The Upper Animas River , one of Southern Colorado 's most famous runs, saw its second fatality in two years on Sunday, May 12, 1996. This occurred not in the Class VI+ lower section of Rockwood Gorge, but in the upper section that is often run to avoid walking the railroad tracks to the take-out. It is a sheer-walled box canyon with stout Class IV+ rapids in it. The 3900 cfs water level was pretty high, but not absurd.

Mike Miller was paddling with another kayaker when he became caught in a deceptively nasty pourover. He bailed out, recirculated, then floated free in a semi-conscious state. His partner brought him to shore twice, but Mike could not pull himself to safety. Finally he washed into the "logjam eddy" where the river makes a sharp bend. There he was pulled beneath an undercut wall. The body was spotted briefly by rescuers several days later, but was probably lost in the Lower Box.

SOURCE: AW President Ric Alesh; CWWA Safety Chair Roger Lynn; Nancy Wiley

ANALYSIS: (Walbridge) A Class IV rapid in a sheer walled gorge at high water, just above an unrunnable section is no place to swim! Paddlers attempting to duplicate the run must understand that they can’t afford to make a similar mistake.