“That was really hard to see. We’ve never seen that. We’ve gone to the historical society and asked and it’s just not anything anyone has seen in their lifetimes out here.” David Boyd, Public Affairs Officer for The White River National Forest
Bummer news out of Colorado where Hanging Lake’s once crystal clear water have turned a shade of murky brown after the area was inundated with monsoon rains and mudslides. Denver 7 reports officials have reviewed aerial footage of the site but a team of specialists tasked with conducting a survey are unable to as the area in the heart of Glenwood Canyon is inaccessible due to storm damage. While the extent of any potential damage to Hanging Lake remains unclear, experts believe it will not be permanent:
“That fine sediment will settle out with time. The water column will become clear. The bed will have a lot of mud on it, but that will gradually be flushed out and algae will grow on top of it.” -Colorado State University Geology Professor Ellen Wohl