Hikers and campers in Havasu Canyon scrambling to higher ground Thursday as violent flash floods tore through Havasu Creek. The turquoise waters people come here to see turned brown.

It went from beautiful to scary in about 45 minutes.

Gilbert resident Shanoa Nickerson and her husband were hiking in the canyon near the Colorado River Confluence when they were swept away by the fast moving flood. Nickerson's husband was rescued by a group of rafters. They couldn't find his 33-year-old wife.

The text message said to his dad that there was a flash flood, they were swept away, and that he was rescued by rafters, and that Shanoa is missing.

Nickerson's brother speaking to 12 News as the family waits for answers.

We love her, and we won't give up until we find her.

As crews continue to search for Nickerson, hundreds of stranded campers upstream are waiting on a helicopter ride.

A lot of people having to do water crossings and making human chains to get people across the river.

It was scary. Latresha Mims and her group are visiting from Mississippi. They heard thunder as they were setting up tents at the Havasupai campground, which the creek passes through.

I have a friend that's a ranger, and he had warned us that it's monsoon season. If we heard thunder to head to high ground. We actually left the campsite, made it to the hilltop before the flood hit.

They lost their clothes in tents, but they didn't lose their lives.

I was really proud of them for not panicking. We all got out really safe and quickly.

The group is now waiting for a seat on board a rescue helicopter. Mims says portions of the 10-mile trail connecting the campsite to the trailhead are impassable.

There's about 200 of us waiting to fly out, five at a time.

It's her fourth time to have, only this time, she saw firsthand how quickly this paradise can turn into a nightmare. She remains hopeful that Nickerson will be found safe.

We're praying for them.

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