Heavy rainfall in San Juan County left several campers stranded near Silverton on Saturday and flooded the Ice Lake area, forcing the closure of County Road 7 beyond Ice Lake.
Two campers crossed Mineral River to set up camp, but discovered another river entirely the next morning. Heavy rains made the roaring river impassible, and the two were evacuated by Silverton Ambulance, San Juan County’s Search and Rescue team and the U.S. Forest Service, said San Juan County Sheriff Bruce Conrad.
Another group was hiking Arrastra Gulch near the Mayflower Mine in Silverton when a rockslide blocked their path back, separating them from their car. As of late Saturday afternoon, the San Juan County road crew was still helping them out of the area.
“We’ve gone from extreme fire conditions to extreme rains,” Conrad said, which can trigger mud, rock and debris slides like the one near Arrastra Gulch.
The campgrounds near Ice Lake are already flooded, and the county evacuated the area and blocked it off because of concerns that recently logged trees would cause a debris slide.
The section of County Road 7 beyond the Ice Lake trailhead has also been closed because of flooding, Conrad said.
With the recent rains, campers have started lighting fires in the San Juan National Forest, Conrad said. But he warns campers and hikers that there is still a fire ban, as campfires can still cause a wildfire during monsoon season.
“As of today, there is still a $1,000 fine for lighting a fire in the backcountry,” he said.
Reader Comments