Day 106: January 9, 2005 - Flash Flood

by Karen Williams

After several days of heavy snow, the temperatures warmed up, and the snow was followed by rain. This was the start of a historic 100-year flash flood, which devestated downstream Washington County.

by Christian Williams
What started in East Zion as little waterfalls completely flooded Pine Creek, with the river being added to by waterfalls from canyons throughout the park.
 

by Christian Williams
We of course hiked down toward the flooded Pine Creek area for a better view and better photos, and had to stop for a bit of fun.

Day 44: November 8, 2004 - Emerald Falls

by Christian Williams
The rainy season in Zion National Park continued. Emerald Pools in the main canyon, which is often just a trickle or even completely dry in summer time was now a full-blown waterfall. As I hiked along the trail, which takes you underneath and back across the top of the lower Emerald Pools falls, I really liked the juxtaposition of this stone staircase, with the waterfall flowing in the background. The rain was still pouring down, which made keeping the lens dry for a 20 second long exposure somewhat tricky.

by Christian Williams

Here is another view of the lower Emerald Pool.

Day 27: 10/22/2004 - Weeping Rock & Telephone Canyon Falls

by Christian Williams

Weeping Rock is one of the most popular trails in Zion, probably because it is so easily accessible. Water from Echo Canyon located above gradually seeps through the sandstone in a 1000 year-long process of filtration and gets pushed out through the rock face where hanging gardens of plantlife thrive in the permanent dew. However, the view at Weeping Rock is usually not as specatular as what I witnessed this day. In this photograph, rain water is pouring out from Echo Canyon above, bypassing the slow process of seeping through the sandstone.

by Christian Williams

This waterfall, located near the entrance to the Zion Narrows, is usually present during and just after rainfall in Zion. I love the effect of the towering canyon walls and magnificent waterfall as murky brown floodwater from the Virgin River rushes by in the foreground.

Day 26: 10/21/2004 - Flash Flood in Pine Creek

by Christian Williams

Pine Creek looks more like a raging river, and not a small creek that feeds into the Virgin River. After four days of constant rain, Pine Creek in Zion had reached flood levels. In just 4 days, Zion National Park was hammered with 8.1 inches of rain, which is amazing considering the park only averages 15 inches of rain for the entire year.

by Christian Williams

Notice how brown the water looks, a common sign of flash flooding. Heavy flooding in Zion can cause instantaneous rock or mudslides. I carefully moved closer, checking above and below me at all times, but no matter how careful you think you are in situations like this, all it takes is just one unlucky moment...

by Christian Williams

I stopped by this spontaneous waterfall, in East Zion on the way back home. We have an affection for Juniper trees, and eventually named our first born daughter after this scrubby, resilient, yet beautiful tree of the west.

Day 25: 10/20/2004 - The Flood

by Christian Williams
Rain from the previous night continued this day, which brings the canyon walls of Zion National Park alive with waterfalls.

by Christian Williams
This roadside fall is a favorite photo-spot by people driving through East Zion when it rains. I love the way the water twists and bends its way down the crack in the rock face as it searches for the path of least resistance.

by Christian Williams
As I was taking pictures on my tripod, I looked back at the ground and really liked the arrangement of my 2nd camera, casually strewn behind me in the wet sand--it almost looks like it belongs in an ad. Or it stands as an example of how not to treat several thousand dollars worth of camera gear... (p.s. don't ask to buy my used cameras).

Day 4: September 29, 2004 - 136 Kinds of Weather within 24 Hours

Mark Twain once commented, "In the Spring, I have counted 136 different kinds of weather inside of 24 hours." He could have been speaking of Zion National Park in the fall. I watched the weather quickly change from beautiful blue sky, to overcast, to flash flood levels within 1 hour.

by Christian Williams

The bright blue cloud sky and orange rock that is so often present in Zion can turn just about any photo into something special.

by Christian Williams

Bone White Rock

Within minutes the clouds started to roll in. The bright shining walls of Zion were covered in a cloudy haze. Dreary clouds often make for depressingly bad photographs, but for some reason I really like the stark white contrast of this image. It's as if the absence of blue sky and sunshine just sucked the life out of this photo.

by Christian Williams

A few moments later and the flood had begun. The eastern half of Zion was inundated with rain. It's amazing how quickly the weather can change in Zion, and even more interesting is how isolated the weather can be. The lower half of Zion was still experiencing blue sky and sunshine, while every rock wall, canyon, and dry river bed on the east rim was transformed into a raging river or waterfall.