For those of you who expressed interest in the affects of the recent rains in
the Carlsbad area...
Sent from my mobile phone
********************
George Veni, Ph.D.
Executive Director
National Cave and Karst Research Institute
400-1 Cascades Avenue
Carlsbad, New Mexico 88220-6215
USA
Office: 575-887-5517
Mobile: 210-863-5919
Fax: 575-887-5523
gv...@nckri.org
www.nckri.org
-------- Original message --------
From: "Pierce, Karl" <karl_pie...@nps.gov>
Date: 2013/09/18 18:06 (GMT-07:00)
To:
Subject: Fwd: Guadalupe Mountains National Park Media Advisory - Storm Update #3
National Park Service
Guadalupe Mountains 400
Pine Canyon Drive
U.S. Department of the Interior
National Park
Salt Flat, TX 79847
915-828-3251 phone
915-828-3269 fax
Guadalupe Mountains Media Advisory
Release date: Immediate
Contact(s): Karl M. Pierce
Phone number: 915-828-3251 x 2300
Email: karl_pie...@nps.gov<mailto:karl_pie...@nps.gov>
Date: September 18, 2013
Release code: 13-10
Guadalupe Mountains National Park Storm Update
(Pine Springs, TX) Park staff continues to assess the damage from last week’s
storm and flash floods, and has initiated repairs. The park opened the Permian
Reef Trail and the Wilderness Ridge Backcountry Campground.
Open facilities now include:
Pine Springs Visitor Center
Pine Springs Campground (Both RV and Tent Camping)
McKittrick Canyon Visitor Contact Station
Guadalupe Peak Backcountry Campground
Wilderness Ridge Backcountry Campground
Frijole Ranch (Exterior Areas Only)
Guadalupe Peak Trail
The Pinery Trail and the Pinery Butterfield Station Ruins
Guadalupe Peak Stock Trail
McKittrick Canyon Trail (First 1½ Miles to 4th Water Crossing Only)
Devil’s Hall Trail (1st mile only)
The Western Smith Spring Loop (Smith Spring Trail is Closed Between Smith
Spring and Manzanita Spring)
The Manzanita Spring Trail
Closed Areas include:
Frijole Ranch Cultural History Museum
Ship on the Desert
McKittrick Canyon Trail Beyond the First 1½ Miles, including Pratt Cabin
Devil’s Hall Trail After the First Mile
Williams Ranch Road and Williams Ranch
Williams Road, the Salt Basin Dunes and Western Part of the Park
Dog Canyon
All Other Trails, Backcountry Campgrounds and Backcountry Areas
Much of the park sustained rain and flood damage during last week’s storm. The
Frijole Ranch Cultural History Museum, inside the Frijole Ranch House, and the
Frijole Bunkhouse sustained heavy water damage to the carpet and walls, and
mold is growing inside. A large section of water line was also lost in Frijole
Ranch. Ship on the Desert sustained water damage from roof leaks. Park staff is
drying out both the Frijole Ranch House and the Ship on the Desert, and have
initiated repairs. Park staff hiked to Pratt Cabin and the Williams Ranch House
to conduct preliminary damage assessments. Although neither suffered
significant damage, both remain isolated, as Williams Ranch Road and the
McKittrick Canyon trail both sustained heavy damage. Approximately 45 feet of
the embankment of the wash behind the Pine Springs Visitor Center was washed
away, so that now only 35 feet from the Pinery Butterfield Station Ruins. One
of the stone benches at Smith Spring was washed away. The part of Williams Road
and the salt flats on the park’s western flank remain under water. A large
section of fiber optic line that the Dell Telephone Company maintains in the
park’s housing area, which was buried at least four feet underground, was
washed away. The New Mexico Department of Transportation is reporting that New
Mexico Road 137 is open. However, Dog Canyon remains closed while park staff
assesses storm damage there. Park staff continues to assess the damage from the
storm and flooding. However, most other trails sustained damage, with many
areas being washed out and debris and remain closed.
Visitors are reminded that trails which have been opened still have loose rocks
and soft, uneven ground, and many require shallow water crossings. Hikers and
backpackers should exercise extreme caution, and all visitors are asked not to
enter closed areas, for their own safety.
The National Weather Service reported that the Bowl recorded 12.41 inches of
rain during a 24 hour period from September 11-12, while Dog Canyon recorded
9.50 inches, McKittrick Canyon recorded 7.32 inches and the Pinery recorded
5.12 inches. The Texas Tech University West Texas Mesonet
(http://www.mesonet.ttu.edu) weather station, located near the park’s fire
cache, registered 15.73 inches of rain between September 9 and 14, including
13.50 inches during a 24 hour period on September 12-13.
Park information, including park conditions, closures or restrictions, weather
and program information, may be found on the park’s website at
www.nps.gov/GUMO/<http://www.nps.gov/GUMO/>, on the park’s Facebook page at
www.facebook.com/Guadalupe.Mountains/<http://www.facebook.com/Guadalupe.Mountains/>,
or by contacting the Pine Springs Visitor Center at (915) 828-3251 x2124.
Motorists traveling past the park along Texas Highway 62/180 may tune in to the
park’s Traveller Information System radio broadcast at 1560 AM for up-to-date
park information. The Pine Springs Visitor Center is open daily (except for
Christmas) from 8:00 AM until 4:30 PM. The McKittrick Canyon, Frijole Ranch
House, Dog Canyon and Salt Basin Dunes (Dell City, TX) Visitor Contact Stations
are open intermittently. Please call the Pine Springs Visitor Center at (915)
828-3251 x2124 to find out whether they are open. For Dog Canyon, call the Dog
Canyon Visitor Contact Station/Ranger Station at (575) 981-2418. For the latest
weather information for Guadalupe Mountains National Park, see
http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?zoneid=TXZ258 or
http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?zoneid=TXZ421. For the latest road
information, call 511, or visit www.drivetexas.org/<http://www.drivetexas.org/>
for Texas or http://nmroads.com/ for New Mexico.
-NPS-
EXPERIENCE YOUR AMERICA™
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so that all may experience our heritage.
