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A Bad River Swim · May 23, 2005

Accident Report for Pueblo Whitewater Park

Arkansas River · Pueblo Whitewater Park · Class II to IV

Accident Details

Number of people injured
0
Number of fatalities
0
Number of people involved (or in party)
4
Accident date
May 23, 2005
Accident type
A Bad River Swim
Coordinates
Was search and rescue called or needed?
No
Did this accident involve a commercial outfitter or guide?
No
Water flow at the time of the accident

Accident Description

Three Members of the Pikes Pike Whitewater Club had finished their run at the Pueblo whitewater park when they noticed a raft above number six heading downstream toward the dangerously sticky number 7. James Sprouffske was just getting out of his boat so Greg Horton and Chris Brobin ran up above number seven and began violently motioning the raft to move river right to avoid the hole. The raft was pilotted by a man in his early thirties and three girls aged ten to fourteen. They had no lifejackets and no helmets or cold water gear. It clearly fit the definition of a K-Mart raft.
Greg and I(Chris) were able to get their attention and they did finally try to move toward shore, but at 2200 cfs it was too late and the group plunged into the hole. The raft flipped and the two older members of the party quickly flushed out. Jim S. ran up and began trying to throwthem a rope, but they were too far away. Finally after five minutes of recirculating the two youger girls were flushed out and rescued.
This was one of the most serious thrashings I have seen in twenty plus years of boating.
The seventh hole at the play park is quite dangerous at high flows(I have reports is also sticky at low flows).
Chris Brobin

 

Note: the following was taken from a post on Mountain Buzz