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Video: With some luck, group of hikers survives flash flood in southern Utah

Scrambling to high ground saved them in Buckskin Gulch.

Lennie Mahler  |  The Salt Lake Tribune

Sunlight peeks into the narrows of Buckskin Gulch on Sunday, Sept. 25, 2016.

Lennie Mahler | The Salt Lake Tribune Sunlight peeks into the narrows of Buckskin Gulch on Sunday, Sept. 25, 2016.

Buckskin Gulch is one of Utah’s great backcountry hikes. But it’s pretty much one, long slot canyon — and that means it’s prone to flash floods. 

On July 29, such a flood came through. Seven hikers, who say they checked the weather in advance, were caught in it. 

They lived. A Youtube video posted this week tells their story. In one of the most harrowing moments, the hikers explain how they had 10 seconds to scramble up rocks to avoid the flow. 

The hikers’ account is corroborated by the Kane County Sheriff’s Office. A news release described how it received an emergency alert from a beacon the hikers were carrying. In the video, the hikers give a big thank you to the county search and rescue team. 

Kane County Sheriff's Office describes the flood and rescue.


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