08.03.11 Now Margo knows why Ernie flew back to his roost high on a mountain cliff early yesterday afternoon. It's monsoon season and in the late afternoon heavy rain poured down on the Golden Eagle Ranch. It looks like it may happen again today. During the monsoons in the 1960s, the ranch got 11 inches of rain in 2 hours! Because of the mountains on the west side of the ranch, that meant a lot of water came rushing downhill in torrents. Boulders the size of cars tumbled down Rock Creek, cracking together with loud booms… It wasn’t nearly that bad yesterday, but in some areas in town people had to be rescued. Margo has a rock overhang to shelter in when the rain starts. She says, “When it's raining in the mountains, take to the high ground and find shelter!"
One of the worst Rocky Mountain Flash Floods was the Big Thompson Flood of August 2, 1976. Check it out: http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2009/feb/22/rocky150-big-thompson-flood/