Accident Database

Report ID#65307

1986-07-29
accident date
Unidentified Man
victim
0
victim age
Rio Grande
river
01. Rio Grande Res. to 12 miles above Creede
section
Near Creede, CO
location
n/a
gage
Medium
water level
IV
river difficulty
Flush Drowning
cause code(s)
Does not Apply
injury type(s)
One Boat Trip
factors
Private
trip type
Raft
boat type
status?
status

Description

A group of six inexperienced paddlers in a rental raft capsized after hitting a rock on the Rio Grande River near Creede, CO after the group failed to high-side. Five made it ashore, one washed downstream. He was found dead, still wearing his PFD, by river rangers and deputy sherrifs. While it’s not clear what happend, the presence of a second boat to provide backup might have prevented this death Source: Casey Swanson