'Hole in the Roof' up rock creek collapsed :(

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Last Thursday, three of the kids in our group climbed up, and jumped off it into the bowl. One of those girls, took at least 45 minutes to muster up the courage, and she stood on top, on the edge. Meanwhile, my buddy was underneath, inside of the bowl with their Tritoon. A couple other of the parents were down inside the bowl with waterproof cameras to document it all. On this time, I just hovered on the outskirts, and ended up leaving to go fish. We had a long conversation today, about the "what if's" if that would've been the day. It could have killed about 8 of our group easily. Very fortunate that nobody was hurt on the cave in yesterday!
 
It has two names because it had two different features depending on water level.

When it was above 3600 it was a water hole with a cave that went out into the lake. So it was like a toilet bowl.

I swam thru the hole a few times when the water was only feet from the top. The last time I swam under it was around 3612. It was a very long swim to the lake side. We had gone there a couple weeks earlier with lower levels and it was a good swim but wasn’t bad. Then at the higher level it was pretty advanced.

Then at lower levels it became the hole in the roof.

So both names were correct.

Mike
 
While we were there Monday, I made a comment about how it wouldn’t be long before she fell because of the slab that fell earlier this year. I pointed out the stress cracks and it wasn’t until someone in our group pointed out my comment that I came to the realization that rocks have been falling at Lake Powell for decades, before lake level fluctuations. My mom told me of stories about us camping during the 60’s, up the lake and into the San Juan, and how she was constantly fearful of the rock slabs falling on us because they were so loud. It was a common occurrence back then and they still are now. RIP “Toilet Bowl”!
 
IMHO, It's only by the grace of God/Angels/some cosmic force/Luke, I'm your father:LOL: that no one was hurt.

Think about it....A major attraction at the busiest time of the year......comes crashing down..... Hmmm.... :cool:

Not quite as crazy as turning your head at just the right moment so only your ear is scratched....;)

I'm going with the angel thing.....pleeze keep them angels around.......🙏
 
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OUCH…

Crazy, I was going to swing by the bowl on Thursday.

I was in a hurry and just stayed on course.

Of course, now I am wishing I had stopped… BUT… I may have been under it and ended up like the pontoon a few years ago that went to the bottom when a rock landed on it. As I recall, one person from that boat was never found.
 
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Does anyone know...what time it came down??

Middle of the night, 'no one there' might refer to my previous post....but don't wanna upset the, as Phillbo says: 'The fun police'

Just kidding, just kidding..... :cool:
 
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I think most people look at the arch and think it let go in the middle of the arc. I’m not sure that was the case. Looking at some of the before and after pictures you can see a massive slab of sandstone on the left wall fell which IMO is what took out the entire arch. I think the large left wall was the failure point and in this case there was an arch attached to it that fell with it.

So it may have gone like this:

Left slab area broke/slipped first and fell which included the left arm of the arch.

Once the left side fell the enormous unsupported weight of the right arm of the arc broke off as it was no longer supported as a complete and connected arch.

I was there three weeks ago and our kids spent a lot of time swimming under and jumping off the arch. I’m glad no one was injured or killed. Thats a popular destination on a daily basis in the summer. Sad to see it gone but will have great memories of it as I’m sure a lot of others will as well.

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JFRCalifornia said:
NPS has issued an official press release:

www.nps.gov

Popular Geologic Feature Collapses in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area - Glen Canyon National Recreation Area (U.S. National Park Service)

Popular Geologic Feature Collapses in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area
www.nps.gov www.nps.gov
Click to expand...

Well... The press release has an error.... "Crescent Pool" is up in Last Chance, and was named by Wayne. :) That feature is also known as "Craig's Bathtub," or "Hepburn's Bathtub."

RIP, Hole in the Roof.

Here's the true Crescent Pool, back when it had water in it, water level 3614, Oct. 5th, 2019.
Tiff

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Hole In The Roof (aka "TheToilet Bowl") had always been one of the sights that I always took new guests to see. An amazing water cave with a skylight, the kind of thing that made Lake Powell a joy to discover. It was one of those natural wonders that only revealed itself at lower water levels. At 3,595, I could just squeeze in on a Wave Runner.

I'll miss not being able to experience it's "only at Powell" magic in the future..
 
Of course, Hole in the Roof wasn’t really a huge attraction until the water dropped. Here’s my photos of it in August 2020, when the lake was at 3604. It was impossible to boat underneath at that time, and really was just a steep-sided pool that if you fell in, you’d have a hard time getting out. On that summer day, there wasn’t a boat for a half mile around, since there was no reason to go. It might have been a more attractive pool to swim in at about 3615-3620… much above that, it would have been under the lake…

People wonder why it fell. Well, it’s made from Navajo Sandstone, which is basically ancient hardened sand dunes that formed under the pressure of other deposits when there once was a huge lake over much of the SW millions of years ago, a feature long gone. After the whole Colorado Plateau uplifted, the Colorado River’s erosive power once again exposed those hardened dunes as it cut through them like a knife.

If you leave Navajo Sandstone in water long enough, it starts weakening, and the erosion forms sand—because that’s what it is! Add fluctuating lake levels, a little wave action from beneath, possibly spurred on by storms or boats, and you’ve got more erosion. People walking on top would be an insignificant factor unless… unless there was a thin weak seam in the first place… possible?

The best beaches at Lake Powell are made from Navajo Sandstone, because it’s fundamentally just sand.… and so are many of the best arches in the major national parks. And for that reason, they are all doomed to fall one day, possibly in the distant future, but eventually…

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