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The following letter was sent on September 20,
2013:
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We Weathered the
Storm -
Colorado 2013
Floods
(contains photos and web links - please be patient as they load)
For those of you
who wish to stay
"in the loop"
with me on a
more regular
basis, feel free
to send me a
Facebook friend
request. You can
find me under
Sharon Guli
(Tabitha Sass).
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Dear Friends,
Family, and Fans
-
Thank you for
all your
concerned
emails, calls,
and texts. It
warms my heart
to know so many
of you care
about our
well-being.
Let me start by reassuring you that we
survived this
latest natural
disaster fully
intact, just
soggy.
I was gone until
Sunday night on
my
Russia/England/France
trip (more on
that later), but
Mike kept me
posted as to the
flooding
situation as it
developed. For
those of you
unaware, a
massive storm
system stalled
over the state
of Colorado last
week, and we
received more
rain in four
days than we
usually receive
in an entire
year. The ground
became
saturated, and
200 miles of the
Front Range of
Colorado
suffered severe
flooding. In
some areas, they
call it a 100
year flood, but
in other areas,
they say it was
a 1000 year
flood.
Here's a link to
a helicopter
video tour of
the flooded
areas. About
halfway through,
when they start
to mention
Highway 34 and
the Big Thompson
River, you know
you're getting
close to our
neck of the
woods.
http://www.coloradoan.com/VideoNetwork/2670951716001/Aerial-tour-of-Fort-Collins-Loveland-flooding
This disaster
has caused much
more damage than
last year's
fire. In our
county alone,
over 1500 homes
have been lost,
over 4000
damaged, over
100 people are
still
unaccounted for,
and it's even
worse in other
communities.
People have
died, entire
towns have been
evacuated, and
massive losses
to roads have
been incurred.
Here's an
interview of a
couple rescued
from the flood.
It's a miracle
they're alive:
http://www.coloradoan.com/videonetwork/2676549862001
Our studio/house
is located on
the side of the
hill, so the
water went past
us, causing no
damage. Our
ponds all
overflowed, the
meadow was
awash, and a
roof leak in one
corner of our
home
intensified, but
the good news is
- that's the
worst of it and
we are fine!
Mike has already
fixed the leak,
and has spent
many tractor
hours mending
the water
erosion to our
dirt road.
All of the ponds
overflowed their
banks:
The bridge to
the island on
our front pond
was almost
underwater (not
to mention the
island itself):
Mike studies an
overflowing
culvert that
needs repair on
our dirt road:
To the best of
our knowledge,
Paradise Park
survived intact,
thank God. All
neighbors are
accounted for,
and no major
damage has been
reported.
However, the
neighboring
community did
not fare as
well. Of the
three main roads
that we can take
to get to town,
only one is
accessible to us
(Rist Canyon to
Fort Collins),
and it suffered
significant
damage, being
washed away to
the center line
in places. Due
to the unsafe
conditions, the
authorities have
asked us to
limit our travel
until they can
complete
temporary
repairs. They
are going
gangbusters on
it, and have
already made
significant
progress. We
deeply
appreciate that
this route is
still passable,
as it will be
our main
lifeline off the
mountain for the
foreseeable
future.
The southern
route, through
Buckhorn Canyon
to the city of
Loveland, is so
severely damaged
they cannot get
it replaced
before winter.
It is not just
heavily damaged,
it is completely
gone in multiple
places.
The following
two dramatic
photos were
taken of the
Buckhorn road
damage by our
Fire Chief, Bob
Gann. He says
these aren't
even the worst
parts of the
road:
Here's what he
had to say today
regarding the
Buckhorn Canyon
road:
"I flew the
Buckhorn Canyon
today to survey
the road damage.
In the upper and
mid Buckhorn
(Stove Prairie
and above) there
is extensive
damage. There
are major
sections where
you cannot tell
there was ever a
road there. At
one point it was
so hard to tell
I wondered if we
had diverted off
the canyon to
some tributary I
didn't know
about. Of course
not - there are
none - there was
just no road."
- Bob Gann, Fire
Chief, RCVFD
Here's a YouTube
link of the last
man driving
through Buckhorn
Canyon as it was
flooding.
Shortly after
this video was
taken, the road
washed away.
This link was
posted by our
neighbor in
Paradise Park,
who says, "This
is the Buckhorn
Creek Narrows
video before it
washed out on
the way to
Masonville.
Intrepid
neighbor took
the film. No
estimate on when
it will open
again, some
heard it could
be months, if
not years."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OuFV03GDlcI
Here's another
link by a local
resident of the
nearby flooding
as it happened,
and their
concerted
recovery efforts
since. Bravo!
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1EXMhKifQSgcIUuUfnslaQ
You've got to
keep in mind
that these are
mountain folk,
who choose to
live in remote
areas because
they value being
self-sufficient.
Here's a frank,
yet still
humorous, report
from a personal
friend of Mike's
who lives in one
of the
now-stranded
areas. His email
update was sent
on Tuesday, in
the thick of the
flooding:
"Lots of damage,
no bridges, road
undercut or
missing, horse
trailer washed
away 1/4 mile,
Volvo washed
away 200 yrds
(apparently they
float), lost 10
cords of 4' dry
pine logs,
totally gone,
all fences gone,
18 ft. flatbed
trailer buried
100 yrds away,
buckhorn creek
100 yrds wide
and 8 ft. deep
at present, more
rain expected,
we have food and
are dry, hot tub
unaffected so
far, phone out,
horses loose but
alive." -
Richard
What spirit!
For the past
three days,
military
helicopters have
been dropping
supplies and
evacuating other
residents who
are completely
cut off.
Our fire chief
is urging
everyone in
these areas to
evacuate for the
winter, as once
the National
Guard leaves
with their
choppers, there
will be no way
to continue to
drop food and
supplies to
these folks, and
no way to get
them out. He's
serious.
If you're
interested, you
can read his
informative and
politely blunt
letter by
clicking here.
One of the most
personal losses
to me is the
damage sustained
by
Sylvan Dale
Guest Ranch,
where I have
happily taught
dancing for the
past 18 years.
The owners, the
Jessup Family,
took us in
during the
immediate days
after our fire
evacuation last
summer, and are
like family to
us. The dude
ranch has been
in their family
for over 60
years, and its
beautiful
location sits in
the bend of the
Big Thompson
River, which
massively
overflowed its
banks and
demolished
multiple
structures on
their property,
included their
largest guest
bunkhouse and
their beautiful
dining room and
kitchen. All of
the family,
staff, horses,
and cattle are
safe and dry,
but they are
currently
stranded, as the
river destroyed
the road as
well. Supplies
are being
brought in on
foot over the
ridge, and their
generators are
supplying power.
I cried when I
watched the
following
YouTube footage,
but am
encouraged at
hearing their
plant to
rebuild. Tough
pioneer stock!
Here's a news
clip done about
the flooding on
the Ranch:
http://www.coloradoan.com/viewart/20130917/NEWS01/309170037/Flood-decimates-Loveland-s-Sylvan-Dale-Guest-Ranch
Here's the first
heartbreaking
link posted to
YouTube showing
the damage:
http://youtu.be/iuqpFSEamp4
There are so
many who need
donations after
this flood. If
you wish to
help, the Red
Cross has been a
great resource.
If you wish to
donate toward
the rebuilding
of
Sylvan Dale Guest Ranch directly, you can visit
this link:
http://www.youcaring.com/help-a-neighbor/sylvan-dale-ranch-recovery-fund/88307
The main road to
Estes Park from
Loveland,
through the
beautiful and
majestic Big
Thompson Canyon,
was totally
destroyed in
many places, and
they cannot say
when it will be
fixed. The more
southern route,
through Lyons,
is also gone. In
the meantime,
current access
to Estes Park is
only possible
via a 3-4 hour
detour. However,
since tourism is
the lifeblood of
this mountain
city, I am
holding out hope
they will
restore a viable
route in time
for us to still
host our annual
Holiday
Victorian Ball
there in
November. Will
keep you
posted...
Here's an aerial
video of the
severe damage on
Highway 34 to
Estes Park:
http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/local-news/aerial-tour-of-flood-damage-to-estes-park-highway-34-and-big-thompson-canyon
The biggest
inconvenience to
us at the moment
will be the
time-consuming
detours we have
to take if we
need to go south
to Loveland or
Denver. At the
same time, we
are most
grateful the
road to Fort
Collins is
usable, albeit
fragile. While I
don't have
photos of the
severe road
damage on Rist
Canyon, these
photos from
Stove Prairie
Road, which
leads from
Paradise Park to
Rist Canyon,
give you a small
idea of what
lies ahead for
the road crews
to repair:
A number of you
have indicated
your frustration
on our behalf at
the twist of
fate that has
brought both
fire, then flood
to our
community. This
is a rare
occurrence, and
I hold firm to
the belief that
God is in
control, and
thank Him for
his continuing
hand of
protection and
blessing to us
during these
unusual times.
It is
still
"well with
my soul!"
Thank you for
your love and
support. Many of
you offered your
homes to us, and
while it would
have been
pleasant to
spend time with
you, I'm glad
this time we
didn't have to
take you up on
your offers, and
look forward to
seeing you under
less dramatic
circumstances. I
am happy to say
we are in need
of nothing at
this time, but I
know quite a few
of you were
affected by the
flooding in this
state. Please,
do let us know
how you are
doing and how we
can be of help.
Take care,
Sharon & Mike
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