Maisie Ramsay, Chaffee County Times reporter, July 30, 2014

This year has been the deadliest on record since the Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area began tracking boating-related fatalities in 1990. Seven people have died in boating-related accidents. Four were private parties. Three were on commercial rafting trips. There have been additional fatalities, including a man who drowned this week after disembarking from his inflatable kayak. After two years without a single boating-related death, the recent string of victims serves as a grim reminder of the Arkansas River’s inherent risks. “’Safe’ is word we do not use,” Echo Canyon River Expeditions owner Andy Neinas said. “I cannot guarantee your safety … all I can do is provide you with the best service possible, the best guides possible, and the best information possible, which is of paramount importance.” Fatalities do happen, and AHRA records indicate the number of deaths associated with commercial outfitters this year is not out of the norm. Nor are the deaths of private boaters unprecedented. Together, however, the number of commercial and private fatalities add up to a record number. Even so, the number of fatalities is a tiny fraction of total boaters on the Arkansas River. Nearly 180,000 people went on commercial rafting trips in the Arkansas River last year, according to data from the Colorado River Outfitters Association.

Unavoidable reality

Risk is an unavoidable reality for all outdoor activities, not just paddle sports. In the past year, hikers, skiers and off-road drivers have been critically injured or killed in Chaffee County. Those in the boating community are keenly aware of the potentially fatal risks of their sport. For Colorado Kayak Supply owner Earl Richmond, a well-known figure in the local kayaking community, each incident contains a lesson. “Any time there’s an accident on the river, you always pause and think and really try to understand what happened, and how that event could be avoided,” Richmond said. “We know there are risks in paddling … we just try to learn from it.”
Safety record speaks volumes  Tens of thousands of people raft the Arkansas River each year without incident. It’s a safety record outfitters maintain by building in protections at every step of the process, starting with booking a reservation. “So much of risk management occurs before our guests even show up here,” American Adventure Expeditions owner Mike Kissack said. American Adventure Expeditions reservationists screen guests for age, experience and fitness levels to help steer them toward appropriate sections of the river. Reservationists are also trained to provide guests with accurate information about the risks involved. Guests are asked about medical conditions. Once guests arrive on-site, they are again assessed for physical fitness. Guests who are unfit for a given section of water may be “very delicately” asked to revise their trip, Kissack said. “Taking someone that’s not fit into an advanced stretch of whitewater adds risks,” he said. “I would rather have an upset guest than a hurt guest.” There’s only so much outfitters can do to screen their customers. While they can visually assess an individual’s physical condition, it’s up to guests to disclose underlying medical conditions. “We’re only as good as the information we get,” Neinas said. “I can’t see the heart attack you had last year. I can’t see that you’re a non-swimmer. You have to share those things.” Safety measures continue on the water. Some sections require helmets, wetsuits and self-bailing rafts, in addition to the standard personal flotation devices. River guides are trained to respond to emergencies on the water. Brandon Slate, owner of Rocky Mountain Outdoor Center, trains his staff in first aid, CPR, Wilderness First Responder, swiftwater rescue and familiarizes them with potentially dangerous areas in the river. Risks vary considerably along the Arkansas River, from the Class V rapids at Pine Creek to the mellow Milk Run. This is an asset to outfitters, who can direct guests to appropriate sections based on their skill and ability levels. Joe Greiner, owner of Wilderness Aware Rafting, says his reservationists encourage guests to consider moderate sections of the river like Browns Canyon, but options are plentiful for those seeking easier or more challenging runs. The “bottom line,” Greiner said, is “there’s a section suitable for everyone.”