Flash Flood — Coconino, Arizona

2001-08-07 · near The Gap, Coconino, Arizona

Event narrative

Two people died while hiking in a slot canyon when a flash flood washed them down stream. The two were long overdue from a hiking trip when searchers began looking for them. The last entry in a personal journal, dated August 7, indicated that they were going to hike up a slot canyon 16 miles southwest of The Gap. The canyon is marked by steep cliff walls that offer no escape to higher ground in the event of a flash flood. Their bodies were found over 16 days later.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 5266980. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.