Category Archives: Weather & Climate

Reports, discussion, and other thoughts on Zion area weather and climate

Virgin River Flash Flood Video

Posted on August 2, 2012 by

Mike and Seth caught some revealing footage of the Virgin River in scary flash flood mode as it carried a huge cottonwood tree down-river like an insignificant Poohstick. See how dark the water is? The color comes from the high load of silt, mud, and rock the river picks up in a flood event. 95% of the erosion in Zion happens in punctuated events like this, where sudden, heavy rains create high-volume, high-velocity river conditions that pick up tons and tons of sediment and move it downstream. Once the momentum gets going, all that debris can scour banks and displace large areas of sediment, replacing ankle-deep shallows with deep pools, and vice-versa. It’s super fun to explore the river after a flood event like this and try to find the best “new” swimming holes the flood has created. The guys filmed this footagee just above the Springdale River Park, where we pick up tubers at the end of their runs. Seems like tubing would be a little extreme with that amount of water and debris in the river, don’t you think? If you want to see a flash flood, I highly recommend a viewing it from a safe place like this, … Continue reading →

Posted in Natural History, Safety, Seasonal, Springdale, Summer, The Narrows, Tubing, Weather & Climate, Zion National Park | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Cloud Project Reaches 1000 Days Atop Angels Landing

Posted on April 1, 2012 by

I drop in on Texan photographer Kelly DeLay’s Cloud 365 Project occasionally, and I noticed today that he shot his 1000th cloud image from the top of Angels Landing this last week. There’s also a cloud image taken from Springdale the following morning. Kudos to Mr. DeLay for some serious tenacity in sustaining such an interesting long-term project. And he has a pretty cool website, too.

Posted in Photography, Weather & Climate | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Interesting Weather Coming to Zion This Weekend

Posted on March 30, 2012 by

The National Weather Service is predicting some interesting weather in Southern Utah this weekend, including: • Record-breaking warm temperatures on Saturday • Strong winds, with 40 – 65 MPH wind gusts Saturday afternoon/evening • A drastic (25 – 40 degrees F) drop in temperature overnight, with valley rain and mountain snow on Sunday If you are thinking, “Oh no… Looks like a horrible weekend in Zion,” think again! Zion is often at it’s best during turbulent weather, and this weekend looks like a fantastic opportunity to see Zion in full splendor. Interesting weather is great for photography, especially if Zion Canyons gets iced with snow on Sunday morning, which dramatically accents all the cliffs and crags. And Saturday looks like it will be BEAUTIFUL, full-on shorts-and-tshirts weather. So come up or down or however YOU get to Zion, and we’ll be happy to greet you for the natural festivities, whatever they are!

Posted in In the News, Seasonal, Spring, Weather & Climate, Zion National Park | Tagged , | Leave a comment

High Than Normal Water In Narrows Predicted Through January

Posted on November 12, 2011 by

Over the past week and a half, Narrows hikers have been experiencing higher-than-normal water flows. This has been a result of both snow melt from recent storms, as well as a water release from the nearby Kolob Reservoir. On Tuesday, November 2nd, 2011 the Washington County Water Conservancy District began releasing 35cfs from Kolob Reservoir to increase holding capacity and ensure there will be enough room for next year’s spring runoff. According to the Zion National Park Morning Report, this 35cfs water-release is predicted to last through the end of January 2012. What does this mean for those interested in hiking the Narrows in the next few months? Hikers will need to plan for not just cold water, but also for slightly faster and chest deep water in places. This week, Narrows hikers have indicated that they have adjusted their hike length due to particularly high flows and deep sections. Although the water may be swift, the Narrows is still appropriate for adult hikers looking for an adventurous experience. Staying flexible and preparing prior to the trip will help hikers stay safe and enjoy this hike during the release period. Kolob Creek, a technical slot canyon in the park is … Continue reading →

Posted in Hiking, Seasonal, Seasons, The Narrows, Trip Reports, Weather & Climate, Winter | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Fall Updates and New Shop Hours

Posted on November 4, 2011 by

With the turning of the leaves and our first snow storm of the year… New Shop Hours Beginning Monday, October 31st, our new shop hours will be 8 am – noon and 4 pm – 7 pm daily, with extended hours during Thanksgiving Weekend.* This allows us to outfit customers in the morning and return gear in the evening. Evening gear pick-ups may or may not be available, depending on availability of specific items. Our shop hours December – February will be 9 am – noon and 4 pm – 7 pm. *Thanksgiving weekend hours: Thursday 11/24: 8 am- noon only Friday: 11/25 – Sunday 11/27: 8 am – 7 pm Gear Reservations For those interested in renting equipment, please note we require reservations during the winter months. We have been unusually busy this fall and have been selling out of certain dry suit sizes, especially on the weekends. To make a gear reservation, please contact us with the following information: Date(s): Number in Party: Full Name: Phone: Email: Address: Name, height, weight, and shoe size for each group member: Winter Outfitting The Narrows Narrows hikers in the winter find icicles, snow, and near-silence as rewards for their adventurous visit. … Continue reading →

Posted in Autumn, Gear, Hiking, In the News, Seasonal, Seasons, The Narrows, Weather & Climate, Winter | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Flooding in Zion Last Week

Posted on September 19, 2011 by

Last week brought heavy rains, flash floods, canyon closures, and inaccessible roads to many of us in Zion Canyon and Southern Utah. The graph above of the Virgin River flow at Springdale shows the four “gully-washer” rain storms (and the consequential flooding) we received in the space of five days. And what day were we spared a downpour? The day of our Zion Adventure Company 15th Anniversary celebration. The Narrows and many canyons closed due to Flash Flood Warnings, and rock falls and muddy roads caused access issues to the Top-Down Narrows and other roads in the park. As of now, all canyons and roads have re-opened. Last week’s flooding topped-off most of our canyons in the park, including Pine Creek. For current conditions on some of Zion’s Canyons, take a look at my last post here. And if you want to SEE some good flooding footage, check out this video that shows the flooding on the east side and the Pine Creek drainage on Sept 14th! …AND the weather forecast for this week? Sunny and beautiful!

Posted in Autumn, Canyoneering, In the News, Road Conditions, Seasonal, Seasons, The Narrows, Weather & Climate, Zion, Zion National Park | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Current Conditions for Echo, Keyhole, and Pine Creek Canyons

Posted on September 17, 2011 by

September has brought us some big rains, especially over the last week. Which means one fantastic thing: full, wet, fresh canyons! As tenured canyoneers know well, good rains flush out the canyons, which can become a bit stagnant over dry summer months. With “monsoon” season giving us much less rain than usual this year, it’s great to have some flood conditions this month to clean things up in the slots. Here’s a few conditions reports from yesterday from clients who descended these slots: Echo Canyon: Cold (as usual), with several swims. Folks said wetsuits are REQUIRED. Keyhole Canyon: Cold-ish, with many swims. Most folks said, “You’ll want a wetsuit!” While some tough guys said that maybe they could’ve been okay without cold protection, other tough guys said “No way.” Consider how tough you are, and respond accordingly. Pine Creek: Cold, with many LONG swims (40 yards or so). Folks were saying, “It’s the wettest I’ve ever seen in there,” and commented that wetsuits are REQUIRED. ALL tough guys said you’ll want a wetsuit.

Posted in Autumn, Canyoneering, Safety, Seasonal, Trip Reports, Weather & Climate, Zion, Zion National Park | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Lightning Fatality Urges Caution During Summer Storms

Posted on August 29, 2011 by

While I usually think of lightning incidents as more of an alpine danger occurring in the Sierra Nevada or Rocky Mountains, this is the second lightening fatality this summer in the Desert Southwest (the other was about a month ago at Grand Canyon). While approaching thunderstorms can be thrilling to watch, PLEASE watch them from a safe place. When “very safe” places like vehicles or buildings are unavailable, do your best to distance yourself from high points and trees. If you can, sit on something insulating, like a backpack, sleeping pad, or rope. Canyons are generally safe places in terms of lightning, as you are between two high points, whereas places like Angels Landing are very dangerous in a lightning storm. Look here for detailed information from USFS ranger Melanie Fullman on the science behind lightning and specific recommendations on how to be safe in a lightning storm. Lightning Causes One Fatality in Bryce Canyon National Park An international visitor was killed by lightning along the Rim Trail between Sunrise and Sunset Points in Bryce Canyon National Park on Thursday, August 18. The victim was identified as Volker Kunz, 51, from Hamm, Germany. At approximately 12:20 PM, Mr. Kunz and … Continue reading →

Posted in Accidents, Hiking, In the News, Outdoor Leadership, Safety, Summer, Weather & Climate | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Cedar Breaks Still Under Snow at 11,000 Feet

Posted on June 10, 2011 by

Here’s the latest on conditions high up at Cedar Breaks. This is the snow feeding the Virgin River and The Narrows, which is why we expect The Narrows to continue to be closed through June. As this news release mentions, however, the water is great for the local ecology, and the summer wildflowers in the high country should be in top form. Deep Snow Further Delays Opening Date for Cedar Breaks National Monument CEDAR BREAKS NATIONAL MONUMENT, UTAH. Opening the park road and visitor facilities at Cedar Breaks National Monument has been delayed at least one to two more weeks. The slow melting rate and the vast amount of snow yet to be removed from roadways, parking lots, and facilities have hampered efforts to open the park. The new target date is June 17. “Visitor safety is our number one priority for deciding when to open the park ,” said Park Superintendent Paul Roelandt. “The scenic road through the park still has areas where lanes are partially blocked by snow or where visibility around curves is hampered by drifts of ten feet or more.” The Cedar Breaks Visitor Center will open for the season after the road through the park … Continue reading →

Posted in Natural History, Seasonal, Summer, Uncategorized, Weather & Climate, Wildflowers | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Alternatives to Hiking the Zion Narrows During Spring Flood

Posted on May 18, 2011 by

Extraordinary precipitation this winter/spring has resulted in high water levels in The Narrows this spring, closing the world-famous hike for the last two months. Since the snow pack remains significant in the watershed’s higher reaches, we expect The Narrows will remain closed another 2 to 4 weeks. So many Zion visitors plan to hike The Narrows, and we have the ugly job of telling all these folks, day after day, they can’t explore this place they’ve heard so much about and have travelled so far to see. Visitor reactions fall across the board: mad, sad, frustrated, crestfallen… a few hesitant hikers are even glad to have an convenient excuse to miss The Narrows. But the upside of this whole situation, the thing we try to help everyone see, is there are TONS of world-class activities in Zion that can be just as rewarding as The Narrows hike. If you are bummed to miss The Narrow on your current or upcoming trip, please peruse the following ideas for ways to turn that frown upside down and make the most of your visit. Fabulous Day Hikes 2- to 4-hour hikes like Angels Landing, Observation Point, Emerald Pools, and Hidden Canyon offer breathtaking views, great … Continue reading →

Posted in Canyoneering, Families, Hiking, Mountain Biking, Rock Climbing, Seasonal, Spring, The Narrows, Weather & Climate, Zion, Zion National Park | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment