East Fork - Follows Camp Flooding

San Gabriel River of the Angeles National Forest (CA)
January 2005 Flooding

Note: As devastating as this flood was, the rainfall which caused it did not even measure to
that of a "25-year" flood; much less a "50-year" or a "100-year" flood which are still expected.
Therefore, this flood was only a puppy of the long overdue bigger floods which are inevitable.

Residents are mindful of the potential of landslides with the over saturated hillside slopes
and with the fact that there is a major earthquake fault line running through the camp.

A portion of the Follows Camp Campground in rising water before the flood wiped it out.
Most of the campground's left out trash barrels, trees and top soil, were washed away.
Photograph taken looking eastward from the high bridge span which later collapsed.

East Fork Road, Follows Camp, flooding, National Forest, San Gabriel River.

Rising flood waters later washed out the trees.
Photograph taken from the main entrance bridge looking eastward.

East Fork Road, Follows Camp, flooding, National Forest, San Gabriel River.

Growing flood has removed the trees and the vegetation on the far river bank.

East Fork Road, Follows Camp, flooding, National Forest, San Gabriel River.

Photograph taken from the main entrance bridge looking westward.

East Fork Road, Follows Camp, flooding, National Forest, San Gabriel River.

A walk-in fridge a walk'n.
Photo shows the main entrance road leading down from the East Fork Road to the
Follows Camp with a walk-in fridge being slammed up against the entrance bridge.
The bridge is made up of the frame tops of two flatbed railroad cars placed
side-by-side.

East Fork River Follows Camp flood damage Angeles National Forest, Azusa, California

Main entrance bridge weeping.

East Fork Road, Follows Camp, flooding, National Forest, San Gabriel River.

Joe Davison's pride. Reportedly the first fire truck acquired by Joe
was left out on low ground despite flood warnings.

East Fork Road, Follows Camp, flooding, National Forest, San Gabriel River.

Come hell or high water.

East Fork Road, Follows Camp, flooding, National Forest, San Gabriel River.

Follows Camp's water truck which was also not taken to higher ground.
Reportedly, at peak flood level, water was near the top of the wheels,
but the high clearance and truck's weight kept it from being lost.
Fortunately, the soil erosion cut advancing from the main
channel did not reach the truck as it did the fire truck.

East Fork Road, Follows Camp, flooding, National Forest, San Gabriel River.

A Follows Camp tractor, which was also left out despite flood warnings,
protrudes a wheel from the river (like a drowning swimmer waving an arm).

East Fork Road, Camp Williams, flooding, National Forest, San Gabriel River.

The Follows Camp's Community Center (long trailer) and a shed (to the left),
at receding water level, is viewed across the river. * The raging waters uprooted hundreds of mature shade trees and sent
two tractors, a fire truck and two sheds measuring 6-inches thick and
made of concrete into the choppy waters.
— San Gabriel Valley Tribune 1/28/05

FollowsCamp.com Photographic display courtesy of the W.E.F. Copyright © 2005 W.E.F. All rights reserved. Use of all photographs generously donated by contributors. Domain name is loaned through the courtesy of George Sabin.