Somebody save Canmore!

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apogee

climber
Technically expert, safe belayer, can lead if easy
Topic Author's Original Post - Jun 20, 2013 - 06:07pm PT
Have you seen what's going on up there today?

http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/pictures-and-videos-of-flooding-in-canmore-alberta-1.1334613


I keep seeing FB posts from a buddy of mine in Alberta...Wrath o' God kinda stuff!

Hope everyone is ok up there...
apogee

climber
Technically expert, safe belayer, can lead if easy
Topic Author's Reply - Jun 20, 2013 - 06:20pm PT
Seriously?

[Click to View YouTube Video]

Edit:

Naheed Nenshi: (A government official, of some sort)
The City has declared a State of Local Emergency.

To address the safety and security of citizens in low-lying areas, mandatory evacuation orders have been issue for six communities along the Elbow River.

The communities of Mission, Elbow Park, Stanley Park, Roxboro, Rideau and Discovery Ridge are being evacuated immediately.
Studly

Trad climber
WA
Jun 20, 2013 - 06:35pm PT
Holy sh#t, that river has some flipping velocity! Best wishes and prayers for your safety and property, more then a little scary.
saa

climber
not much of a
Jun 20, 2013 - 06:38pm PT
Same has been happening here in Europe for a month.
I don t even know about other parts of the world cause
I ve been fighting waters that rose 3 feet in 40 minutes in my home. Hail up to 1 inch diameter, storms daily andlightning throughout the night.

Then another thread about this on the taco:
Weather sceptic etc.
Jstod

Trad climber
North Vancouver
Jun 20, 2013 - 08:14pm PT
I've been in Canmore this week for work - meant to leave today but the highways are all washed out and shut. The whole thing is pretty surreal. We went up to look at Cougar Creek last night near midnight and it was raging, but still well within its banks. By 6am this morning back-yards were washed out and homes were being evacuated. Some pretty serious destruction since then.

Over 100mm's of rain have fallen in the past 24hrs and it's still raining pretty hard right now.
goatboy smellz

climber
Nederland-GulfBreeze
Jun 20, 2013 - 08:18pm PT
Silver lining, taking the boat via the creek probably makes the commute to Calgary faster.
Jstod

Trad climber
North Vancouver
Jun 20, 2013 - 09:08pm PT
Sister barely made it out this morning and is now stranded in Banff.
She had to drive through a mud slide with two other vehicles as the water was rising.
On the east side in Sundre my dad is moving boxes out of the basement as he lives next to the Red Deer River.
Many towns, Bragg creek for one, are entirely under water,
Absolutely epic 100 year flood.
The houses along Cougar Creek, where my sis lived for years, are washiing away - I think the big house built by the developer right at the mouth of Cougar Creek is gone now as well as a few more.
My niece told me they are homeless as the area they live in right now in downtown Canmore is under water.
Canmore is obliterated.

It's definitely very bad. No houses have actually been washed away yet, though the basements/foundations of many houses closer to the creek have been undercut and eroded severely so still a possibility that entire houses will be lost. Balconies, backyard and household contents from basements have been flowing downriver most of the day.

I spent most of the day downtown and while some basements are flooding, it seemed much better there. Power is on roads aren't really that flooded. I'm currently sitting about 300m from the creek and power has come back in this neighbourhood. Rain has stopped for the time being but is expected to return.

High River and Brag Creek were hit even worse i believe...
KyleO

Gym climber
Calgary, AB
Jun 20, 2013 - 09:28pm PT
Make one wonder about the Dam above Grassi Lakes. If that were to blow there would be alot more water coming down into Canmore. If I remember correctly the entire Spray Lakes reservoir is man made and is probably getting very full!
goatboy smellz

climber
Nederland-GulfBreeze
Jun 20, 2013 - 09:47pm PT
positive vibes for your sis Radical.
Jstod

Trad climber
North Vancouver
Jun 20, 2013 - 10:14pm PT
I'm told Paliser has been evacuated but it may just be that the basement is flooded.

I'm staying with a voli fireman who was called out to help at 1am last night and didn't get back till 5pm this eve. he's just grabbing some shut-eye but will be up soon for another shift. I'll ask him as soon as he's awake and post-up.

The good news for your sister is that i believe the eastbound traffic will open between banff and canmore well before westbound, so hopefully she's not stuck in banff for too long…

Jstod

Trad climber
North Vancouver
Jun 20, 2013 - 11:31pm PT
Hey Riley - sounds like residents are allowed to return to Paliser now (according to the town of Canmore facebook page):

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Town-of-Canmore/229502923034?fref=ts

hopefully that's good news for your sister.

JS
kunlun_shan

Mountain climber
SF, CA
Jun 20, 2013 - 11:47pm PT
Wow! Hwy 1 sure is in bad shape:

[Click to View YouTube Video]
kunlun_shan

Mountain climber
SF, CA
Jun 21, 2013 - 12:16am PT
Riley, this CBC update is good for info, with the Twitter links:

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/story/2013/06/20/live-alberta-flooding.html

I hope your Dad and sister, and their property are all okay!


[Click to View YouTube Video]
apogee

climber
Technically expert, safe belayer, can lead if easy
Topic Author's Reply - Jun 21, 2013 - 01:38am PT
"Pretty ridiculous that the developer built that house literally in the river ."

...or that people would buy it after it was built.

Hope your family comes out as safe & sound as possible, Riley.
pvalchev

Social climber
Mountain View, CA / Calgary, AB
Jun 21, 2013 - 01:50am PT
I've spent a ton of time in that area and there is tons of good cragging around Cougar Canyon - I've walked by these houses dozens of times. I've never seen Cougar Creek more than ankle deep, but always noted the width of that river bed there... clearly, sh#t hits the fan there sometimes, and this is an event of epic proportions. Fingers crossed for everyone who is affected for the best possible outcome.

Thankfully my family's house in Calgary is on a hill & safe of floods, but I have a few friends near the Bow & Elbow rivers that are evacuated, with damage certain... how much damage is the only question.
Fletcher

Trad climber
The great state of advaita
Jun 21, 2013 - 02:15am PT
Yikes! That is some jaw dropping flooding. Blown away. Hope everyone is ok. Houses and property can be replaced, people can't.

Eric
nah000

climber
canuckistan
Jun 21, 2013 - 02:59am PT
it's going to be interesting to see how this plays out as all of the water makes its way to calgary tonight [and if the rain continues, over the next couple of days...]

this was some of the preparation being done in mission [an inner city neighbourhood along the elbow river] today:

[Click to View YouTube Video]

many more neighborhoods have already been evacuated than were during the last large flood in 2005. while the one positive is that the glenmore reservoir appears not to have been as consistently high during the last few days as it was prior to the 05 flooding, authorities are already warning that the glenmore dam will likely overflow just as it did in 05.

assuming that happens for only the second time, it's going to be a very big mess for a lot of neighborhoods along the elbow...
McHale's Navy

Trad climber
From Panorama City, CA
Jun 21, 2013 - 03:09am PT
From 2007;

http://www.piquenewsmagazine.com/whistler/mountain-news-canmore-planning-climate-change-centre/Content?oid=2159229
AP

Trad climber
Calgary
Jun 21, 2013 - 03:52pm PT
Parts of Calgary are flooding now. Downtown has been evacuated as the Bow has flooded. 100,000 people have been evacuated from their homes (all areas near the Bow and Elbow Rivers)
This has happened incredibly fast and is raining hard again. The rivers MAY be at their high point but we will see.
RyanD

climber
Squamish
Jun 21, 2013 - 04:12pm PT
This is crazy. Best wishes to all that are there, Riley I hope ur family comes out ok. Jstod too, good luck guys.
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