Man dead after falling into Poudre on rafting trip

Rescuers raced up the Poudre Canyon on Tuesday morning after a man became unresponsive in the rough waters of the Poudre River.

The 64-year-old Severance man was on a commercial rafting trip when his raft flipped. A rafting guide performed CPR until the man was airlifted to Medical Center of the Rockies in Loveland, where he later died.

As the guide worked to revive the man, four other rafters waited, stranded on the other side of the Poudre River until rescuers could safely bring them back to shore.

The incident marks the second death on the waters of the Poudre River in the past two weeks. 

On June 18, Seattle-area 18-year-old Maximillian Lopez died after getting caught in a low-head dam while tubing near Bellvue.

The water temperature Tuesday was around 52 degrees and the river flow around 1,600 cubic feet per second in the Ouzel picnic area along the Poudre River. Water flows were below average in the area, but June sees the swiftest water speeds of the year.

The Ouzel picnic area is along the Poudre River, roughly 15 miles west of Ted's Place — the intersection of U.S. Highway 287 and Colorado Highway 14. Even as rescue crews swarmed the area and blocked off a portion of Highway 14, rafts full of people enjoying the warm weather floated along the river.

The call for help came around 10:30 a.m., about an hour after three commercial rafts from Fort Collins-based Rocky Mountain Adventures got on the water. One of the rafts went over a hydraulic or hit a rock, said David Costlow, a representative from the River Outfitters Association. 

Everyone else on the overturned raft was able to make it safely to shore. Costlow said it appeared the man became unresponsive when he flipped into the water and was not making efforts to swim to safety. The Larimer County Coroner's Office has not yet determined manner and cause of death.

More:Database: 20 deaths on the Poudre River in past 20 years

All rafters, including the man who died, were wearing life jackets and helmets, according to the Larimer County Sheriff's Office. 

Tuesday's incident was not the first time a tragic story has stemmed from the popular picnic spot. 

In May 2014, a 14-year-old boy who was fishing fell into the swollen Poudre River while at Ouzel picnic area. The boy's uncle jumped in and tried to save him, but the boy and his uncle were both swept downstream and drowned. 

Poudre River rafting fatalities are relatively rare. Deaths from those on commercial trips are even more unusual. A woman was killed in 2015 when she was thrown into the river while on a private trip, and a similar situation the year prior also left a woman dead.   

Costlow said if you fall into the river, it's safest to float feet-first on your back. That way, you can push off any rocks or obstacles you encounter, and your feet are less likely to get trapped underwater. 

"Our deepest condolences go out to the man's family and friends," Poudre Fire Authority said in a statement on Facebook. "This is a somber reminder of the power of the river."

Safety tips:7 tips to stay safe on the Poudre River