Accident Database

Report ID# 117235

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Date

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Victim Age

River

Section

Location

Gage

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River Difficulty

Cause Code(s)

Unknown

Injury Type(s)

Factors

High Water

Victim Experience Level

Trip Type

Boat Type

Group Info

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Accident Description

Reed on FB: The woman that died was a commercial guide. She fell out of the raft and was unable to hold on to the safety boater. She got circed a few times and was flush drowned. They did get her to shore but CPR was unsuccessful.

That section is very continuous. Lots of holes, especially after a recent slide event apparently there is even more class 4 after ten mile than before. Ten mile is one of 3 class 5 rapids on the upper.

San Juan County Medical Rescue responded to the incident June 10th. They stated the group was skilled, experienced, and familiar with the section.

Animas Accident Report - Evan Schertz

On June 10th a three-boat commercial rafting trip launched on Colorado’s cold, relentless Class IV-V Upper Animas River. The 1200 cfs, level was high but not off the charts. Sara Rosecrans, 24, was a company employee participating in the trip. The group stopped to scout Ten Mile Rapid, one of the toughest drops on the run. Ms. Rosecrans' boat, running first, flipped in the lower set of holes. (This is the same spot as a 2009 fatality) Most of the paddlers got to shore, but she and the guide held on to the raft as they washed downstream. The safety kayaker on the trip followed closely, but could not help.

Below here the river is fast Class 3-4 with few eddies. As they washed through Landslide Rapid, the two were separated from their boat. The guide managed to swim to safety, but Ms. Rosecrans was unresponsive. The safety kayaker made an amazing rescue, getting her to shore in a fast, eddyless section. For 20 minutes he performed CPR, used an EPIRB to summon help and used a 2-way radio to contact his trip. A private group of four kayakers brought an AED downstream from the commercial group and assisted with CPR. CPR was discontinued after 90 minutes. An hour later first responders arrived on the train, and both groups were evacuated.

Sara Rosecrans Obituary:

In loving memory of Durango woman killed in Rafting Accident on Upper Animas River.

According to San Juan County officials, Durango-based river guide Sara Rosecrans, 24, passed away on Saturday afternoon while rafting the Upper Animas River. Just after 1 p.m. on Saturday, Silverton Medical Rescue responded to a call for help on the Animas River close to Tenmile Creek.

According to a press release from the San Juan County Sheriff, Sara was in charge of an eight-person raft of boaters traveling down a section of the river between Silverton and Rockwood. Two rescuers—a paramedic and an EMT—reach the river via the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad due to the remote location’s difficult access. Back-up rescuers are stationed in Silverton.

The rafting crew attempted cardiopulmonary resuscitation before the rescue squad came. The 24-year-old’s body was transported to Rockwood Train Station by the rescue crew and other rafters involved in the incident, according to the press announcement.

An autopsy is currently being conducted in conjunction with the La Plata County Coroner’s Office, according to Keri Metzler, San Juan County Coroner. The coroner’s office will determine the woman’s identify and manner of death. According to Metzler, there is no continuing investigation into the accident, and the manner of death is not suspicious.

Durango woman drowns while rafting Upper Animas River

Victim identified as a Mild to Wild raft guide

By Tyler Brown

Durango Herald Staff Writer

Tuesday, Jun 13, 2023 12:03 PM Updated Tuesday, Jun. 13, 2023 8:51 PM

A 24-year-old Durango woman died in a drowning accident Saturday on the upper Animas River south of Silverton. Silverton Medical Rescue responded to a satellite emergency notification device alert about 1 p.m. on the Animas River near Tenmile Creek. The incident involved two rafts carrying four people each who were rafting the Upper Animas River reach from Silverton to Rockwood. Because the accident was in a remote location, two rescuers were inserted into the field via the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad with additional rescuers staged in Silverton as backup.

The rescue team met the reporting party near where Tenmile Creek joins the Animas River about 2:30 p.m. The team was able to locate the victim. Resuscitation efforts had been initiated by members of the rafting group before the rescue team’s arrival, but the victim was already deceased, according to a news release from San Juan County Office of Emergency Management.

San Juan County officials did not specify what caused the accident. Gallegos said none of the other members of the rafting party were injured. San Juan County Coroner Keri Metzler confirmed the victim died from drowning.

Both the rescue team and the rafting group involved moved the victim onto a train, which took the body to the Rockwood train station.

The woman was a raft guide for Mild to Wild Rafting & Jeep Tours and was a passenger on one of the company’s trips down the Upper Animas, according to Mild to Wild co-owner Alex Mickel.

Silverton Medical Rescue on FB

June 13, 2023

At approximately 1:00pm on Saturday, June 10th, Silverton Medical Rescue responded to a Satellite Emergency Notification Device alert on the Animas River near Tenmile Creek. The incident involved a group of boaters who were rafting the Upper Animas River reach from Silverton to Rockwood. Due to the remote location with limited access, two rescuers, a Paramedic and EMT, were inserted into the field via the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad with additional rescuers staged in Silverton as back up. The team met the reporting party near where Tenmile Creek joins the Animas River at around 2:30pm. The team located the subject who had been involved in a drowning accident. Unfortunately, the victim was deceased prior to the arrival of the rescuer team. Resuscitation efforts had been initiated by the group prior to the arrival of the Silverton Medical Rescue team. The team and party involved with the incident moved the deceased subject onto the train and transported the body to Rockwood Train station.

“The Animas River drowning victim from this last Saturday was a 24-year-old female from Durango, Colorado” stated San Juan County Colorado Coroner Keri Metzler.

“While many incidents can be difficult emotionally, this one in particular was very tragic. The group of boaters were experienced and knew that section of river well. They were well prepared with the appropriate rescue equipment and knowledge of how to use it. Still, this accident led to an unfortunate outcome. The river is running at a high flow right now and this is a stark reminder of just how dangerous the river can be, regardless of training and preparedness. Our sincerest condolences go to the family and friends of the victim.” Cameron Crowell Silverton Medical Rescue, EMT.

Silverton Medical Rescue, San Juan County Sheriff’s Office, San Juan County Coroner and San Juan County Office of Emergency Management would like to extend our condolences to the family and friends of the accident victim. The team thanks the DSNGRR for providing transportation and logistical support for this recovery operation. The Upper Animas River reach is a very challenging section of whitewater and recreational groups should be prepared for difficult situations with the higher water flows this season.

Durango woman drowns while rafting Upper Animas River

Victim identified as a Mild to Wild raft guide

By Tyler Brown Herald Staff Writer

Tuesday, Jun 13, 2023

The incident involved two rafts carrying four people each who were rafting the Upper Animas River reach from Silverton to Rockwood. Because the accident was in a remote location, two rescuers were inserted into the field via the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad with additional rescuers staged in Silverton as backup.

San Juan County Sheriff Bruce Conrad said a group of kayakers unaffiliated with the rafts came upon the location where a passenger on one of the rafts had fallen into the water. The group of kayakers and the seven other passengers on the rafts attempted to assist the victim. The rescue team met the reporting party near where Tenmile Creek joins the Animas River about 2:30 p.m. The team was able to locate the victim.

Resuscitation efforts had been initiated by members of the rafting group before the rescue team’s arrival, but the victim was already deceased, according to a news release from San Juan County Office of Emergency Management.

San Juan County officials did not specify what caused the accident.

Gallegos said none of the other members of the rafting party were injured. San Juan County Coroner Keri Metzler confirmed the victim died from drowning. Both the rescue team and the rafting group involved moved the victim onto a train, which took the body to the Rockwood train station.

The woman was a raft guide for Mild to Wild Rafting & Jeep Tours and was a passenger on one of the company’s trips down the Upper Animas, according to Mild to Wild co-owner Alex Mickel. Neither Metzler nor Mickel would release the victim’s name. Mickel said the woman was an experienced river runner and was swiftwater certified. “Our hearts are broken, and there are a lot of sad days ahead of us here for our whole team,” Mickel said.

In a news release Tuesday, Silverton Medical Rescue EMT Cameron Crowell said members of the boating group were experienced and knew the river section well. “They were well prepared with the appropriate rescue equipment and knowledge of how to use it,” he said in the release. “Still, this accident led to an unfortunate outcome. The river is running at a high flow right now and this is a stark reminder of just how dangerous the river can be, regardless of training and preparedness. Our sincerest condolences go to the family and friends of the victim.”

Gallegos said that snow runoff has been delayed in San Juan County because of cloudy and cool weather, which means high waters are likely to continue as the area experiences warmer weather.

tbrown@durangoherald.com

Sara Rosecrans??