A drive up the Big Thompson canyon in Colorado

[Pilgrim]

Last weekend we drove up to Estes Park to get a look at hos it's doing, and to see what happened to the 22-mile river canyon which comes from Estes Park down to Loveland, CO.  That's where the huge flood occurred in September.

I got some bad pictures (all taken from a slowly moving car) and thought I'd show them to you.

This map gives you an idea of how much mountain area drains through the canyon. Lake Estes is on the south side of Estes Park.



Here are some photos of structures in the canyon that are still standing - most are not inhabitable.  Note how far above the river some are - and how the flood literally cut the earth out from under them.  Most that you see partly hanging in air were at least 30-40 feet from the previous river bed.

[Pilgrim]

More photos...

[Dave W]

Sad to see. It's only been four months though. It will be years before all these will be repaired or torn down.

[Pilgrim]

Here's an online slide show that has aerial pix and shows some excellent views of the river channel and road destruction.  I can't believe I drove that same road last weekend.  I was told that 17 of the 22 miles of road in the canyon had to be reconstructed...and it was done within 4 months.

http://kdvr.com/2013/09/15/slideshow-hwy-34-destroyed-through-big-thompson-canyon/

You think you're safe when your cabin is 40 feet from the river and 30 feet above it?

NOT SO FAST, my friend!!.....

Some of the valley areas in the river's path up to a half-mile wide look like someone came through with a giant Brillo pad and just scoured them clean - they're just rocky plains with a tree here and there.

[Dave W]

Amazing that they were able to get that much road rebuilt so fast.