Colorado Flooding – How You Can Help

Unless you’re just returning from an expedition to some far off place, you’ve most likely heard of the recent flooding in Colorado. Massive rainfall amounts, with 9 inches in a 24 hour period and 17 inches over the course of the week, combined with local geography to produce incredibly powerful and devastating flash floods along the Front Range in the areas surrounding Boulder. Early reports of the science behind the event are fascinating, and it sounds like this may not be as rare as many would hope in the future. Also, the Denver Post has an incredible image gallery up that truly captures the magnitude of this event.

Thankfully, the weather has finally dried out this week and folks are now left with the reality of moving on with their lives. For some that means drying out some belongings, for others it’s rebuilding a basement, and for some, it means starting over from scratch, as literally everything they owned was washed away with the water.

It’s a weird thing to be so close to an event like this, and yet feel so far away. We didn’t experience any of this weather on the Western Slope, and it’s hard to imagine the chaos and heartbreak that was occurring just over the mountains. And while this is certainly a disaster in every sense of the word, the positive side of events like this is that it tends to bring out the best in people, many of whom are wondering, what can I do to help? And while it’s tempting to hop in the car with a shovel and go find something to dig out, there are some very tangible ways and systems in place for those looking to lend a hand:

The most comprehensive resource is the page up at HelpColoradoNow.org, which lists places you can donate money, how to volunteer for clean up efforts, how to make material donations and more.

9 News also has a great webpage setup with a list of resources.

On a personal level, there is a climber in the area, Scott DiCapio, who was heavily impacted by the flooding, and some friends have set up a relief fund for him and his wife. I had the pleasure to meet and get to know Scott somewhat in Rifle last summer, and nicknamed him the most psyched guy in the canyon, as he always had a big smile on his face and was so excited about the climbing there. Everyone who knows Scott and Leah have nothing but the highest regard for them, and word has it that during the flooding they set up a tyrolean to help get people evacuated from the small town of Glenhaven that they lived in. If you’d like to make a donation to them, you can visit this page.

If you have friends in the area, consider sending them some gift cards for groceries or a care package. Those little things will mean the world in the midst of what they are going through.

Also of note is the impact to the major climbing areas in the region, including Rocky Mountain Park, Boulder Canyon, Eldorado Canyon and more. As of now these places are closed, and access will likely remain questionable for some time to come. Many trail systems are in need of major repair, and the Boulder Climbing Community has set up a fund for collecting money to help with that effort.

Best wishes to all those involved, and know that our thoughts and prayers are with all of you going through this.