Well, when you have to be revived by CPR, then I guess you can’t call it a “near drowning” but a real drowning. A man in his mid-50’s was found floating and lifeless in the middle of the Platte River near confluence park on Monday, Aug. 2nd. See the Denver Post Article here.
I walk the Platte most days, sometimes twice a day. Most of the summer the water level is pretty low, but right now it’s swollen. I see tubers and kayakers most afternoons. Tubers are pretty notorious for not wearing PFDs. My guess would be that only about 1/3 actually wear them. Most of the river can be pretty lazy, which is very deceiving. In fact, I’ve wondered if PFDs were really necessary. I’ve been convinced otherwise.
Just a few weeks ago, I watched a strong, twenty-something guy fall off his tube and get caught in a small hole. It looked like nothing, but the force kept pulling him down. After a full minute or more, he was able to find a way out. If he were caught in that same hole on a day like there when the water is high, he wouldn’t be able to get out on his own. So, enjoy the Platte, but wear your PFD!
Aaron Johnson has been hiking in Colorado for over 20 years. The owner and editor of Dayhikes Near Denver, Aaron writes every trail profile as a local guide who has hiked hundreds of miles of trails along the Front Range and deep in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado.
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