We were well on our way down the mountain when a torrential storm struck the area. Below timberline and moving as fast as our large group could go, we were not aware of the storm’s rapid progress and immense size. We just moved down toward the road on the standard route, knowing the fireworks were about to start.
Explosions of thunder and cracks of lightning seemed to suddenly scour the area. In between was a curious noise that sounded like white noise, such as rain falling, but at a much higher pitch. This sound then suddenly grew in volume, as if some apocalyptic force was suddenly descending upon us.
We were on a trail section in a gully, where rushing waters of a small stream began to churn violently. As we donned our rain gear, the waters in this gully swelled in seconds to a raging, muddy torrent, obviously fed from a copious downpour further up the mountain. Then, it instantly poured, as if buckets of water were dumped on us. Drenched and shocked by the cold water, we gasped and started down the trail.
A single pause had me looking up to make sure everyone was together. All present and accounted for, I also saw the waters in the gully rising rapidly, not only from the stream, but from new streams pouring over the sides of the gully. Grass, rocks and boulders were moving downslope at an erosion rate that can only be described as warp speed. The gully was literally collapsing with us in it.
I yelled “let’s get the hell out of here!” We ran the rest of the way back to the car, dodging mudslides and rocks through this gully. Getting into our cars without getting the interiors soaked was not possible. We staggered into the Dinner Bell Café (now something else) in Johnson’s Corner looking like a pack of soaked rats. We must have been a sight because we could hear people gasp as we entered the restaurant. Finally, a waitress came up and asked “What happened to you folks? Are you alright?”
After eating a good burrito, we’d all be just fine.
For the 6th most impressive storm event in 37 years of climbing, head for the San Juans.
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Sawatch Range
