucky by getting to higher ground on the island thing. Before the water comes, you can apparently feel a gust of wind coming before the water.
@@rlopez18m amen! And your winch idea is a great one , you just have to add a 3’ steel pin , vise grip, and a sledge to wedge behind a rock or into a crevasse
What an amazing video. My mom and I went to Capitol Reef as part of a 10-day road trip across Utah and back in 2017. We had originally planned to stay much longer in the park, but then we got a rainy weather update. We changed our plans _real_ quick. I'm glad you and your family got out safely!
I hope you are able to find a dryer time to go back. The gorges are incredible especially the hike to Cassidy Arch. Take care!
Dont mean to bitch,but how could you NOT check the weather?! Its the single most important information to have on a trip such as this...life has given you a lesson you wont forget & thankfully,it was painless...
@@franm.6915 Now, now. Save the rant for someone who actually needs it. I've handled the logistics on these trips for years, and the weather is always one of the first things I check. Weather in Utah can change rapidly. They're called _flash_ flood warnings for a reason; they come quickly, and you have to react accordingly. Also, we were passing through Capitol Reef as a day-long drive from Moab back down to Mesquite, Nevada. That's a 400 mile drive, and getting to Capitol Reef requires drivers to turn off I-70 and take the remote Route 24 for a couple of hours. Once you're that far in, the only feasible option is to get out of the area before it gets hazardous, then keep moving forward for over an hour after the park until you get back to I-70 at Richfield. So we saw what we could, the weather changed, so we left early. Plain and simple.
Sorry for my bad english; I come from Germany and we visited this Canyon 5 days after your visit. We knew nothing from this flood and we drove to the upper parking place. The street was closed, we parked our car on this place and we hiked the tour. All of the time we heard and later seen the big work-cars, which clean the street. And we asked us - what happend here? Okay - we thot: May be it has rain the last day.....
And now - after over 6 month, I found your movie here on YT and I was speechless....
Thanks for this movie and thanks for this information and warning. I wich your and your family all the best
Thanks Falccon. Several areas were flooded even across the main highway. There was no safe place that day in the park during those two hours.
FYI your English is better than most native speakers lol
Thanks for sharing your story!
I love this Germenglish - "Work-cars" is like Beowulfian 😂Better than my German!
When I was a child growing up in Las Vegas, I witnessed an entire family attempt to cross a wash, and all 3 lost their lives. We had some major storms move through the Vegas valley earlier that afternoon. The water looked scary, and I remember my mom and Grandmother screaming for them to stop. What I witnessed was something that will forever remain in my mind. I cannot say it enough to anyone reading this... Never ever underestimate the power of water on a road. A few inches is all it takes to sweep your vehicle off the road.
The man in this video did everything right and definitely kept his family safe. Make no mistake about it, one wrong move could have been fatal.
On a side note, those kids got an incredible helicopter ride! Kudos to the pilot!
I'm from Las Vegas too and the flash floods there were / are crazy!!!
Why did you stop
When did that happen? I was in Vegas for about 20 years, experienced quite a few big flash floods. One had us stranded on a street for a bit. Every time a big one goes through Vegas, I think of those homeless folks living in the tunnels near the strip... They are in for a bad time.
I used to live in Vegas and remember some of those floods. It was crazy watching Sahara turn into a river, then when the water receded seeing the vast amount of fist sized (and even larger) rocks left all over the roads. Wild and dangerous weather down there.
The 80’s and 90’s we had brutal flash floods in Vegas. The fast paced development lacked planning for it.
I watched the same thing happen east valley of Phoenix also in the early 2000’s.
The boom of development and lack of planning had the same results as Vegas during heavy rains.
I lived in the Southwest for over 25 years, you never go into the mountains or gorges without checking the weather first. Also, it may not be raining where you are, but further up the mountain it is raining. Flash floods happen often and people need to be more aware. My family was on their way camping in 1976 in the mountains and if it had not been for the 2 hitchhikers I insisted my husband pick up we would not be alive today. We dropped them off at their campsite on the opposite side of the mountain we were headed to and while visiting with them it started to rain. It was raining hard and I told my husband, forget camping, let's go home, and we did. That was the night of the Big Thompson Flood that killed over 144 people. Never mess with the mountains in the Southwest, always know what the weather will be. We were new to the area and never thought to check the weather.
🎯👍
😁
I barely missed the Big Thompson as well. My brother and I were planning to camp in the canyon but stayed to have breakfast with friends.
Good chance we wouldn't have made it. Canyons are VERY dangerous if there is any kind of rain. Importantly, you may not see the rain at all. It could be 10 miles away and clear blue where you are.
@@TedDunning - That was one Hell of a night. Glad you missed it too, others were not so lucky.
My grandfather lost two legs in that flood and he was one of the lucky ones. These are all good reminders that few kids are taught these days.
This footage is incredible! I drove through here a few months back (October 2022) and you can just tell looking at the geography that this is what would happen and that this is how these incredible mountains and gorges were formed. It's so cool to see it actually happening.
This is better than any movie. So glad to see the joy in the kids to have you back.
Thanks that’s a nice thing to say. Honestly I think the best stories come from real life.
You and your wife staying calm had a huge influence on your children. Well done. So glad everyone was ok. Watching from New Zealand 🙂
@wey “softie” offended by a comment
the wife was not calm. “you cannot traumatize your children with this. some people watch indiana jones, your kids have to live thru this.”
Hi New Zealand!
@@yc_exploring It likely didn't "traumatize the children". If anything it educated the kids on flash floods. Unsafe situations happen every once and a while when you expose yourself to nature, that's just how life works.
ye this is the problem wit people freaking out in an intense situation. you just need to go with the flow and deal with the situations as they arise but people flip the fuck out like she did and can make it magnitudes worse
This should be a lesson to everyone: pay attention to weather forecasts and, more importantly, the weather you can see when you’re out. Especially in places like this. Dark storm clouds aren’t “normal” here. You’re incredibly lucky you and your family is safe.
you would think that would be THE FIRST THING TO LOOK AT IS THE WEATHER REPORT!!!!! no pity for none of them.
@@forthefunofit3230 Stay safe inside your locked up house.
Volcanic and, like here, eroded landscapes are the most beautiful ones. However, beauty always comes at a price sooner or later.
It was nice to see how calm you were and how fast and effective the rescuers were even in these remote areas.
Thanks for sharing. Yes due to the frequency of flooding in this area the ranger station is just 10 min north from the gorge.
Just watched this for a second time. Here in New Zealand most tramping/hiking deaths occur from drowning. We don't have flash floods in the same was as Arizona does, but rivers can rise very quickly, and have incredible power. The rule is if you can hear the rocks rumbling, you don't cross. The rivers subside as quickly as they rise, and waiting sure beats drowning.
Thanks for sharing. Good advice.
So glad you were all okay. Your kids will never forget this, and they will tell it to their own children. I love how excited they were to see you.
Yea right. They're locked into their electronics in the back. Prolly don't even know its flooding
@@baitball4665 they literally were helping trying to get the car unstuck.
Wow very dangerous 😳 ☠️
Absolutely
@@mostwantedadrian true 👍 🙌 👏
Glad everyone was ok. It was definitely best case scenario for you guys. The truck isn't any worse for wear, the family got a helicopter ride, and you have an amazing story with video to go with it
This is the second time watching. What an abnormal experience. I would not have been as calm as you. You & the other survivors are blessed.
I cannot believe how unprepared people ate going into the wild. Know before you go pack for worst case scenario, glad you put this up to show people how mistakes can have very deadly consequences
Wisdom comes from God if you’ve lived your life right when your old you “ARE” wise cause your closer to God
He goes off-road without a wench, hand wench nor electric wench
If there is a road and picnic shelters, it's not "the wild". If you want to avoid risk, stay home.
This guy's kid ratted him out at 6:40. Sounds like he says something like his Dad knew there was bad weather coming but went for the "adventure" smh. The guy says he didnt know there was bad weather coming later in the video, lies.
@@amandamanda420 poseurs
It’s amazing how the Dad stayed so calm and positive which kept the kids calm and knowing Dad has got this! I’m so glad you all are safe. Great job narrating and documenting this event!
The two people in the car floating by was a better example of calm.
Calm would have not been panicking and stay in the parking lot
@@---ul4in That's what I'm wondering. What happened to the vehicles and people in that area? Did the water smash into that area and damage vehicles, or was it an "island" like they were safely on?
@@sdc4405 driving on a dirt and clay road during that was really dumb, maybe the area would have flooded their cars in the parking lot but they could have just gone to higher ground if the water level rose, this person was really lucky and it was just dumb luck they survived, you saw with the black car why staying at the parking lot was the better option, and it would have been a calmer more organized rescue had everyone stayed there,
Even if it didnt flash flood like that ots always better to just wait for the rain to stop and the road to dry out anyway.
@@mikehenry4743 yes it was!
Multiple Darwin Award contenders right here.
In my late teens I got to see a flash flood in the desert and I never lost my respect for how fast and powerfully a dry bed can change
Wow!!! I found this video while I’m preparing to take a trip to the area by myself for my 60th birthday.. I think I’ll be nervous every time it rains now! Thank you for sharing this experience. And thank you for letting us know everyone made it out safely. Your family doesn’t have any idea how fortunate they are to have your fast reactions! Thank you for your service as well.
super funny, i’m turning sixty years old soon and i’going to oljato national monument and canyon lands (relative close to there) next month..have fun and i would see you there .. just kidding (the last part)
When it rains? But that's the point... it may not be raining where you are, and you may not be able to see a single cloud, especially if you're at the bottom of a canyon. Before heading out check the weather-- and not just the temperature. Make sure you study a more detailed forecast, such as the NWS Forecast Discussion, and hour-by-hour forecasts. If there's going to be monsoon, thunderstorm, unstable air masses-- anything like that anywhere near where you're going, pay attention! As other commenters have pointed out, it can be raining 20, 50, even 100 miles away. Make sure you understand what the reports are saying, and don't let the desire to get going on your adventure cloud your judgement. Even airplane pilots have been caught out by receiving inadequate weather reports.
And if the water starts rising, get to high ground immediately-- don't try to hike or drive all the way out. That's how this guy saved his family; he smooshed his vehicle onto higher ground. He would likely have had a better experience if he'd pulled onto high ground earlier, where he could have chosen a better surface.
As an Australian looking at this, I had a similar experience on the MacDonald River near Woolbrook NSW. We were down camping near the river and thought as we saw some weather in the south east of my camp site I should check up on my weather apps. I found a very dense local system over the ranges. I made the decision then and there to pack up and move to higher ground. Making the move with only minutes to spare, because as we got my vehicle and trailer back up onto the dirt road above my site, a wall of water came through our camp site. A close call and a look between my girl and I said it all. Note, there wasn’t any rain where I was, later, however the rain came.
Incredible survival story. Thanks for sharing.
Gday fellow Aussie here and thankyou for sharing your survival story, flash floods are incredibly dangerous
Wow 👌 👏 😍 👍 dangerous
So grateful you listened to your inner voice and you and your girl came out safe. Such a powerful experience. Thank you for sharing.
Bet you had a shovel on board though
I used to live in Red Rock Canyon, CA off of Hwy 14, flash floods were a common occurrence. So glad y’all are safe and show others how dangerous the desert can be. Love the fact we had lots of heavy equipment, road graders, front end loaders, tractors, etc. made the desert so much fun to explore. Especially anything with hydraulic suspension. LOL
Literally learn these lessons as a teenager myself not a grown man I would never take my family into a situation like this.
Why do I get the feeling this guy has absolutely no clue what he’s doing off-road in his 4X4. I’ll never understand these kind of people. I mean in 4WD pedal to the floor and no movement? A reasonable person would stop a movement and figure out very quickly that isn’t working, and try something else. But nope not this kind of person. They just throw it into 4WD and floor it until they’re stuck all the way up to the frame and really screw themselves.
Most people don't realize that the ground around gorges, and places like that, are extremely hard from baking in the sun for weeks and months. When a rainstorm comes in it's like rain falling on concrete. It will not soak in. I am glad to hear you and your family are safe. Hope everyone was as well.
All one has to do to see that this happens with regularity, is to look at the rocks in the gorges. They are clearly worn by repeated exposure to fast moving water. Like what just happened in this video.
I grew up in the mountains in Arizona, Colorado and California. My grandparents and parents were astronomers who pioneered the building of observatories at Mt. Wilson and Kitt Peak. Kitt Peak was my childhood playground many years ago (I am old now) and we witnessed these floods more than once or ten times. By age 13 I was very adept at rescuing foolish people who drive into floods or ignore the weather in the mountains! The Park Service should have NEVER built camp sites and roads in a deep ravine like the one in the video.
@@emsnewssupkis6453 I agree. Grew up in western Colorado. Even there we had serious flooding every couple years. I still remember and knew people killed in the Big Thompson flood. With all the wildfires the last few years there is less for rain to soak into.
@@emsnewssupkis6453 Agreed. They should have to pass a huge sign that says Warning: If it starts raining somewhere else close by, it maybe to late by the time you realize your in danger.
@@stevemeszaros5132 Simple instructions about what to do (do NOT drive away if water shows up, go up hill) and a warning one can hear on radio/computer so they can be aware is needed.
When that couple in their car came washing down I nearly cried. Im so glad theyre ok! That was a harrowing experience. Im sure it was gut wrenching for you guys.
Are you kidding this family was laughing the whole time after they saw them dragged by the watter
boy the car floating by and you really helped them with their spirits
Even getting stuck, you did the right thing pulling onto high ground. After seeing this, I will check the weather report locally and upstream every time I visit the canyons.
Well said.
He drove past high ground. He was just lucky there was a small hummock (his "island")
This is the greatest video ever showing the incredible incompetence of many many people who think they know what they are doing but lack the skill to critical thinking about dangerous situation . This video is one of the best to show what not to do by the book … Starting with not checking the weather , not having proper equipment for truck emergency’s ,Not having knowledge of local conditions during weather and the best is having A COMPLETE LACK IF SITUATIONAL AWARENESS ….
A Darwin Award for this person and every other person who travelled with no critical thinking …thank God his family is safe and not lost because of his demonstrated lack of awareness …
Exactly.
When he dismissed their concerns with
"You guys are in the RAM Rebel!"
that pretty much said it all
The way at 12 minutes he starts talking like it's an instructional video like he has any idea what to do. 🤦 There were so many options on the way out to drive up a hill and be fine, but instead he decides to stop in the lowest point in the gorge and gets stuck on an island that could get washed away at any moment. Literally the worst situation you could be in aside from being in the water. Cannot believe his family survived. Zero situational awareness.
In 2013 my wife and I were caught in a flash flood while hiking the Grand Canyon north rim to south rim in a day. Fortuitously, we took a break at the bottom of the Bright Angel trail at the Pipe Creek Rest Shelter to wait out some rain only to have a large flash flood come roaring down the canyon that the trail goes through. We were stranded in the shelter for several hours before waters began to subside and we could “safely” ford the numerous remaining water crossings as we headed up trail. We could’ve easily been killed if we had kept hiking and happened to be in tight side canyon up-trail when the flood came through. That ended up being a 20-hour day with a death-defying experience thrown in.
The west is stunningly beautiful and it doesn't take long for things to turn innocently dangerous VERY QUICKLY. Your quick decisions made the difference for you & your family. It'll be a experience your family will remember the rest of ur lives. There's truth in the statement "you dont mess with mother nature" but you only realize that after experiencing a situation like that. I've lived thru some knarly unbelievable situations caused by mother nature on both coasts of the US. That's definitely an experience your family will remember! Thank you for sharing this, just telling the story wouldn't have as much impact as showing it. It's a beautifully dangerous land out here.
Thanks for sharing your insightful comments. Yeah a couple years ago I was surprised by a large wave at Laguna Beach that whipped me around like a rag doll. I was lucky I didn’t break my neck.
Wow! The canyons and the flooding and the cars going downstream and the helicopter!!! What an adventure! Utah is amazing!
"Hey honey, lets take the kids to the canyon today! It'll be fun!" The contrast between living through what happened and the joy of the kids seeing their Dad was huge. So glad everyone made it out of that safely! Excellent job filming when you could have been falling apart!
LOL - check the weather forecast next time.
My wife and I were there about 10 days later and heard the tale from the rangers. It was amazing to see your video. I am glad you were all safe.
I love this. Making "great progress" then "the jack broke" and the kids are a "stinking pain" then "the kids are going to be so happy to see me." Family life.
That’s very true. Family life comes with a mixed bag of emotions. It’s the best way to appreciate life’s many flavors.
This is absolutely terrifying- thank God you and your family were ok 🙏 Thank you for sharing this as I certainly had no idea how quickly flash flood could happen where you wouldn’t think and with not ‘that much’ rain.. hopefully everyone made it ok.. the people in the car floating by.. omg 😔
Glad y'all made it out fine. I can't imagine how helpless you felt when the car floated by you and crashed into the canyon wall. Also, thanks for letting us know that they were rescued. I'm sorry that your family had to experience this but I thank you for sharing your video.
yeah, agreed with the part about letting us know!
Thank you for your goodness. I don’t blame people for getting caught in bad situations just like the folks who were trapped in Yellowstone when the road gave way or the people in Death Valley who experienced 75% of the yearly rainfall in one day and got their vehicles buried in the parking lot. I appreciate our safety crews who bring in tools and equipment to pull good people out of harms way. There are risks in everything we do and everywhere we go. There are tools to help us avoid dangers such as dropping into visitors centers to get current information on weather and potential dangers. Have a great and safe day.
From my experiences as both hiking and climbing in Colorado,you even see any water coming over the cliffs you get out as fast as you can.
Because it's not only water coming down,it could be the whole cliff following next.
Rockfalls are enough of a horror,but with a storm you don't see it coming sometimes until it's too late and it kills you.
So happy you got out alive,and thank you for showing this adventure!
Thanks for your feedback. In this case it’s better to stay put and seek high ground because the pleasant creek flash was already on its way down to us.
Utah has such long canyons that there can be a storm 20 miles away dump in rain that hits you 45-60 minutes later and it’s a high wall of water full of debris
Right instead of filming he should have left or stayed with the others on higher ground. Not impressed at all.
@@ten7057 The flood waters were already on their way. He and his family could have left the area. They may have Also come face to face with the flood water and been washed away. There’s always a risk. Living in the Southwest (Arizona) flash floods can occur without warning. That is why you always check the weather before going on any trip, you never know what you might be encounter.
@@donaldwilson6338 that's why I said get to higher ground I've lived in that area my whole life. I know what washes are like. And I know when it starts raining to get to safety because of the flash floods and such. Taking selfies maybe wasn't the best idea.
I had to make my family watch this, so I appreciate you uploading it. Now they understand why I spend so much time and money preparing our Jeep Wrangler for things exactly like this! I never go anywhere without my Hi-Lift Jack... RLTW
That’s awesome. I’m sure you have a great family. The funny thing is I used to have a Jeep Wrangler and also equipped it with various upgrades. I had to get rid of it because my family couldn’t fit in it and I was always carrying lots of gear. One day I’ll be back to the Wrangler. I had a hi-lift jack but no where to mount it in the Rebel besides tossing it in the back. I’ve since mounted the lift, jack stand, and shovel to the front of the bed. Take care ranger!
@@owensuptosomething Glad you and your family and others made it out safely!
Great video! But wow what a great dad!
So wholesome! Love that you documented everything even in a stressful situation. Glad everyone had some adventure and got out safe.
Glad you posted this and showed the importance of safety and flash flood warnings. Great dad! Beautiful family! They will surely remember this forever!
Agreed.. this family's post may well save people's lives. CZcams can be a wonderful teaching tool.
A great dad would've been prepared, not boastful about his off-roading? Lol the hubris on this dad was just next level Was he not from that area or familiar with flash-floods? I mean how can a guy with such a macho truck and all that camping gear, get stranded lol? His kids will remember this, but not in a good way. This guy wants to appear outdoorsy but clearly has no f***ing idea what he was doing.
Why on earth does the Park Department build 'roads' and 'camps' where flash floods can kill everyone??? I grew up in the Southwest and my family lived there since before the Civil War and we kids knew all about flash floods since earliest childhood. One warning was, 'if you hear a 'boom boom boom' sound far away, run uphill as fast as you can and grab a mesquite tree (deep roots) and pray to survive.'
@@jenniferwebb5954 . That is rather rude. He may not be an "expert" like you, but he did his best and had the foresight to stop driving and get to higher ground.
@@MrsSlocombesPuddyCat looked like he had no sense and was faced with a flowing river so he backed up causing the truck to high side on the island. Rookie mistake.
I'm glad you and your family were OK. A cautionary tale for people like us who have explored these areas over the years--without even 4-W drive. Kudos for managing that maneuver and saving your family. I had doubts about that "island" during the video.
Yeah I was confident the island was good to go unless we were facing a 50 year event then we would have been toast.
@@owensuptosomething So what happened to the peoole in the other car?
@@sigisoltau6073 he said that they got rescued
@@owensuptosomething with the weight on that Ram I would aim for more aggressive mudding tires just cause it needs to translate that torque into good terrain moving power
@@darthtyranus7683 I'd buy a winch!
I’m in this area now August 2023 and so glad I saw your video ahead of the flood warnings & Hilary. I’m not from this area and was researching. Thank you!
Glad this content was helpful. Just recently the area was flooded again including evacuating the Fruita campground. It will probably happen again next week after the hurricane rains pass through.
UHP Star 9 has some of the best pilots in the state. They pull off some amazing rescues in the canyons out here. Glad they got you guys.
Yes these guys are the best of the best.
Most men wouldn't share such a story of their mistakes. It takes humility and a willingness to share. Thanks for choosing to do so. I could spout truisms about safety in the desert but that isn't needed here. Your video sends the message loud and clear! I'm grateful you all made it out safely. Your calmness and love for your family stand out through the whole ordeal.
Boom 💥
Thanks for sharing. Yeah it’s definitely a vulnerable feeling but I feel it’s best for people to know and be aware. I have a lessons learned video coming out on Friday I believe will be more helpful.
💯❤😎👌👁👂🙏
Staying so calm shows how blessed these kids are truly being raised...so peaceful even in such a dangerous situation 🥰😇 these people are such an example how to treat each other.
The smiles on your kid's faces when they saw you at the hotel were simply beautiful. The love you kids have for you definitely showed there!
Great video and I'm glad your family made it out safely!
Reminded me of a moment in the movie Vacation when the Griswold children were so glad to see their Dad emerge from the desert
@@grablefamilyvideos8831 lol you're right 😁
Thank you for sharing! So glad you and your family made it out safely! What an experience your kids had!
Thanks donnag7434. Definitely memorable.
Hopefully that couple riding downstream filmed their adventure, too. Great work dad. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for commenting.
The moment when your kids saw you at the motel brought back so many memories from when my two sons were that age. Y ou have a great family, enjoy these years when they are still kids because they grow up so fast. Glad yall got out safe and with such an exciting story to remember.
Xa
I lived in that area as a child, and have been coming back on a regular basis for decades since. I've been through numerous of those flash floods and had to wait a day or two to get back out a couple times. Remember they come on fast, sometimes when you aren't even where it's raining. When you see the water coming off the cliffs like that it's time to immediately find high ground and just give it time. You might not get a flash flood, but if you do!!!! The other thing people don't think of is how much erosion takes place at an amazingly fast rate. I've seen the washes deepen by over 10 feet with a single event, and rockfalls and mudslides coming down off the high ground happens a lot too. There's all sorts of stuff you have to watch out for. It's amazing everyone made it out okay, especially the folks floating downstream in the car. That almost ended badly right in front of you. I can only imagine what it was like to watch that and not be able to help. Great job on the video, well done, and hopefully people heading to the area will know what to watch out for enabling them to make as good of choices as possible should they get in a similar situation. Well done
Excellent advice, Jeff. People tend to grossly underestimate the power of tens of millions of raindrops compressed into a natural, but geographically narrow environment.
I saw this a year ago, and just had to see it again. Having been to Capital Gorge, it made it all the more heart stopping. Also, I'm a sucker for a happy ending. Even though it was a close shave, you have to praise God for higher ground, and the good sense to use it.
What a nice family! Being raised by smart, good hearted parents. Congratulations on keeping cool everybody, and lucky to have a dad who has military experience! God blessed you big time! I have driven past Capital Reef, but never had a chance to go in. Beautiful scenery!
Thanks for your comments. You should definitely check out the gorges.
Wow, I've heard about flash floods and seen some on YT, but yours is outstanding. Your editing and articulate speech are quality parts of this story. The family got a once in a life time experience (including helo ride) and thank God everyone was ok; the kids have a memory that will be a part of them forever. Thanks for the front row seat. God Blessed you all.
Nice job not panicking, it doesn’t help anyone! Awesome, ur fam was so stoked to see you!!
Thanks Dave G, they were surprised to see me back so soon and with the truck. They thought for sure I was spending the night.
Traumatic, especially seeing that poor lady float by in that car. Really admire dad's calm approach and knowhow of getting out of that situation. I would probably have panicked. Beautiful family. Congratulations on saving everyone in your family. I know you are proud of all of them.
I was there grey journey..we stayed thankfully..great video I got quite a few myself..went back last year..both our Kids got one hell of a story
How you remained so calm I’ll never know. Thank goodness you all stayed safe.
Thanks LunaLee. Have to have a cool head to keep others calm. I tried joking with them to lower their anxiety.
If You panic, u die💯
He didn't look calm at all to me. He had that weird nervous laugh all the time and lots of the things he did were displacements - stacking rocks behind the truck? Even his family didn't think that made sense.
Going into wilderness is sometimes more than an adventure: It turns into a fight to survive and sometimes you lose. I was hunting elk 17 miles from pavement to the south west of Bumping Lake in the Cascade Mountains and about 4 miles from my camp an 8 ft culvert washed out taking the road with it. When I drove in 2 days before it had been snowing for 2 weeks and the snow was 3 to 4 ft deep.Shortly there after is warmed up and started to rain.Then avalanches started to come down around the camp and the horse camp just a half mile before the hikers camp flooded. I didn't know about the washout on Deep Creek until a ranger showed up and told us it would be a good idea to get out as it was expected to get worse and the Forest Service wouldn't come in to save us. I had hiked into the William O. Douglas Wilderness when I first got there and stayed up there for 2 days hunting when extreme wet conditions like torrential rain for hours. I hiked back down to the trail head just in time to get the talk from the ranger.I was the only person to pack up and head out.When I got to the washout I stacked rocks in line with my trucks wheels for 3 hours and took a run at it and got across. Everyone else were trapped in there because it rained for 3 more days deeping the washout on Deep Creek and most of the trucks and campers trapped behind the washout were destroyed in the 18 ft of snow that came later that winter.All of the hunters had to hike or ride horses to escape.Now the funny part is we could have gotten into the wilderness from White Pass which is kept open all winter and even has small a ski resort and a store and gas station. I had never been there before but got talked into going there by an acquaintance who talked of the great elk hunting.He just forgot to mention about the chance of dying.
Incredible experience. Thanks for sharing.
Wow so glad you trusted your instincts and kept moving
God shows us his mercies in so many ways. Glad you made it out and hopefully there were no fatalities. The weather, like the ocean, can never truly be trusted.
Great story. I’ve only been up there in summer.
If you don’t have “a chance to check the weather report” and don’t pay serious attention to warnings about objective dangers then don’t go to wildernesses areas.
Rain or shine, wet or dry, the beauty of this place is ASTOUNDING. Capitol Reef National Park and Natural Bridges National Monument are two sparsely-visited, beautiful parks to visit to escape the crowds of Zion and Bryce!! 💥
Am glad you and your family came out safe and sound. Kids are so happy to see you at the end. Great video.
An excellent presentation of your family road trip close call! It reminded me of my own youthful adventures on PNW mountain logging roads. Old memories stirred up as cell phone cameras didn't exist in the 70-80s. I found myself looking for an "island", second guessing walls, potential falling rocks and water speed/depth. You handled the situation with common sense thoughts and skills of a good 4x4 driver. Never forget the hi-lift and a come-along or two! Thanks for a trip down Memory Lane.
Not to mention a couple shovels for digging out. Rain storms passing through a desert will always produce flash flooding. Spent 20 years mapping in the deserts and highlands of New Mexico and during monsoon season, you stay out of canyons and arroyos. I carried a Hi-Lift jack (still have it and keep it well lubricated), tow chains, a come-a-long, and couple of shovels. Well worth the cost to add to your kit.
I used to take my ford focus wagon into unbelievable places here in Alberta and I found that if you take an incline on a diagonal you always have one tire or two pushing and you don't get high centered. Driving on the high spots between the ruts helps too. Glad you made it out unscathed (and all the other people too). SAR people are amazing and deserve all the praise they get.
The real trick in this video is, instead of hanging around filming, make sure you get out ahead of the idiot that blew off the size restriction and took his giant camper RV up there. That's the guy that's going to get jammed up and kill people behind him. These big religious families are the worst, they're the ones who take the stupidest risks thinking god is on their side and won't let anything happen to them.
I'm pretty sure he slready knows all of that. The pony got stuck on the island he was not calmly driving backwards he was looking at a 2 ft wall of water and thinking "crap I need to go anywhere but here"
Get to the choppa! 😂 the kid is loving it! 😂❤
Thank you for taking the time to make this video! Such a great warning as to what can happen in a very short time when exploring in the south west. Grateful that you and your darling family made it out !
Wonderfully positive comment. Thank you. Have a great holiday!
Never sleep in places like this, and get out fast when you see clouds forming. If it’s raining you have already hung around too long. Flash floods are EXTREMELY DANGEROUS in gorges like this. You did the right thing getting out, only thing you could have done better besides leaving when the rain first started would have been to check the weather ahead of time with a radio and avoided it entirely. A NOAH radio can be bought for cheep and can give you weather updates when there is no cell service so you can ALWAYS check the weather. a must have in national parks with little to no cell service. I’m glad everyone was ok, you all were much closer to death than I think your realized at the time.
Correct. I grew up out there and witnessed floods in the mountains and rescued people when I was still a child. We were very, very 'flood savvy' kids and people from the cities thought we were funny when we carefully checked the weather or stopped to listen for flood noises from far away. It takes only a few minutes for a flood to go sixty miles!
They should have hightailed it out as soon as the heavy rain started, not horsing around under the shelter
@@MikeBarbarossa . Probably thought it was a light shower at first. Most people don't leave an area for a little bit of rain.
@@MikeBarbarossa Yep, there were 9 minutes or so between time stamps. And he was filming while the kids were standing around waiting.
Thanks for the heads-up on NOAH radios.
To see the face of your daughter as she hugged you when you returned was priceless. A great video and you managed it with out a swear word !
Happy that your family's safe. Thanks for the anxiety warning, that was intense. Here's to staying dry! Cheers
Glad you made it out safely! We were in capital reef about a week after you (different area than you were at) and we got stuck in a rainstorm and had to find high ground. We ended up on the burr trail switchbacks with waterfalls all around us. I have a few videos on my channel.
Thanks sharing. It looks like you were in the right vehicle. Glad you made it through safely. It’s hard to not be blown away by the change of scenery as something so dry and hot becomes alive with water as it moves and reshapes the land.
My sister's best friend, had an older brother who was a famous mountaineer here in Australia. He was so experienced that he was often called in by police to rescue people especially in the blue mountains. There was a sudden violent storm when the mountaineering club was climbing and most got out. The police could not reach two of them and they drowned still attached to their gear and half way up the cliff.
Others in the club who were not climbing that day tried but could not get the bodies out, so they had to call in my sister's bf older brother - who knew everybody in the club. When he arrived he found out it was his long time girlfriend. Although not currently together, he cared for her deeply. It was so traumatic for him, as she was dead and tangled in the climbing gear - that it was painstakingly slow. He had to stop climbing for many years. We have lost touch and I don't know if he did go back to climbing.
What a terrible experience for everyone on that fateful climb. Your sister’s boyfriend’s older brother must have been massively overwhelmed by finding his old girlfriend’s body. That would easily have precipitated PTSD. I pray he got counseling and had lots of support.
Care to tell us how they drowned on the side of a cliff?
There is a pod cast about this event. Such a great tragedy. Harrowing listening.
@@abundantharmonyIn the gush of water streaming down the mountain. Like the waterfalls you could see that formed in this video. Imagine being attached to the mountain when it turns into a vertical river that goes on for hours. Horrible.
I'm just glad that those people lived. If the last thing they saw on this earth was someone standing there recording them in their final moments then that would have been truly awful.
Excellent comment. I found that insensitive and just gross.
As opposed to doing what? So easy to sit at your keyboard
This would’ve happened to my family had we lived out west. We always went on fun, weird, crazy adventures with no planning. Best times growing up.
Great to hear that you are all safe. I live in Utah and I have been told so many times in southern Utah it can rain miles away but still flash flood where you are with no clouds that are visible. Thank you for sharing your story so maybe others will be aware of what could happen.
That was incredible. Those poor people floating down the river of mud. I felt so bad for them I can only imagine how they felt. Thank God everyone made it out. You have a wonderful family sir. Thank God you backed up that berm and didn’t try to go on. Again what an incredible video and experience for you all.
Yes, I think I would have tried to push thru, knowing I had 4 wheel drive. I know different now.
2/2/2024 ...sir, you and your beautiful family are SO blessed. Thank you for sharing your experience. Lessons from your experience may very well save lives.
Yes this video has helped many. Unfortunately tragic natural disasters continue, but if we can watch for some common signs we should be able to help each other out.
This is quite an experience. I go back country all over the west and there are people who do NOT HAve a clue what could possibly happen.
Yeah this one surprised us for sure and the other 60 people in both gorges including Rangers. The crazy part is I recently went back there again and ran into severe heat trouble. That video will release in about a month or so. An older woman gets carried out of the gorge by paramedics.
God bless the park staff for always giving everything they have. Those are incredible people!!
You’re NOT kidding!
Incredible people putting their lives at stake for incredibly stupid people.
Well it is their job
Yeah the park staff didn't even bother checking the weather to shut down the canyon road.
Always remember a "dry riverbed" is still a RIVER BED, nonetheless. That means from time to time there is a flowing river in that spot. The rain that triggers a flash flood may be miles away far beyond your ability to see or hear. Always be aware of potential weather in the area when going into canyonlands. Those canyons were not carved by slowly meandering tiny trickles of water.
We were taught 60 years ago to get out of the car when driving in Arizona mountains and gorges and to listen, before crossing into any gorges, for the 'boom boom boom' sound a tsunami of muddy water makes when rushing from a storm, even far away. You can smell the moisture, too, when this is happening. And yes, we witnessed more than none such sudden flood from far away!
Anyone who has lived in the Southwest knows this, it is too bad that tourist aren't told this. When I first moved to Albuquerque in 1989 I saw this huge and deep arroyo and wondered why it was so deep and so wide. Come to find out, just a few weeks before I moved there, it over flowed from heavy rain and washed away a woman and her child that drove across the water on the street above it. Both died.
So sad…
So sad about the woman and child washed away….
You guys are so blessed to live in a country like the USA. My mind is blown that a grader came through only a couple of hours after the flood waters died down. Where I come from in Africa it would be weeks or months before the road got graded again.
Great comment. Yes the ranger station is 10 min north of both the canyon gorges in Capitol Reef. They have adequate recover gear and equipment to help the people in the area and can be on site quickly. I’m grateful they jumped to action so quickly to clear the road. The resources are strong in this location because the gorges are visited so frequently by hundreds of people daily. Sometimes it feels like a traffic jam trying to get to the parking lot with all the cars.
I can only imagine what it would be like to wait months to have the road cleared. At that point, we would grab our essentials and walk out. Thanks for watching.
That's a spooky thought for me. Yes, we are blessed in the USA!
Indigenous people were blessed with this beautiful country until the invasion of colonizers!
@haroldtsosie1981 Every human in North America is the descendant of "colonizers". No human sprung from the dirty of North America. So the question is rather - who colonized the land first. And the answer is - definitely not the people who were there when the Europeans arrived. The original colonizers had long since been ousted by later colonizers. No surviving group of people are innocent.
Thank you for sharing this! So glad you guys are ok.
You guys will never forget this trip, your cool head and quick thinking really made the difference for all of you. You could not script this video ! Thank you for your military service to America !