Curecanti |  |
The following Incident Reports were extracted from the NPS Morning Reports/Coalition Reports from 1989-2025. They are not a complete record of all incidents which occurred in this park during this timeframe. INCIDENTS | |
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April 8, 1987 Location: Near Steven's Creek Superintendent Joe Alston was bird-watching in the park when he discovered a decomposed body. The sheriff's office was called and the body recovered. The subject is described as a white male, lightly clothed. The Colorado Bureau of Investigation will perform an autopsy and attempt to identify the person.
The superintendent came across a body while walking in the park. Update: The body has been identified as the 20 or 21-year-old son of a prominent local realtor. Cause of death was a blow to the back of the head. The victim was determined to have been dead three months at the time of discovery. He was known to be mentally unstable and suicidal. His car had been found some time earlier a fair distance from the park, and it appears that the body washed down the river from outside the park.
Location: Elk Creek Campground W.C. and his wife were preparing to leave their campsite. Mrs. W.C. removed blocks from under the tires of their parked vehicle which had a camper attached. The vehicle started to roll and Mr. W.C. tried to stop it. He fell and was passed over by the vehicle and possibly by the attached trailer. Two NPS rangers arrived on the scene shortly after the report was received, both were EMTs. W.C. went into cardiac arrest about 10 minutes after they arrived and could not be revived. The W.C.'s have a son who has not been notified of the incident. An attempt is being made at this time to locate him.
The following information was excerpted from reports which were submitted by J.J. McLaughlin (RAD/MWRO) and Jim Reilly (RAD/RMRO). Our policy is and will be to provide you with general information on Middle East-related activities in the parks, but to exclude any confidential details from reports received from the field. * Curecanti is working with the Bureau of Reclamation to expand security at the dam. Please advise us through your regional offices of all threats received, permits issued for demonstrations, and demonstrations or incidents that occur which are related to the war in the Gulf. Reports should be submitted as soon as possible; there is a high degree of interest in such activities in the Department and among other governmental agencies. Call Major Schamp at FTS 268-4209 (202-208-4209).
A.W., 85, and N.R., both of Colorado, were fishing in the Gunnison River when A.W. stepped in a hole and slipped beneath the surface. N.R. pulled him out of the water and flagged down a passing motorist, who provided medical assistance until a Gunnison fire department employee stopped and began CPR. CPR was continued while A.W. was transported by helicopter to a hospital in Grand Junction. He was declared dead a few minutes after his arrival there. It's believed that A.W. either drowned or died of a heart attack. [Tim Blank, CURE, via telefax from Sheila Brown, RAD/RMRO, 8/22]
On the afternoon of May 1st, a tanker truck carrying 5,000 gallons of concentrated agricultural fertilizer failed to negotiate a curve and overturned in Blue Creek Canyon approximately a quarter mile upstream from the park's boundary. Park staff assisted Gunnison and Montrose county and Colorado State Patrol hazardous material teams in establishing a containment dam, pumping spilled liquids for disposal, and pumping out the overturned trailer into an empty tanker provided by the transporter. Between 500 and 1,000 gallons of the liquid fertilizer were spilled and nearly 100 gallons may have eventually reached Blue Creek, which empties into Morrow Point Reservoir within the park. The park's resource management staff immediately began collecting water samples in Blue Creek and continue to take and analyze them daily. WASO Water Resources provided valuable assistance in establishing sampling protocols. Prompt response by the park and other involved agencies minimized resource damage. [cc:Mail report from Janet Wise, RMRO, 5/15]
On September 8th, G. and J.A.M. and their two young children, including son J., six, came to the Elk Creek Marina to pull their boat out of their slip for the winter. J. was left unattended while the two parents worked on their boat. At about 3:30 p.m., they noticed that he was missing. Rangers were alerted about 75 minutes later. A hasty search was begun immediately; by nightfall, approximately 50 searchers from four agencies had been committed to the search. Park personnel spotted J.'s body on the bottom of the lake below a section of the marina dock at 9:15 p.m. The boy, who could not swim, apparently fell into the water while playing on the dock. A joint investigation by the park and Gunnison County sheriff's department is underway. [Pete Armington, CR, CURE, 9/9]
Just after ten p.m. on June 24th, three fishermen saw a Ford Bronco go over the guard rail along Highway 50, flip over the embankment, and sink in the waters of the lake 150 feet west of Beaver Creek. No one emerged from the vehicle. An interagency rescue effort was soon initiated. Rangers on a patrol boat worked search patterns looking for victims while dive crews searched the waters and other rangers searched the shores. The Bronco was removed from the water, but no one was found within it. Just after 3 a.m., a diver found the body of T.S., an officer for the Gunnison Sheriff's Department. Despite hopeful efforts, T.S. was pronounced dead at the scene. The cause of the accident is under investigation. [CURE, 6/27]
On the morning of April 10th, rangers came upon a vehicle parked in a day use picnic area covered with four inches of snow that showed no evidence of recent vehicle or foot travel. Investigation revealed that the owner, D.G., 39, of Gunnison, Colorado, had been missing since the previous evening. Approximately 35 searchers from the park, county sheriff's office and local SAR teams began looking for Gunnison and found his body about a quarter mile from the vehicle late that afternoon. Preliminary investigation indicates that D.G. committed suicide. [CRO, CURE, 4/11]
Seven members of the C. family were having an outing at the bay near the Iola boat ramp when 24-year-old R.C., who was swimming with her two children, ages five and three, began shouting for help. Two visitors swam out to them and rescued the children. R.C.'s body was found floating upside down. CPR was begun and continued with the assistance of a ranger and county deputy, but to no avail. R.C. was reportedly a mediocre swimmer. [Bill Munsey, CURE]
Rangers from Curecanti and Black Canyon responded to a two-vehicle accident with multiple injuries on U.S. 50 at Lake Fork bridge on the afternoon of June 11th. A four-door sedan had crossed the double yellow line and struck a van with 16 passengers head on. The driver of the sedan was airlifted from the scene with severe head and chest injuries and was pronounced dead at the hospital in Grand Junction. Nine people were transported by ambulance to Gunnison Valley Hospital. Three were admitted in critical condition; the remainder were treated for minor injuries, then taken into custody for the Immigration and Naturalization Service. The responding rangers, who had just finished an EMS orientation session with Gunnison EMS personnel, were first on scene and provided EMS, traffic control, and assistance in establishing a landing zone for the medevac helicopter. [Kinsey Shilling, DR, CURE, 6/12]
Rangers from Curecanti and Black Canyon of the Gunnison NM responded to a head-on collision on U.S. 50 in Gunnison River Canyon at 11 a.m. on June 27th - just a mile from the location where they were conducting vertical rescue training. A full-size pickup driven by a 19-year-old Colorado resident apparently crossed the double yellow line and collided with a small recreational vehicle, killing the elderly male driver instantly. His wife was flown to the hospital in Grand Junction with severe head and internal injuries; she died the following day. Following a lengthy extrication operation, the driver of the pickup was also flown to Grand Junction, where he was admitted to the hospital in critical condition with internal injuries. Rangers were first on scene and provided emergency medical services and traffic control until state police and ambulance personnel arrived. [Kinsey Shilling, DR, CURE, 6/28]
On October 22nd, rangers received a report that J.S., 63, who was hunting on BLM land adjacent to the park, was having chest pains and could not walk. Rangers Kinsey Shilling and Ian Clark responded and were first on scene. Once oxygen was administered, J.S.'s pain subsided, but his pulse remained rapid. A multi-agency team carried J.S. a mile and a half to a waiting ambulance. His pulse remained high, and doctors eventually determined that the cause was a pulmonary embolism. J.S. subsequently underwent surgery. Doctors said that J.S. might not have survived if it hadn't been for his rescuers' quick actions. [Linda Alick, CR, CURE/BLCA, 10/24]
The park received a call from the county sheriff's office at 10 p.m. on April 22nd reporting that D.H., 38, of Montrose, Colorado, was overdue from a fishing expedition to Blue Mesa Reservoir within the park. Rangers found D.H.'s boat adrift in the reservoir just before midnight. The boat's outboard engine cover was off and not found in the boat, indicating that he may have experienced engine trouble. D.H.'s hat and fishing pole were also missing; all other personal effects were in the boat. An extensive search as conducted of the west end of reservoir, but no sign of him was found. The search will be suspended today unless new information develops. A park boat will patrol the area daily over the next two weeks. The search effort involved park searchers, two SAR dogs, a local SAR team, members of the Curecanti and Glen Canyon NRA dive teams, and Glen Canyon's ROV (remote operated vehicle), used for deep water searches. [Linda Alick, CR, CURE, 4/27]
On June 21st, rangers were asked to assist in investigating a report of two suspicious men in camouflage clothing along Highway 50 west of the park. The men were reported to be armed, hiding in trees along the highway, and throwing objects at passing cars. Rangers Jack Lisco, Meghan Hall and Ned Kelleher responded. The two men were found and identified as escaped felons from a local detention center. They were taken into custody by rangers and sheriff's department officers without incident. [Kinsey Shilling, CR, CURE, 6/22]
Rangers received a distress call regarding a capsized boat shortly after a brief storm struck the park on the afternoon of July 5th. Several people were reportedly struggling in the 65-degree water of Blue Mesa Reservoir. Park and Coast Guard auxiliary patrol boats were dispatched to assist the four persons who had jumped overboard when their 17-foot outboard boat had swamped in three foot seas. Another three members of the party stayed with the boat, trying to bail it out. The winds pushed the boat towards shore, a half mile away. Rangers who responded by land helped pull the boat out and provided emergency medical care. All seven people had been in the water for over 35 minutes and were in various stages of hypothermia. A two-year-old child was deep blue in color when pulled from the lake. Paramedics attempted to start an IV on the child, but were unsuccessful. The entire group was transported by ambulance to Gunnison Hospital, where they were treated for hypothermia and later released. All were wearing life jackets, a major factor in their survival. [Kinsey Shilling, ACR, CURE, 7/7]
The park received a call from the local sheriff's office on June 28th, reporting that a 17-year-old was missing after a tubing accident on the Lake Fork of the Gunnison River. N.E. and M.H., both of Montrose, Colorado, were floating down the Lake Fork segment of the river in an inner tube, but missed their intended pullout point. As they approached Railroad Falls, a class IV rapid, M.H. jumped off and grabbed a rock, but was unable to hold onto the inner tube. N.E. entered the falls while sitting on the tube and was last seen off the tube, struggling in the water and facing upstream. M.H. immediately climbed up the river bank, but couldn't find N.E.. M.H. and guides from a commercial river trip searched the downstream area without success. Park personnel and county divers and volunteer SAR team members searched the river for several days, but could not find him. The search has been scaled back to shoreline and lake patrols to the mouth of the river. Neither N.E. nor M.H. was wearing a life jacket at the time of the incident. [Linda Alick, CR, CURE, 6/29]
A.R. was camping with her family at the Gateview campground on July 21st. She went on a solo day hike, but failed to return to their campsite and was reported missing to the county sheriff's office at 6 p.m. Rangers conducted a hasty search that evening, then expanded the operation the following day to a multi-agency search with ground searchers, dog teams, a helicopter and an airplane. A.R.'s body was found by helicopter in a very steep and narrow gully. She evidently fell to her death; foul play is not suspected. Her body was removed through a technical scree evacuation. [Kinsey Shilling, DR, CURE, 7/23]
The daughter of Kerry King, a maintenance employee at the park, was killed in a traffic accident on March 20th. Melissa King, 18, died at the scene of a single-vehicle rollover accident while returning home from work at 10:45 p.m. Funeral services were held on March 24th and were followed by burial services in Gunnison. Memorial contributions in her name may be made to "Shade for Blades," a non-profit organization to improve outdoor recreational facilities in Gunnison. The address for that organization is Box 7040, Gunnison, CO 81230. [CRO, BLCA/CURE, 3/30]
On April 20th, L.G., 57, of Grand Junction, Colorado, was fishing with his son-in-law and a friend in the West Elk arm of Blue Mesa Reservoir. While crossing the main body of the reservoir in an attempt to get back to the boat ramp in the late afternoon, they encountered 40 to 50 mile per hour winds and three to four foot swells. Their 13-foot fishing boat took on water and eventually swamped in the middle of the mile-wide bay. Two of the men were able to swim to shore and call for help, but L.G. couldn't make it. Rescuers retrieved him from the 34-degree water, but resuscitation efforts failed. All three were wearing life jackets. [Linda Alick, CR, CURE, 4/23]
A low-flying twin-engine plane struck power lines and plunged into Blue Mesa Reservoir near Elk Creek Marina around 7:45 p.m. on Friday, May 11th. Park staff and rescue workers from the Gunnison County Sheriff's Office responded immediately, but found no survivors. The aircraft is at the bottom of the lake in about 130 feet of water. Because of the depth and temperature of the water and the altitude of the reservoir, the recovery plan will include a commercial salvage and recovery operation. The FAA and NTSB were notified and are conducting preliminary investigations. Communication with the park and electric service to the Elk Creek area were disrupted for almost two days while workers replaced power lines. [Linda Alick, CR, CURE, 5/15]
A low-flying twin-engine plane struck power lines and plunged into Blue Mesa Reservoir near Elk Creek Marina on the evening of May 11th, killing both occupants. The plane then sank to the bottom of the lake. A two-day-long recovery operation was completed on Wednesday, May 23rd. Phoenix Aviation Group, the insurance company for the plane, contracted with Inland Marine Services, a commercial diving company, and Beegles Aircraft Services, both from Denver, Colorado, to recover and salvage the craft. Divers with surface-supplied air rigged the aircraft (located at a depth of 130 feet), winched the plane below a barge, and towed it to the marina launch ramp. Approximately 60 people from the NPS, state, county, NTSB, and the plane's manufacturer assisted with the recovery effort. The entire marina was closed for the two-day operation. Recovered from within the plane were the bodies of G.L., 31, and D.B., 30, both flight instructor pilots from the Denver area. According to eyewitness reports, the plane had been flying fast and low in the Gunnison area and was observed flying just above the water in the easternmost basin of the reservoir right before the crash. Prior to the salvage mission, the Trident Foundation utilized side-scan sonar and video equipment to determine the location and condition of the plane. [Linda Alick, CR, CURE, 5/27]
Rangers were notified of a missing person around midnight on August 4th. B.S.D., 21, a Western State College student from West End, North Carolina, visited a beach along Highway 149 with a group of friends on Saturday evening. According to his companions, B.S.D. said that he was going to jump into Blue Mesa Reservoir from the highway bridge. Although the jump was unwitnessed, B.S.D. did not return to the beach and hasn't been seen since. Divers from the park, Gunnison County SO, and Crested Butte SAR have been searching the area around and beneath the bridge for the past three days. The investigation into his disappearance is continuing. Alcohol is believed to have been a contributing factor. [Linda Alick, CR, CURE, 8/7]
The search for a 21-year-old North Carolina man that began at midnight on August 4th came to a conclusion on August 11th when a Crested Butte SAR search dog and NPS staff discovered a body floating near the shore of the lake just north of the Lake City bridge. It's believed to be the body of a Western State College student who reportedly jumped into Blue Mesa reservoir from the bridge while attending a beach party. The preliminary autopsy report indicates that he drowned. The IC for the SAR mission was acting DR Ned Kelleher. [Linda Alick, CR, CURE, 8/20]
On the morning of September 6th, R.H., 67, of Grand Junction, was taking his boat out of Blue Mesa Reservoir when it slipped off its trailer and began to drift out into the lake. R.H. attempted to swim to the boat, which was about 30 feet from shore, but tired on the way and attempted unsuccessfully to make it back to the shore. Bystanders tried to rescue him with a line and flotation device before he sank beneath the water. Park personnel and a county dive team searched for, found, and recovered his body 15 feet from shore in 30 feet of water about an hour later. The preliminary autopsy report indicates that R.H., who had a history of heart disease, suffered a fatal heart attack during the episode. [Linda Alick, CR, CURE, 9/10]
The following changes in the status of National Park Service areas and offices were reported yesterday: o Curecanti NRA (CO) - The east portal area and an area close to a dam spillway are closed to the public. [Pat Buccello, CISM Team, STLI, 9/19; Dennis McGinnis, Type 1 IMT, WASO, 9/19; Sue Masica, Administration, WASO, 9/19; SHEN EICC, 9/18]
The following changes in the status of National Park Service areas and offices were reported yesterday: [Pat Buccello, CISM Team, STLI, 9/19; Dennis McGinnis, Type 1 IMT, WASO, 9/19; Sue Masica, Administration, WASO, 9/19; SHEN EICC, 9/18]
The National Park Service continues to provide support to its parks and employees, gather information on the status of field areas for DOI, and deal with security issues throughout the country, including the brokering of numerous requests for operational support. Incident management in Washington has transitioned from Skip Brooks' Type 1 team to Eddie Lopez's Type 1 team. A regional Type 2 team from Southeast Region (Bob Panko, IC) continues to oversee the NPS expanded dispatch operation at Shenandoah NP. Members of the team in Washington are in the processing of making individual calls to every park in the nation to establish a comprehensive list of resources that can be utilized in emergencies if needed. About 230 calls have been made so far; more will follow this week. Callers are focusing on resources similar to those needed in past incidents, such as the floods in Yosemite and Hurricane Andrew. A report is due to Director Mainella by Friday. The following is a quick run down of continuing closures: o Parts of Curecanti NRA near the dam remain closed. [EICC/Type 2 IMT, SHEN, 9/25; Kris Fister, NPS Type 1 IMT, WASO, 9/26]
While on routine patrol on April 27th, ranger Lloyd Bigford stopped
at an overlook above Blue Mesa Dam to check the access areas into the
dam. Through binoculars, he saw a vehicle enter the Pine Creek trailhead
parking lot and stop. A man and woman — subsequently identified as
D.L. and R.L. — got out, and Bigford watched as R.L.
peered through the windows of a parked vehicle, looked into the
gas cap, then slid her hand under the vehicle's rear bumper. He presumed
that she was looking for a key and suspected that she was about to break
into the vehicle, so he left his position and headed for the trailhead.
District ranger Ned Kelleher also responded. The rangers stopped the
pair shortly after they left the lot and before they could get on
Highway 50. A check of the vehicle that the L.s had been casing
revealed that it had been forcibly entered by breaking a window on the
driver's side. R.L. admitted to the break-in and to the theft
of a laptop computer and luggage. Rangers searched their car and seized
evidence that suggested that the pair had been involved in at least
several other car clouts. The rangers are now working with the Colorado
Bureau of Investigation in an attempt to connect the evidence that they
seized to cases involving vehicle trespass (the local term for vehicle
break-ins) elsewhere in Colorado. So far, the L.s been linked to
one other car clout in Boulder County and possibly two in Pitkin County.
A Grand Junction man drowned in Blue Mesa Reservoir on Tuesday, July 4th. G.S., 77, had stayed overnight in his cabin cruiser on the West Elk arm of the reservoir. Around 6:30 a.m. on Tuesday, G.S. was attempting to retrieve driftwood from the water when he fell overboard. A passenger on the boat failed in an attempt to throw a floatable cushion to him, then called for help on the boat's marine band radio. The park was notified and rangers responded within the hour. G.S.'s body was recovered by a park diver in about six feet of water. [Phil Zichterman]
On June 2nd, W.M., 49, of Denver, Colorado, was hiking with his 13-year-old nephew when he slipped and fell to his death near the Pioneer Point overlooks of the Black Canyon. W.M. was attempting to get a better view of the canyon away from the designated overlooks when he slipped and fell over a cliff approximately 900 feet above the canyon floor. Rangers and SAR team members lowered his body down a small scree slope to Morrow Point Reservoir, where it was transported by boat to Morrow Point Dam. Ranger Brandon Hallock was incident commander for the search and recovery efforts. Although the investigation is continuing, it appears alcohol may have been a significant contributing factor. [Linda Alick, Chief Ranger]
On July 3, 2006, the Gunnison County Sheriff's Office notified the park that there was a man at the Gunnison Valley Hospital with a gunshot to his forearm who claimed that he'd been shot while fishing along the shoreline of Blue Mesa Reservoir. An NPS special agent and the park's chief ranger drove to the hospital while rangers conducted interviews of potential witnesses. The wounded man was identified as J.S.-A., an undocumented alien who was working construction in the area. J.S.-A. was later taken to Montrose County Hospital for surgery. Through a criminal investigation conducted jointly by Crested Butte officers and park agents and rangers, J.S.-A. was identified as the primary suspect in several residential burglaries and a violent attempted rape in Crested Butte. He had evidently shot himself accidentally with a handgun while in the park. A state search warrant was served at his residence and evidence pertaining to the burglaries and sexual assault was recovered. The handgun was recovered later on. J.S.-A. was subsequently identified as a suspect in several other residential burglaries and was charged with same by the Elbert County Sheriff's Office. Late last year, he was convicted in state court of sexual assault and on numerous burglary charges filed by both counties. Meanwhile, the investigation into J.S.-A.'s immigration status and criminal possession of a firearm and ammunition continued. With assistance from both ICE and ATF agents and at the direction of the assistant U.S. attorney, NPS agents were able to establish that J.S.-A. was a foreign national who was inside the U.S. illegally and that he'd been in possession of a firearm and ammunition both inside and outside NPS jurisdiction. On May 23rd, J.S.-A. was indicted by a federal grand jury, with a Curecanti ranger testifying at the hearing. The grand jury issued a true bill against J.S.-A. for being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm and ammunition (18 USC 922). The case is pending trial or plea agreement and J.S.-A. has been remanded to the custody of the US Marshals Service. [Linda Alick, Chief Ranger, and Brian Smith, Special Agent in Charge]
On July 3, 2006, the Gunnison County Sheriff's Office notified the park that there was a man at the Gunnison Valley Hospital with a gunshot to his forearm who claimed that he'd been shot while fishing along the shoreline of Blue Mesa Reservoir. An NPS special agent and the park's chief ranger drove to the hospital while rangers conducted interviews of potential witnesses. The wounded man was identified as J.S.-A., an undocumented alien who was working construction in the area. J.S.-A. was later taken to Montrose County Hospital for surgery. Through a criminal investigation conducted jointly by Crested Butte officers and park agents and rangers, J.S.-A. was identified as the primary suspect in several residential burglaries and a violent attempted rape in Crested Butte. He had evidently shot himself accidentally with a handgun while in the park. A state search warrant was served at his residence and evidence pertaining to the burglaries and sexual assault was recovered. The handgun was recovered later on. J.S.-A. was subsequently identified as a suspect in several other residential burglaries and was charged with same by the Elbert County Sheriff's Office. He was convicted in state court of sexual assault and on numerous burglary charges filed by both counties in late 2006. Meanwhile, the investigation into J.S.-A.'s immigration status and criminal possession of a firearm and ammunition continued. With assistance from both ICE and ATF agents and at the direction of the assistant U.S. attorney, NPS agents were able to establish that J.S.-A. was a foreign national who was inside the U.S. illegally and that he'd been in possession of a firearm and ammunition both inside and outside of NPS jurisdiction. He was indicted by a federal grand jury for being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm and ammunition (18 USC 922) and subsequently found guilty. On January 10th, Suarez-Aguire was sentenced to the following: 15 months of additional federal incarceration beyond the 23 months already served (he's been in jail since July 5, 2006) three years supervised release, if not deported by ICE after serving the above sentence a $100 mandatory victim assessment mandatory DNA collection The federal component of the investigation was led by two NPS special agents and prosecution ultimately was handled by the Denver office of the Colorado United States Attorney's Office. [(Brian S Smith, Special Agent in Charge, Intermountain Region]
On Saturday, May 31st, a 57-year-old Denver man began a raft trip from the Riverway picnic area on the Gunnison River with his wife and three children. As they tried to maneuver their raft around an island near Cooper Ranch, it hit the island and flipped over, spilling all five family members into the river. The woman and her three children were able to make it to the island, but her husband was last seen face down and unresponsive in the river. The woman and children were able to swim to shore and notify a passing motorist, who in turn called 911. Rangers responded along with units from the Gunnison County Sheriff's Department, Gunnison Fire Department and Gunnison Valley Hospital EMS. The man's body was found nearly three miles downstream from the point where the raft flipped. CPR was performed until paramedics arrived and pronounced him dead. Neither of the adults was wearing a lifejacket. Record snowpack in the Gunnison Basin and recent warm temperatures have contributed to dangerously high river flows through this section of the park. Ranger Erin Warrem was IC. [John Patmore, Blue Mesa District Ranger]
On June 6th, an 18-year-old Gunnison man was kite boarding in the Iola Basin of Blue Mesa Reservoir while four friends watched from shore. About five minutes after launching, the man crashed into the water. He was able to swim to his kite, which provided some floatation, but he began drifting farther from shore. One of his friends tried to swim to his location, but was unable to do so because of the distance and the cold water. About 30 minutes later, another friend called 911 to report the accident. A campground host was able to locate the man through binoculars and responding rangers were directed to his location. Within 20 minutes of receiving the call, rangers retrieved the man from the lake. He had been in 52 degree water for almost 50 minutes and was showing signs of severe hypothermia, including a decreased level of consciousness. He was not wearing a wetsuit or a lifejacket. He was transported by ambulance to Gunnison Valley Hospital, where his core body temperature was measured at 88.5 degrees. Had the man been in the water for much longer, it is likely that he would have succumbed to hypothermia. [Submitted by John Patmore, Blue Mesa District Ranger]
On June 6th, an 18-year-old Gunnison man was kite boarding in the Iola Basin of Blue Mesa Reservoir while four friends watched from shore. About five minutes after launching, the man crashed into the water. He was able to swim to his kite, which provided some floatation, but he began drifting farther from shore. One of his friends tried to swim to his location, but was unable to do so because of the distance and the cold water. About 30 minutes later, another friend called 911 to report the accident. A campground host was able to locate the man through binoculars and responding rangers were directed to his location. Within 20 minutes of receiving the call, rangers retrieved the man from the lake. He had been in 52 degree water for almost 50 minutes and was showing signs of severe hypothermia, including a decreased level of consciousness. He was not wearing a wetsuit or a lifejacket. He was transported by ambulance to Gunnison Valley Hospital, where his core body temperature was measured at 88.5 degrees. Had the man been in the water for much longer, it is likely that he would have succumbed to hypothermia. [John Patmore, Blue Mesa District Ranger]
Rangers were dispatched to a report of a swimmer struggling in Willow Creek on the morning of July 28th and arrived on scene minutes later. They were informed that the swimmer had disappeared under the creek's surface just before they'd arrived. The rangers soon retrieved the victim, a 23-year-old man from Pueblo, Colorado, from ten feet of water. CPR was begun and advanced life support measures were employed throughout the trip to Gunnison Hospital, but he did not survive. The incident is being jointly investigated by the Gunnison County Sheriff's Office and the NPS. [Marc Yeston, Chief Ranger]
On the afternoon of March 22nd, a single-engine Socata TBM700 carrying five passengers crashed into Ridgway Reservoir just north of Ridgway, Colorado. The Ouray County Sheriff's Office and Colorado Parks and Wildlife requested assistance from Curecanti's dive team in reaching the plane. The dive team responded the next day along with employees of the NPS Submerged Resources Center. Using the expertise and specialized equipment ( HYPERLINK "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VideoRay_UROVs" VideoRay ROV, Klein HYPERLINK "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sidescan_sonar" side-scan sonar) of the SRC dive team, the NPS was able to evaluate the wreckage and create a scaled map of the aircraft, debris field and shoreline. This assistance proved instrumental to the recovery efforts and the plane was salvaged on Thursday, March 27th, with all five victims still onboard. Curecanti dive team members stayed on scene; their boat served as a safety vessel during the recovery operation and they assisted the Colorado State Patrol with hazardous material cleanup after the recovery. [Melissa Post, Park Ranger/Park Dive Officer]
The park has found the presence of cyanotoxins in the Iola Basin section of Blue Mesa Reservoir in concentrations that exceed safe exposure levels. They have closed Iola Basin to full body contact. Fishing, boating, and other types of recreation are still allowed, with caution. Source: Curecanti National Recreation Area September 18, 2022 On September 16, the park announced that it has found the presence of cyanotoxins in the Iola Basin section of Blue Mesa Reservoir, exceeding safe exposure levels. The area is now closed to full-body contact, and visitors are advised to use caution and avoid unnecessary exposure if fishing or boating in the lake, including keeping dogs away from the water. Source: Curecanti National Recreation Area
On November 18, the park removed its "No Contact Advisory" warning for the Iola Basin in Blue Mesa Reservoir. High levels of cyanotoxins had been unusually high during the summer, necessitating the ban on swimming and other types of body-contact with water. Two consecutive tests have come in below toxin advisory levels set by the Colorado Department of Public Health and the Environment. Source: Curecanti National Recreation Area
On April 18, a safety inspection of a bridge on U.S. Highway 50 that crosses Blue Mesa Reservoir near Dillon Pinnacles revealed "anomalies." The inspection was required due to known issues with similarly constructed bridges elsewhere in the country. The Federal Highway Administration and bridge engineering experts asked the Colorado Department of Transportation to close the bridge for safety. Colorado Lieutenant Governor Dianne Primavera declared it a disaster emergency, which will allow for a statewide response and federal assistance for supplemental funding. There is no estimated date for reopening. Detours will add six to eight hours of travel time between the communities of Montrose and Gunnison, which are both gateway communities to Curecanti and Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. Source: Montrose Press, CBS News | |