Updated

Updated · Arizona's Family · Aug 31

Grand Canyon Flash Flood Kills 1 Texas Chiropractor as Search Continues for 2 Companions

Updated

Updated · Arizona's Family · Aug 31

Grand Canyon Flash Flood Kills 1 Texas Chiropractor as Search Continues for 2 Companions

Q: With critical waterlines severed and bridges destroyed, how long will the Grand Canyon remain closed to overnight visitors?

There is no estimated reopening date. Grand Canyon National Park said overnight hotel accommodations inside the park are suspended beginning Aug. 31 and will remain halted “for the foreseeable future” because flash flooding severed the Transcanyon Waterline and left the South Rim with limited water reserves. The shutdown affects concession-run lodging inside the park, including El Tovar, Bright Angel Lodge, Maswik Lodge, Phantom Ranch, Yavapai Lodge and Trailer Village. The park remains open for day use, but overnight stays inside the park are not being allowed while officials conserve water and assess damage. Park officials also said Phantom Ranch, Bright Angel Campground, the North Kaibab Trail, and the Black and Silver bridges are closed until further notice, with no estimated reopening date for those inner-canyon areas either. Nearly all footbridges over Bright Angel Creek were destroyed, and crews are still evaluating trails, utilities and other infrastructure. Lodging outside the park in Tusayan is not affected. Anyone planning a visit should expect the closure to last at least until the waterline is repaired and park water supplies stabilize, but officials have not provided a timetable.

3 articles · Updated · Arizona's Family · Aug 31

John Giusti’s family said the Granbury, Texas, chiropractor died after Saturday’s Grand Canyon flash flood, while 42-year-old Brent Rosenkranz and 53-year-old Timothy Allen Smith remain missing.
Two bodies have now been recovered and roughly 15 people are still unaccounted for as crews search in steady rain, poor visibility, difficult terrain and the threat of more flooding.
62 people were airlifted from Phantom Ranch and the lower North Kaibab Trail by Sunday morning, with additional evacuations continuing after floodwaters began around 2:30 p.m. Saturday.
Nearly all footbridges over Bright Angel Creek were destroyed, river traffic was halted, and damage to the Transcanyon Waterline forced Stage 4 water restrictions and South Rim lodging closures through Sept. 6.