A deadly flash flood at Phantom Ranch, the only lodge at the bottom of the Grand Canyon, has killed two people. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing The Guardian.
Phantom Ranch's storied past
Phantom Ranch, the solitary refuge at the bottom of the Grand Canyon, has welcomed some of history's most famous names. Theodore Roosevelt set up a camp on the site in 1913 during a hunting trip, and the ranch opened in 1922.
The flood event
On Saturday afternoon, more than 60 people were evacuated by air from the ranch and the adjacent North Kaibab Trail. Two people were confirmed dead, nearly 80 were rescued, and one person remained unaccounted for.
Historical figures
The future King Gustaf VI Adolf of Sweden was a prominent early guest, arriving via mule in 1926. In 1967, then-senator Robert F. Kennedy stayed at Phantom Ranch after rafting down the Colorado River with family and friends, covering 90 miles from Lake Powell.
A hazardous zone
The National Park Service describes flash flooding as an inherent risk in the canyon but had additionally warned in February of "the elevated potential for flash flooding and debris flows in the Bright Angel Creek watershed" following the Dragon Bravo wildfire that decimated parts of the North Rim last year and forced the closure of the North Kaibab trail from July to March.
Beauty and danger of the canyon
Hundreds of thousands of visitors who peer over the South Rim cannot see the river, let alone the tiny ranch far below. But hikers who trek down the zig-zag miles of the South Kaibab or Bright Angel trails and cross footbridges over the Colorado to reach the ranch descend steadily into a more rugged and tranquil wilderness. Here, heat, thirst, or flood are the biggest dangers, not the resident mountain lions, rattlesnakes, or scorpions.
Conclusion
Phantom Ranch is a symbol of the Grand Canyon's history and beauty. But the sense of safety can be as elusive as the name of the refuge. A fast and fierce deluge, as occurred at the weekend, can quickly form a roaring flash flood when rain swells creeks that drop steeply into the canyon, as happened in Bright Angel Creek.