# Dog swept down South Boulder Creek in Walker Ranch



## Mundy

I was hiking Walker Ranch with my 3 dogs and one got caught in a current (down where the stairs go down to meet the creek by the bridge). I jumped in to get him and I got pulled under as well. I managed to grab my dog and latch onto a large rock right before the falls, thinking we both may go over. While holding on with all the energy I have (and to my 70# rotti/hound) my other dog came in after us and got swept into the rapids. I hiked and rock climbed for hours looking for him all along the creek side Monday. I went out again after I brought my dogs home and did the same thing. Tuesday I did the whole loop and again all along the creek side until it was physically impossible to go any farther. Today I went out again with help from friends and rangers (who have been out there every day and have been very supportive). I feel like I've explored all I can on land and was hoping to find a dog loving, experienced kayaker who might be interested in going down South Boulder Creek to help look for him. I know the rapids are level 5-6 right now, so I'm not sure if that's even an option, but I thought I would try and see if anyone was interested. If not, no worries. I'm just trying to explore all options. Boulder Emergency Squad is setting up a team to go out Saturday, but if he is alive somewhere, I am afraid that won't be then. Any help is greatly appreciated


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## gh

Sad story. I hope you get your dog back.


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## skideeppow

I am so sorry, good luck. Hope he is ok.


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## cheifitj

Best of luck as well. I hope this one turns out positive for you.


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## MtnGuyXC

Sorry to hear this...Are you checking your local shelters/humane societies, etc.? Dogs are pretty tough animals...Hopefully he made it Ok & is just lost right now...Keep us updated on the situation...Best of Luck..


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## deepstroke

Three of us ran it this evening but saw no sign of the dog. We weren't able to investigate every part of the creek as we were focused on navigating it. Hopefully, he made it out and is still lost in the woods. It was a lengthy stretch of whitewater below the bridge and would have been a difficult swim, but dogs are pretty scrappy and resilient. Still hoping for a happy outcome.


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## 4eversunshine

*Thinking of you*

I still hope and pray that he makes it home to you. We had met up at the creek where your dogs where playing in the water after we had crossed paths coming down the trail. I have been so concerned about you and your dogs. I was telling the story to someone and they told me they had seen these posts. 
Take care


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## Mundy

*Chucky update- still looking*

BES said the waters were too rough and canceled the search. Thanks for people's support. I have been hiking around there every day for the past 5 days. I followed the creek all the way to the resorvoir where the dam is scanning the creek sides as best I could from the land. I also looked in every opening in rocks near the creek sides and on down trees. I have not seen any sign of him. I will not go out there today (Saturday) because I had to return to work and I'm hoping there will be enough hikers out there and maybe kayakers as well. I know how rough the waters are and I appreciate you guys who have been out there, but I still need to keep looking, so if anyone feels like going out again this weekend I would really appreciate it and be happy to meet up. Channel 9 news did a brief thing on it and I have put signs all over Eldorado Canyon (incase he washes downstream) and all the trailheads around Walker Ranch. I work at the humane Society in Boulder and have emailed every shelter and emergency hospital in the area. Rangers have been out there as well and they think he may be lodged under water. I don't know what else to do aside from keep searching. Any help is greatly appreciated, especially from the water, because I don't know what else I can do from land. If any one is going out there this weekend text me 206-227-4469. Once I'm in the mountains I will not get reception, which is also where I live, but I check my email often. Thanks for everyone's support
Amanda


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## Dave Frank

REally sorry for your friend. Can you describe exactly where last seen?


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## Stiff N' Wett

I'm not familiar with the area but could some one rappel down check out the area and climb out?


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## deepstroke

Dave, I believe this happened near the bridge at Bridge Drop. It's continuous class III and IV whitewater after the bridge. Weak of BES to cancel.


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## Mundy

*Chucky last seen at Eastern bridge of walker loop*

He is a black and white 50 pound springer spaniel/border collie/poodle mix, also a great swimmer so I'm hoping there's a chance. He went under where the rapids are by the eastern bridge on the Walker loop (by where the stairs go down to the creek about a mile south of the Ethel Harrold trailhead. My cell is 206-227-4469 if anyone wants to text me that may go down there.
Amanda


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## upshitscreek

any pics of the dog you can post up? tags/info on his collar? it may be helpful to someone reading this but not contacting you for specifics.


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## Mundy

He had a collar with tags and a microchip.


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## ZGjethro

deepstroke said:


> Weak of BES to cancel.


As sad as this whole story is, I am not sure searching for missing pets is what emergency services are for. They also would not go out looking for people in high avalanche conditions


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## gh

I am going to go hug my dogs.


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## Mundy

ZGjethro said:


> As sad as this whole story is, I am not sure searching for missing pets is what emergency services are for. They also would not go out looking for people in high avalanche conditions


They do actually do pet retrival. I met with them and if I could find him (alive or not) they will retrieve him for me. For many people, like myself and some of these amazing volunteers, our "pets" are our family and I just lost my baby


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## lhowemt

Mundy- I am so terribly sorry to hear about you and your baby. Dogs can disappear for a while, if he got out he may have taken off. Cast a wide net and don't give up. A dog was lost in a car wreck near Missoula last year, and it took a while for the dog to show up and a lot of patience for her to get caught. Keep the word out, get the story in the paper and use facebook to your advantage for staying in touch with people keeping their eye out.

Here's a story about bella, hopefully it can give you some ideas 
http://m.missoulian.com/news/local/...11e1-bc16-001a4bcf887a.html?mobile_touch=true


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## ZGjethro

Mundy said:


> They do actually do pet retrival. I met with them and if I could find him (alive or not) they will retrieve him for me. For many people, like myself and some of these amazing volunteers, our "pets" are our family and I just lost my baby


The fact that they will do that is big of them. If they decide not to do it for safety reasons, that is not to be taken as a negative. I hope you find your dog


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## MtnGuyXC

Hi Mundy, Thanxs for keeping us abreast with the situation, for continueing to be diligent in your search & also for working at the Humane Society & I'm guessing rescueing your baby....I have been rescueing Blue Heelers for the past 20 years now & one of mine got lost once & it was 8 days before he was found...And I have certainly heard of cases where it was much, much longer than that..I know it's tuff...But.....Keep the Faith!


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## Mundy

ZGjethro said:


> The fact that they will do that is big of them. If they decide not to do it for safety reasons, that is not to be taken as a negative. I hope you find your dog


 I do not take it as a negative. Those guys are great and I appreciate them coming out and meeting with me and being willing to do the search to begin with. I definitely do not want anyone getting hurt, but I was hoping people with different expertise could help and get views from the water that I was unable to see. I'm still hoping he made it out, but as the days go on I'm fearing for the worst. The not knowing is making me insane. Today is a new day, so if anyone feels like taking a trip down SBC let me know. I personally don't have any kayaking experience (although this whole tragedy does make me want to learn), but I would be happy to meet up and show where it happened.


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## ZGjethro

Mundy, my comments were directed at the person who said it was weak of them to cancel the search.


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## skideeppow

Any update?


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## Mundy

No I'm getting ready to go out there again this morning. Rangers, my friends, and myself have been out there every day. If he was running around somewhere I think we would have found him by now, unless someone has him somewhere, but with all the publicity and signs and animal control and rangers being aware, it's looking more and more unlikely I am totally devastated beyond words. I have spent my life caring for, fostering, and rehabbing dogs, and this is the most tragic thing I have ever dealt with. It's the not knowing. I was thinking with all the rain, if his body was lodged somewhere, maybe it washed up. Again, if anyone wants to kayak down there, today might be a good day. Every day I go there I relive the nightmare over and over again and it's destroying me, but I can't give up...


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## Avatard

Mundy,

I wouldn't fret too bad. My friend lost his dog a few years ago on 4th of july (dog bolted out the door because he never liked fireworks). He was found close to three weeks later, hungry and a little banged up --- but alive and well nonetheless. I hope this gives you hope that maybe someday your dog will find some human to help get it back to you.


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## jmacn

MtnGuyXC said:


> Hi Mundy, Thanxs for keeping us abreast with the situation, for continueing to be diligent in your search & also for working at the Humane Society & I'm guessing rescueing your baby....I have been rescueing Blue Heelers for the past 20 years now & one of mine got lost once & it was 8 days before he was found...And I have certainly heard of cases where it was much, much longer than that..I know it's tuff...But.....Keep the Faith!


My Blue Heeler took herself for a 9 day mid-winter adventure in sub zero temps. She was finally found in the crawl space of a house under the fire place. I hope you have a similar reunion. Fingers crossed...


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## lhowemt

Like other say, hang in there. He was probably beat up and traumatized, and so may not be as friendly and responsive to people as before. Keep up the effort, keep the faith, don't give up for weeks. I can't imagine how hard it must be, but stay strong for him. Don't let yourself go insane, you need the strength and energy to keep the effort up even after the crisis passes. You WILL find him!


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## deepsouthpaddler

Mundy, sorry to hear about your tragic incident.

Lots of optimistic folks here (who probably have not paddled this creek).

I've paddled south boulder creek, and your dog swam powerful class IV rapids in a tight creek with lots of rocks and wood. I'd put very slim odds on survival. My guess is the dog drowned in the creek and is pinned on rocks or logs underwater. 

Sounds like you have done all you can after the incident to find the dog. I don't think there is much more you can do now. I'd suggest hiking the creek when the water drops to below 200 cfs (the lower the better) to see if you can find the dog in the river then. Check this gauge to see flows in south boulder creek below gross reservoir. Detail Graph

You might also want to contact Denver Water to let them know that you are looking for your dog in case it floats into thier reservoir right above Eldo.


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## Mundy

deepsouthpaddler said:


> Mundy, sorry to hear about your tragic incident.
> 
> Lots of optimistic folks here (who probably have not paddled this creek).
> 
> I've paddled south boulder creek, and your dog swam powerful class IV rapids in a tight creek with lots of rocks and wood. I'd put very slim odds on survival. My guess is the dog drowned in the creek and is pinned on rocks or logs underwater.
> 
> Sounds like you have done all you can after the incident to find the dog. I don't think there is much more you can do now. I'd suggest hiking the creek when the water drops to below 200 cfs (the lower the better) to see if you can find the dog in the river then. Check this gauge to see flows in south boulder creek below gross reservoir. Detail Graph
> 
> You might also want to contact Denver Water to let them know that you are looking for your dog in case it floats into thier reservoir right above Eldo.


I have been in contact with Denver Water, several times over the past week, and several rangers that know the creek quite well, and after all the searching I have done, they unfortunately share a similar perspective. I do appreciate people's optimism, and everyone's support, but I fear you may be right, and I have hiked down to that reservoir looking for him, and the people that work there and live around there are aware and looking as well, still to no avail. I guarantee I have done everything trying to find him and explored every resource, still trying to hope he may have gotten out somewhere, but at this point it seems only time will tell and its destroying me. I told myself today would be my last day out there...


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## skideeppow

I am so sorry, I feel your pain and do not know what I would do if this happened to one of my boys. I hope he turns up. Fingers crossed for you.


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## Yard Sale

Easy way to keep searching is to leave some dirty clothes with your smell on it near where you lost the pups or some other access spots nearby. Then you can just go to those spots and give a call. Had some buddies find a dog this way weeks after they lost it. 

Good luck man.


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## Mundy

Today marks 3 weeks with no news. I feel guilty for returning to work and trying to resume my normal life including taking care of my other dogs and working 2 jobs. I went back to the creek Friday after working all day (to find out they took down my signs) in the pouring rain, still calling out to him hoping he'll come running out of the trees. The water level has dropped and I've searched and searched, but I still haven't found him and I feel like I failed my baby. I will continue to look until I have some closure (whatever it may be), but I can't daily as I was before. Many more restless nights to come... I do appreciate people's support and if anyone does go down SBC let me know. If I hear anything I will post it here for the people who care and have been supportive


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## Otterwolf

Can't even begin to imagine how you feel, thoughts hugs prayers and love coming your way from New England.....................


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## skideeppow

Just wondering if there was any update on this? Mundy, your last post was heartbreaking as I sit here with my two boys in my office.
I am truly sorry.


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## Mundy

I wanted to update anyone who has been supportive in my search for Chucky. I pulled his body out of the creek on Saturday after it had been trapped under water for almost 6 weeks and now he will get a proper cremation. As horrifying as it was, I finally have closure and we can rest. So thank you to those who have been supportive and those who kayaked SBC to help look and especially to whoever forwarded this to the hiker that spotted his collar in a log jam- that is how I found him and due to the water level having dropped significantly. So thanks for everyone's support and now my baby can rest in peace...


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## Paul the Kayaker

I'm so sorry you had to go through that this summer. But glad you know now instead of being left in the lurch to wonder. My thoughts are going out to you and Chucky.


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## cataraftgirl

I'm so sorry about the outcome, but glad that you are able to have closure. Your dedication to finding him is admirable, and shows how much you loved him.
RIP Chucky


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## Outlaw

I'm SO sorry! Brings a few tears to my eyes, poor pooch..... glad you have closure.


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## mrSmoothy

My thoughts are with you. this almost happened to me a couple of times, swift creeks are a danger with hiking dogs, but then again they have had very happy lives to be able to run free in the woods, hike and swim and wade the colorado creeks. you provided a great life for your best friend.


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## lhowemt

I am so sorry for your suffering and your loss. May you both be at peace now. I'm glad you found him and can cremate him. I'm getting a glass pendant made with a swirl of hazel's ashes in it. Thought I'd mention it, if you
Want to be able to keep a piece of him with you always.


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## MT4Runner

Mundy said:


> I wanted to update anyone who has been supportive in my search for Chucky. I pulled his body out of the creek on Saturday after it had been trapped under water for almost 6 weeks and now he will get a proper cremation. As horrifying as it was, I finally have closure and we can rest.


I am so sorry, Mundy.

You did the same thing any of us would have done if we'd lost one of our 4-legged kids. You searched long and hard and never gave up. I'm glad you found him and didn't have to feel like you'd given up.

Rest in peace, Chucky. There's a black Lab named Shadow there over the rainbow bridge. She's really smart, but she'll get you in trouble. 




lhowemt said:


> I'm getting a glass pendant made with a swirl of hazel's ashes in it.


That's cool.


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## okieboater

*Sorry to hear of this outcome*

Prayers going out for you and Chucky's spirit.


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## gannon_w

I don't know you but by the way you talk of him he was loved and most importantly got to spend time with you on trails and such. Next time you feel a rain drop...it's him up there slobbering and waiting on you!


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## Dahlia

So sorry! The loss of a dog is so heart breaking. I'm glad you got closure. Thanks for updating us, I had been watching this thread with heartbreak, knowing how I'd feel if it was my dog. Peace to you!


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## Blade&Shaft

Sorry for your loss Mundy, I can't imagine... hang in there!


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## SueCherry

I am so sorry to hear about the outcome for Chucky. Posting here was the right thing to do. It inspired me to take a couple of hikes to SBC with a can of dog food and a leash in early July. I was touched by Chucky's heroic effort to come to your rescue. RIP Chucky.


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## dirtbagkayaker

Dogs are our best friends and we can love them like children. I didn't know chucky but it seems that he was enjoying live to its fullest and doing what dogs do, "living free and happy." Although no words can take away from the pain of a lost dog, I will gladly join in on a group hug "buzzard style." Sorry for your loss.


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## skideeppow

SO Sorry, a couple reads that might make you feel a little better, a dogs purpose and a dogs journey. Both are written by Bruce Cameron.

Once again, so sorry.


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## cataraftgirl

skideeppow said:


> SO Sorry, a couple reads that might make you feel a little better, a dogs purpose and a dogs journey. Both are written by Bruce Cameron.
> 
> Once again, so sorry.


+1 on those books. They are awesome.


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## dcboulder

My heart goes out to you, Mundy. Rest in peace, Chucky.


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