June 24 - One Year On

It’s been just over one year since the southern Alberta flood disaster. In June 2013, heavy rainfall brought melting snow from the mountain peaks in the west of the province to the valleys and rivers below. The trickling mountain streams engorged to become widened chasms and the torrent of water with its accompaniment of rocks and boulders, tree branches and indeed whole tree trunks, and other debris, spilled over into a raging and unprecedented flood in the southern part of Alberta. Many areas suffered intense damage with swollen rivers overflowing their banks. The muddy floodwaters even spread along the city streets of Calgary. Nevertheless, High River was probably the worst hit and to some extent restoration continues to the present day.

At the time of this disaster, Lyle and I were camping in the Kananaskis Valley. The light rain that began in the late afternoon turned to a heavy downpour overnight and by morning the roads leading out of the William Watson Lodge were washed away in several different locations. I remember the feeling of being cut off from everything – no cell phone coverage and no Internet. Before the day was out, the rain had turned to snow and it was cold. There was a grizzly and her two cubs in the area so walking too far afield wasn’t an especially good idea either.  Probably the worst feeling for all of us was the lack of communication and the uncertainty of our situation. At the time we had no real idea of the extent of the damage the floodwaters were causing in other areas. Along with other campers Lyle and I were eventually evacuated from the area by army helicopter. It was another seventeen days before we were allowed back to retrieve our motor home.

This past weekend, just one year and a few days later, we returned to Kananaskis for another camping weekend. This time we were very cautious in checking and rechecking the weather forecasts, and we also decided to stay at the northern end of the valley. In spite of all this, there were eerie reminders of the 2013 disaster.

For the most part, the landscape in the valley was green, but as we crossed the few bridges into the park there was definite evidence of what had been. The widened path of water under the bridges remained scattered with rubble, stone and gravel. There was a sign by the entrance to the previously spectacular 18-hole golf course announcing that it was now closed.  Shortly after we had set up camp, we heard the rumble of a distant avalanche. At one point, we heard the distinctive thump of the rotating blades of a sightseeing helicopter overhead reminding me of the army copters which had flown over and around our isolated campground of twelve months ago.

It was good to go back but our 2013 experience, and I am sure that of others who were around southern Alberta at the time of the floods, is a reminder of the force and unpredictability of Mother Nature. I am including a few pictures with this post.  The first two were taken at this same time last year.

Snow in the mountains - June, 2013

Aerial view taken from the helicopter over Kananaskis Golf course, June 2013

   

View of mountains, This year in Kananaskis, June 2014