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July 18, 2010
Whitewater Rafting and the Death of Scott Lancaster
Jennifer and went whitewater rafting today down Clear Creek in Idaho Springs.
Every time we go, I'm reminded of the tragic story of Scott Lancaster. In 1991, at age 18, he gained notoriety for being the first person killed by a mountain lion in Colorado in recorded history.
"Scott Lancaster, 18, was killed while jogging just a few hundred yards from his high school in Idaho Springs, Colorado. The lion dragged the 130 pound boy 200 yards uphill before killing him, evidenced by the uprooted vegetation along the way. The lion was found feeding on his body three days later. This is the first death ever in Colorado from a lion attack."
This time, however, our guide told us about something I'd missed in the news. Apparently, Arkansas Valley Adventures had a pretty major incident last month. Some female was guiding a "Beginner" rafting trip down Clear Creek in high spring runoff in June and missed the takeout point at Kermit's Roadhouse. By missing the takeout point, they then entered the most challenging section of the canyon (from Idaho Springs to Golden along US Highway 6).
At some point near mile marker 259 (near Tunnel 6), they went over a pretty serious rapid (reportedly a 15' to 8' drop depending on who you believe), flipping the raft. One 13 year old girl was swept downstream approx 1/2 mile, missing for some time, located, and eventually rescued. Guide Ryan Daniel Snodgrass was arrested in the process for either rescuing (or attempting to rescue) the girl.
You can't really imagine how cold the water was. They said it was 42ºF. It was cold.
I don't think we went last summer, but it seems like we went in 2008. I dunno. Hard to recall. The photo above is from 2007. The photo today didn't look much different, and at $45.00, I decided I could pass.
http://www.peeniewallie.com/2007/07/white-water-rafting.html
Posted by Rob Kiser on July 18, 2010 at 9:06 PM
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