Accident Database

Report ID# 117277

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  • PFD Not Worn or Present
  • Does not Apply
  • Inadequate Equipment
  • High Water
  • One Boat Trip

Accident Description

A woman who worked in Steamboat Springs died in Sunday's rafting accident in Grand County. The Grand County Coroner's office says she was 51-year-old Diane Graham, who lived in the Rabbit Ears area and worked in Steamboat Springs. Graham died in a rafting accident by the Radium Campground in unincorporated Grand County on Sunday, June 25.

From Mountainbuzz: June 26, 2023 - Went from Pumphouse to Rancho yesterday 6/25 was just ahead of her at 5200 cfs. No lifejacket and two kids with Walmart vests on flipped in eye of the needle and died. Kid was rescued after mary's wall and not sure about other one but heard they are both ok. I think they need a river ranger down there again this could have been avoided.Hi Charlie - Looking over your fatalities report and wanted to point out that the Diane Graham accident was on the Pumphouse section of the Upper Colorado rather than Shoshone. We were on the river that day and I believe they flipped in Needles Eye. Many thanks for your work on this list. Too many no PFD accidents.

From Jason Smirnow:  Looking over your fatalities report and wanted to point out that the Diane Graham accident was on the Pumphouse section of the Upper Colorado rather than Shoshone. We were on the river that day and I believe they flipped in Needles Eye. Also, Pumphouse was at about 5300 cfs that day. That's very high water for that section (maybe the peak for this year) and the two significant rapids on the run can easily flip an unsuspecting rafter/kayaker. Easy moves to miss if you have even a little experience, but it's normally a booz cruise kind of run.
 
From Ben McKnight: Flipped in the center hole

 

Coroner IDs woman who died in Colorado River

Meg Soyars

Sky-Hi News

On Tuesday, the Grand County coroner identified the 51-year-old woman who died in a rafting accident Sunday on the Colorado River as Diane Graham. 

According to Grand County Coroner Tawnya Bailey, Graham lived in the Rabbit Ears area and worked in Steamboat Springs. Her autopsy is scheduled for Wednesday where the cause and manner of her death will be determined after an investigation is complete.

On Sunday, Graham died in a rafting accident on the Colorado River by the Radium Campground, according to the Grand County Sheriff’s Department. 

At approximately 12:48 p.m. Sunday, Grand County dispatch received a report that a raft had overturned on the river by the campground, which is in unincorporated Grand County. 

Graham was found in the river unresponsive. Life-saving measures were unsuccessful, and she was pronounced dead at the scene. The Bureau of Land Management, Kremmling Police Department, Grand County Sheriff’s Office, Grand County Emergency Medical Services and MedEvac responded to the scene.

 

 

 

 

 

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