Ari Harms, 35, of Denver, was last seen in his inflatable kayak on the Colorado River near Pioneer Park in Hot Sulphur Springs above Byers Canyon. Search and Grand County rescue officials have not found his body.
On Monday, May 29, 2023 at approximately at 1:52 p.m. the Grand County Sheriff’s Office was notified by the Pioneer Park campground host that a vehicle was still located at a campsite that should have checked out already. Deputies responded to Pioneer Park in Hot Sulphur Springs and received information from the campground host that other campers had seen the male entering the Colorado River at Pioneer Park with an inflatable kayak on Sunday, May 28, 2023. No one reported seeing him since. The investigation determined the missing person to be Ari Harms, a white male in his thirties.
The Sheriff’s Office and Grand County Emergency Medical Services responded to and searched the Colorado River in Byers Canyon and surrounding areas, and were unable to locate the individual. The search and investigation for the missing man is ongoing.
Update: Sheriff’s Office Communications Director Erin Opsahl wrote in an email that a citizen found a kayak May 29 matching the description of the one Harms was seen with when he entered the Colorado River. The person found the kayak on the west end of Byers Canyon, and the sheriff’s office now has the boat. The search for Harms is ongoing. Search suspended on June 6 - no result. Backpack and gear found in the river.
UPDATE: June 6, 2023: Grand County emergency crews have suspended their search for missing kayaker Ari Harms in the Colorado River. The tough decision was made after the sheriff's office spoke with Harms' family members.
Harms was last seen on May 28 getting into an inflatable kayak in the Byers Canyon area. Grand County was alerted after he never checked out of his campground the following day. His kayak was found but so far there's been no sign of him.
The sheriff's office says fast-moving water conditions have made it too dangerous to continue their search of the river and they hope to resume the search when conditions improve.
