Grand Canyon officials have given an update on the search for a missing hiker after a flash flood killed two people, while warning that extensive damage to the park’s water system has forced an indefinite halt to overnight stays.
The National Park Service held a town hall on Wednesday, September 2, to address the rescue operation, repairs to the Transcanyon Waterline and the continuing disruption across Grand Canyon National Park.
The flood struck Bright Angel Canyon and the Phantom Ranch area on August 29. The bodies of John Giusti, 46, and Brent Rosenkranz, 42, both from Granbury, Texas, were later recovered and identified by the park service.
A third member of their hiking group remains missing. Search teams from the National Park Service, Coconino County Search and Rescue, and US Border Patrol Search, Trauma and Rescue are continuing to comb the damaged terrain.
Officials said the operation has been made more difficult by collapsed bridges, debris and unstable ground. Ground teams entered the Phantom Ranch area for the first time since the flooding on Tuesday.
Brian Bloom, who is leading the incident management team, said crews were having to cross “muddy, slippery, uneven terrain” and negotiate the remains of bridges and old footings. Downed power lines are also being stabilised as the search progresses, while helicopter landings have been complicated by soft ground, rocks, branches and mud.
The flooding has also left the Transcanyon Waterline out of service. The 12.5-mile pipeline carries water from Roaring Springs on the North Rim across the canyon to the South Rim, where it serves visitors, residents and park operations.
A preliminary assessment indicated that about 40 per cent of the waterline had been damaged or destroyed. Brian Drapeaux, the park’s deputy superintendent, said officials expected “miles of the pipeline” to have been destroyed, although a full assessment will require ground teams to inspect the route.
Stage Four water restrictions remain in force on the South Rim. The park has said it has approximately two weeks of water in storage, prompting the closure of hotels, lodges, Phantom Ranch and Trailer Village to overnight guests.
The Grand Canyon remains open for day visits, while only dry camping is permitted at affected campgrounds. Visitors and residents have been asked to limit showers, turn off taps while brushing their teeth and flush toilets selectively as crews work to restore the damaged water infrastructure.
