BUENA VISTA, Colo. — A Colorado Parks and Wildlife ranger braved the rapids of the Arkansas River to save three people after their raft flipped.
Ranger Jeff Hammond with the CPW Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area received a call for help from the Chaffee County Sheriff's Office around 10 p.m. on July 6.
An off-duty commercial raft guide had taken two people out on a private trip in Browns Canyon, a 13-mile gorge between Buena Vista and Salida, around 7:30 p.m.
According to CPW, the boat flipped in Zoom Flume in Browns Canyon, which is known for its Class 3 rapids. The guide was able to text 911 for help, but the other two people were unaccounted for.
After receiving the call, Hammond went to Nathrop to meet with the Chaffee County Search and Rescue (SAR) and begin the search. Once they reached Zoom Flume, they heard cries for help.
“We could hear yelling from across the river, and that was the two unaccounted-for folks. They were upstream with their friends and swam to shore pretty quickly after they flipped in Zoom Flume,” said Hammond. “At that point that's when I got in my kayak, put it in the water and ferried across the river and was able to check in with them and confirmed they were relatively okay."
According to CPW, since the two were not in imminent danger, Hammond left them "with a promise to return" and went to search for the guide.
He found the guide and the raft about a mile downstream. Thankfully, she was not injured, according to CPW.
Hammond loaded the guide and his kayak into her raft, and the two paddled back across the river. They were transported by ATVs back upstream in order to rescue the two people left on the riverbank.
More than four hours after receiving the initial call, Hammond headed home for the night.
“I think the big takeaway, they stayed put and they called for help,” said Hammond. “They knew that staying on the river was the best way to be found, and they stayed where they were.”
There have been 22 swift water fatalities so far this year, according to CPW. There were 13 swift water fatalities in 2022.
If you are heading out for water activities, Hammond stressed the need for planning
“[Bring] extra water — more than you think you might need. Even if it's just a two-hour float, bring a Clif Bar so you have enough food,” he said.
If you run into an issue, don’t hesitate to reach out.
“Call for help early. Don't wait because it is a long response time in the back country for rescuers to get there,” said Danny Andres, president of Chaffee County Search and Rescue South.
Also, always be sure to travel in groups.
“They were boating solo, so they didn't have another raft with them to help with the rescue when they flipped,” said Andres.
