When the Water Rose in Southwestern Colorado
Floodwaters have washed out roads, damaged homes, and left some residents without water and essential supplies.
Inside the Cockpit Over Pagosa Springs
Using two military helicopters, crews first surveyed the region to assess damage and identify where help was needed.
Holm received orders to activate at 9 p.m. Friday. He later attended flight school and now serves as a pilot and works in aircraft maintenance.
When floodwaters overtook an RV the CONG responded, performing a hoist rescue from a UH-60 Blackhawk. Two people, three dogs, and two cats were saved from the trapped vehicle. pic.twitter.com/rvEoDV09Tf
A Beloved RV Campground Submerged in South Fork
When the river surged into a threatening torrent, they raced back to Colorado.
A bridge had washed away, and debris continued to rush downstream.
“They’re still underwater. We just can’t comprehend even what we’re seeing.”
That far exceeded flooding last October, when the river flowed at about 3,300 cubic feet per second. The resort closed for the season on Labor Day, so no guests or staff were present when the flooding began, except for a sole contractor who retreated as the water rose.
The Smiths hope to reopen the campground by Memorial Day, when the season typically begins.
Rope, Prayers, and an RV Sweep Near Pagosa Springs
Hank and Stacey Wills knew the flood was coming, having seen heavy rain warnings for Archuleta County, but online updates indicated it would be less severe than a similar flood in 2025. They woke up at 4 a.m.
When a sheriff’s deputy arrived to order a mandatory evacuation for the Rio Blanco, the couple loaded belongings into their RV and headed out. As they tried to cross a watery section of road, the water got into the intake, and the engine stalled. Stuck in the dark around 10:30 p.m., they waited for a tow truck that never arrived because a bridge had closed.
Deputy Craig Tamburelli with the Archuleta County Sheriff’s Office arrived after 2:15 a.m. Friday, finding rapid whitewater flowing over the hood and windshield of the RV, which sat more than 20 feet from dry ground.
“I just kept praying, you know, Heavenly Father, please just let us catch something. Land us somewhere,” Hank Wills said, recalling more and more water flowing into the RV.
Back on the ground, the community faces the slow reality of recovery. Sections of highway remain damaged, resort owners survey submerged grounds, and neighbors check on neighbors amid mud and debris.
