Accident Database

Report ID#67876

1997-06-04
accident date
Unknown
victim
0
victim age
Clear Creek
river
Near Golden
section
Low head dam
location
n/a
gage
Medium
water level
VI
river difficulty
Caught in Low Head Dam Hydraulic
cause code(s)
n/a
injury type(s)
n/a
factors
Private
trip type
Whitewater Kayak
boat type
status?
status

Description

June 4, 1997 a kayaker, paddling alone, attempted to run a spillway at a low head dam. This was on a section of Clear Creek near Denver, CO that is rarely paddled. He was recirculated in the hydraulic for ten minutes before flushing out. He was pulled to shore by two law enforcement officers. They began CPR and transported him to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead. SOURCE: Mike Stano via email; Roger Lynn posting to rec.boats.paddle June 4 saw three fatalities in the Rocky Mountain Region. In Colorado near Denver Mike Stano reported that a kayaker, paddling alone, attempted to run a spillway at a low head dam and was recirculated for 10 minutes before flushing out. He was pulled to shore by two law enforcement officers and pronounced dead at a nearby hospital