Death on the upper Colorado?

jacksplasticraft · 07-08-2005

Word from Grand county that a cannoe overturned and one person
is dead.No PFD in eye of the needle.Anyone have more info?

blurredelevens · 07-08-2005

My search and rescue friend heard it on his pager and it sounds like one person drown around the pumphouse run.

CWorthy · 07-11-2005

I was down on the Upper C Saturday and saw the canoe in question below Needle's Eye. It was on river right before Mary's Wall - busted bow split straight down the middle. There were 2 kayakers next to it who'd told me someone had died the day before - didn't think to assist with getting the canoe out of the canyon until it was too late. It's a shame they do not require PFD's on this stretch except for those 9 & under, because I think many who run it have a false sense of security. This is the second canoist to die in less than two weeks - sad, very sad...

brettb · 07-11-2005

running it tomorrow in a 10 ft raft R2! Never done it! is it really that demanding for a canoe? how is it at these levels?

Its like helmets! they save your life ... its a shame people dont wear them!!

CWorthy · 07-11-2005

It's a blast at this level - fun waves and not as bony as it's been these past few years

I have an 11-1/2 foot raft and had no problem running it down with an oar frame on Saturday to Rancho del Rio and, there were also a bunch of folks on duckies who had no problem either. They all had PFD's on and I still think that's key - it doesn't take much to get in to trouble as we all know... Have fun!

tellutwurp · 07-11-2005

I did this the other weekend in an open canoe, not that demanding but it doesn't take much to swamp and flip. We swam the eye of the needle and Yarmony, the female in our group got a bit banged up, pfd is a must in an open canoe and I put my helmet on for yarmony as I knew the flip was coming. Anyhow, it is a blast, nothing like big waves in an open canoe, a raft is just too easy.

anyone know the info on the other death? Were they wearing pfds?

Jeb · 07-11-2005

We were rafting the upper C on Saturday and saw a white water canoeist trying to reel in a green canoe, below Needles Eye. The guy was running the shore but couldnt get to the green canoe, which was loose in the river. I was able to grab the canoe and my paddlers brought us into shore before Mary's wall. The boat was missing some trim pieces, but I didn't notice a bow split. We emptied the water and brought it ashore. While I was holding the canoe, a Commercial boat, Red Tail came up and told me "that guy didn't make it". Talk about a reality check, knowing that whoever was in that boat started out to have a great day on the river, and was now dead. Most of my group, newbies, did not catch this exchange, so we headed out before the canoeist caught up with us. I did not want to freak-out my group; we had some kids with us. I later saw the canoeist towing the green canoe out, it was a powerful moment watching it go by, very empty. My sympathies go out to the family of the guy who died.

J