So now we will always remember this as the great Valentines Day flood of 2019! A couple of hours ago we drove on Bear Valley Rd across the bridge over the Mohave River and it was huge flowing from side to side. Looking south towards the dam direction it looked like the Mississippi! The last huge flood at DCHS was in the 2011/2012 winter and it went even higher than this one. Clear up to where the bank is at the uphill side of the big sand area by the two signs. There were two main high flooding events, one a little higher than the other. In one high flood, I think it was in 1992, the big sand area up the hill from the Phoenix Pool was completely strewn with all sorts of driftwood and tree parts. Arizona Mike and I spent one day hauling all that wood and putting it in the still high river flow to wash downstream so it would not be available in the summer for fires that people do down there. Also the first flood created a huge pile of driftwood that was piled against the Sycamore trees where everybody gets shade just north of the Anniversary Pool. It was so big we didn't know what to do about it but then the second flood came and washed it all away, problem solved! That Woodsey Owl sign may have fallen over but it is probably still there. Thanks for the report Paulespo and the great photos of the flooding at the springs. The floods always change the sand around making different beach situations. I saw some old photos taken at DCHS I think back in the 60's and out in the creek from the rocks in front of the Serenity Pool area instead of the creek pool it was a nice sized sandy beach. After that 1992 flood the sand in that area was close enough to the surface by late spring that some of us regulars made a long sandbag wall all the way across that channel that lead back to the shower, and it made a huge warm pool that was enjoyed by all that summer and even into the next summer season
In that 2011/2012 flooding I also hiked up the PCT, crossed Kinely Creek in late morning, then later on my return voyage it had also risen a lot in the meantime which made me and my two pooches trying to cross it quite precarious. I was afraid one of my dogs might get carried away down into Deep Creek not far away which would most likely be fatal. I hiked down the ridges on the north side of the canyon to cross the Rainbow Bridge so my hike was not as far as yours Paulespo. When I got back to my truck I was exhausted, crawled into the shell of my truck and went to sleep quite wet from the hike and sweating hiking up out of the canyon. When I got to the springs that day like you saw yesterday all the pools where under the river so I did like you Paulespo and built a temp pool up a ways above the Anniversary Pool, making a small dam with an old blanket I found. Its always fun to see what the creek bed and the springs looks like after the flood waters go down
My pooches and I were out hiking yesterday in a remote area of Granite Mountains in the storm. We got out of the wind and rain during the mid day in a small cave in some big rock outcrops. Just 20 feet away or so outside the cave the wind was blowing the rain sideways like gale force, quite loud. Then the rain let up ( it was still very windy ) and we did the hike back. With so much rain the ground was very mushy, it was like hiking through marsh lands in the desert, with little rivers running everywhere. This spring should be fantastic for flowers
Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 02/15/2019 12:13PM by Wizard.
