Arkansas River Salt Lick rapid swimmer drowned - guided trip

Salt Lick is the area directly below Three Rock Falls Rapid. At this water level, Three Rock is a place where many flips will occur. The swim after a flip here is a rough one.

Yes, pay no attention to the file photo they posted in the article. The 3 rocks hole is quite large right now and thats a low water shot probably taken in the Numbers section.

Anyone see any more information on what happened with this or Royal Gorge death this past weekend. Both sounded like people with PFD and helmets on. I'm always interested to understand better (and learn from) what happened when people had right gear and things still go bad.

denali1322 said:

Anyone see any more information on what happened with this or Royal Gorge death this past weekend. Both sounded like people with PFD and helmets on. I'm always interested to understand better (and learn from) what happened when people had right gear and things still go bad.

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PFD will keep you on top but in big water like that you only have a few minutes of swimming and hoping to squeeze in breaths here and there until your body is totally exhausted and you start swallowing water. Based on his age he pry swam and became exhausted quite quickly. It happens to experts who are in great shape too.

And double the exhaustian factor when you are from some lowland area and come up to altitude to boat. Ive been there.

Haggardphunk said:

PFD will keep you on top but in big water like that you only have a few minutes of swimming and hoping to squeeze in breaths here and there until your body is totally exhausted and you start swallowing water. Based on his age he pry swam and became exhausted quite quickly. It happens to experts who are in great shape too.

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Just saw a YouTube video yesterday of some gal that sent it in to 7News.

Scary video: Raft overturns in Class IV rapids under Royal Gorge Bridge - 7NEWS Denver TheDenverChannel.com

They flipped in the Gorge and she was wearing a GoPro. She swam for like 6 minutes. Actually, she didn't swim, she "assumed the position" and just let the river carry her a LONG way before she got out. There are a couple of times she goes right past some pretty calm water, on her back, and not doing anything to get into the calmer water and out of the river.

The story ended well, everyone in that raft made it out alive though.

Moral of the story - swim like your life depends on it and get out!