# Injury at Upper Colorado jump rock ABOVE hot springs



## powrider686

What were the circumstances? Did she not get out far enough? I ran that six days ago and all of us jumped and had no issues. We're all big guys, 200+, and didn't feel the bottom or any weird currents. Just wondering as I jump these cliffs alot. Thanks and hope she recovers quickly!


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## BlueRiverKarenSue

not sure about the circumstances, only saw the splash and it looked like she was easily out far enough, but i didn't see her jump from the top. i know these are jumped a lot, and hope that there hasn't been some shift underwater. thanks for adding your experience to the blog and thanks for adding prayers for her recovery! sorry i don't know more, she wasn't with our group, and the group she was with was too devastated to communicate much.


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## basinrafter

Are you talking about the cliffs river left just above the hot springs or the ones river right just downstream? I've seen a lot of people jump off at both spots.


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## powrider686

I've jumped both plenty of times with no prob, I believe their talking about the bigger ones but not sure.


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## BlueRiverKarenSue

the incident was at the cliffs on river left, just above the hot springs. they are taller than the cliffs downstream on river right, which are also popular. i also have many hours logged on this stretch and haven't seen problems until yesterday. i guess that's why i thought it was worth mentioning. i believe the young woman broke her back...so please say prayers!


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## Ture

It is always dangerous, not just now. 

I've jumped it, but I'm older and wiser now. I'm pretty sure that people have died there in the past. Even if you don't hit the bottom you can still break your spine. I did a flip there once and landed wrong and chipped my teeth from hitting so hard. 

Jumping off of cliffs into rivers and lakes is a very high risk activity. I don't do it anymore and I cringe every time I row through the hot springs on the Upper C while people are hucking, especially if they are doing it from the hot springs side. The hot springs side is very dangerous at any flow level.

Take it from me, I broke my neck in 2006, you don't ever want a spinal injury. Even if you are not paralyzed the pain is intense and lasts for years, maybe for life. Take the biggest nerve in your body and hammer it... that is what a spinal injury is.


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## UserName

About 10 years ago a guy died there... the specifics are sketchy as my aging memory recalls.. but I do recall he didn't surface for about a year.... and the dive teams that searched reported "One" marginally deep spot.. Also reported barbed wire and other debris tangled on the bottom... But I hear it is fun..


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## stinginrivers

^^^^I remember the one somewhere around 94 only because it was a friend of mine learning to kayak that found the body.

If I remember correctly they said there is a ledge closer to the cliff, that is what they suspected happened to that guy.

I have jumped that a few times in my younger days but now you couldn't pay me to jump that cliff. 

Best wishes to the injured party.


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## yesimapirate

No way!! They have internet in Cisco????? Juuust kidding


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## raymo

We use to have one of our rafting warehouses in Kremmling from 1974-1979 to run the pump house section. The bad drought of 1977 we had to canceled 100% of our rafting trips that year, on that run because there was very little water in the river. You could walk accross the river at the Pump House to the other side of the river and not get your knees wet. So we done some hiking that year up and down that stretch of the river. We hiked from Radium to the hot spring and up to the cliffs just up stream from the hot springs. The water was slow and clear, there is a big ledge of mud and big rocks out to about 10 ft. to 12 ft., very ugly looking. I would never jump on that side ( rive left). River right cliffs looked deep and pretty rock free.


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## pitty

i have guided that section for a few years. ive heard a whole lot of bad stories about jumps off that side gone wrong. you couldn't pay me to jump that cliff. i have jumped the clif on the right below the springs feel that the jump there is fairly safe. i hope this recent injury turns out as best as it can. sorry to hear about it


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## basil

There have been lots and lots of cases of people getting killed or broken necks from jumping off rocks into rivers and lakes. It's one of the most dangerous things we do on the river. But, it sure is fun.


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## bookmillone

The young lady injured there yesterday didn't hit a rock. She did however land in such a way that a vertabrae in her neck was crushed causing paralysis from the waist down. She is having surgery today, hopefully after swelling comes down she will be OK..............keep the prayers flowing


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## bookmillone

t-11 was broken, spinal cord not compromised but swollen


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## sarahkonamojo

I can ditto on the "landing the wrong way" experience. I have stopped jumping and NEVER head first. And I do my best to stop others.
Speedy and complete recovery wishes for the young lady.


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## basil

Another man dies after diving into Colorado River from cliff - News - ReviewJournal.com


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## Jensjustduckie

Watched a kid jump off the 70+ footer at Green Mtn Res. a couple years back - he hit wrong and was knocked unconscious upon impact. He started to sink underwater and his friends started laughing and saying he was messing with them - I think they were drunk. Luckily a motorboat was hanging out watching people jump and they got to him quickly and got him to the surface and on the boat.

Cliff diving scares me.


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## Kendrick

It doesn't seem as big an issue here, and I'm a total hypocrite for posting this, but just to be fair, they made this commercial for the UK. 

Lot's of peer pressure out there. Be safe.


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## pinemnky13

I have jumped off the left side upriver from the hot pots alot and now that I am a little more aged (like a better whiskey still numbs you but it hurts like hell in the morning) I have come to terms that my rock jumping days are over. This year on the couple of trips I did on the upper c I did not see the usual groups of people jumping off the left side but seeing more on the right.


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## TELEYAKCO

*Because Every Thing Helps!*

There is going to be a 10 KRun/Walk/Ride to raise money for Beth(Because Every Thing Helps!)in Winter Park on Sat.Sept.24th.All proceeds go towards Beths recovery.$20 registration,available at active.com or any donations are accepted.If you have any questions go to [email protected]. Silent auction after race.Beth is a GREAT,SWEET,LOVING person who can use the help!


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## bigbean

Saw that girl on the boat ramp at Radium... She was not looking good... The ambulance was just showing up as we were launching. Was she on a commercial trip or did the commercial trip help her out after she came up?


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## sarahmoose

Wow, I meant to post about people jumping at the hot springs and never got around to it.

I feel horrible for the injury to this lady, no one needs to get hurt, but I have to share our latest experiene. 

We were on the Upper C on Sunday Aug 21st, taking the in laws out for their first Upper C trip, with my family as well. We stopped at the hot springs for the first time in year, it was just 6 of us and there was a gentleman relaxing there as well who had hiked in. 

We had not been there 5 minutes ( I hadn't even opened my beer yet) and a group of 5 rafts pulled up with 4 dogs (who didn't listen to their owners) and they were loud as can be. As soon as they got there, they began jumping off the high rocks to the side of the springs. We enjoy others on the river, but not when they're all cheering for each other and yelling at their dogs in unison. We left immediately and continued on for a peaceful rest of our float.

So my question is, when did this become the place to jump? Why not jump across the river 100 feet down on river right, where is has been tested for depth and ALL the rafting companies use with their guests? 

We love the river, but everyone needs to respect each other


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## SummitSurfer

Sarah don't mean any disrespect BUT that IS the river. The springs is like that for at least 3 or 4 days a week throughout the boating season and just a way of life there. If this isn't your scene then find a section of river that does meet your expectations........but that is the way the springs is and will continue to be.
Have fun, be safe,
****


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## pinemnky13

Sarah, I have passed by there when it has been like that(when I am not in the mood) and have hung out and been exactly like you said on other occasions. When I first started rafting my freinds brought me there and jumped before me and after me ( rinse repeat, etc.) it is the way the river goes and you can take it or leave it. I have not had a bad experence like I have had on Ruby or at a dickhead loner who can't stand the notion of letting kids under a tree 100 feet away from their campsite when it is raing like dogs and elk.
I go on the upper c alot with my close freinds who bring their kids and dogs and yes they get exposed to some other folk who are loud, obnoxious and bring their dogs with them( Just like my close freinds). Hell we don't jump anymore(unless you got some bourbon) but it sure is fun to watch em and talk with the coherent ones until you get less coherent.
It is the river and it happens alot there, take it or leave it.


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## yetigonecrazy

im sorry you had a bad experience.

....but if you were on Pumphouse on Labor Day Weekend and expected peace, quiet, and isolation......

then i dont know what to tell you.

Let's see.....

one the last remaining overnights runs in the state with water.....check.

riverside hot springs below one set of rapids and (generally) above another.....check

jumping rocks on BOTH sides of the river, AT said hot springs......check

easy access for boaters of all abilities......check

yeah you should expect a party there that time of year. anything else is just wishful thinking. thats like going on ruby horsethief and expecting to have the canyon to yourself......

again, sorry you had a bad experience. but it sounds more like you had some unrealistic expectations than people being disrespectful.


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## goldcamp

Any update on the health of the girl who was injured here? I was a little a confused by the post that said she was paralized from the waist down. Seemed to leave a little room for her to heal/walk after the swelling went down.


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## loosecannon

I've been on that stretch a lot over the last 11 years or so, and jumped many times from the river-left cliffs. I always heard stories about it going bad, but trusted my many successful attempts at the same time. 
Then I became friends with a guy who ran on the Grand County ambulance. He started telling me about all the calls he went on to Radium to get folks who'd injured themselves. As I got older, (doubt much wiser) I just quit doing it. 
Then one crowded weekend day a few years ago I saw a dude come sailing off the cliff (on river left above the spring) and hit the left tube of a raft going by, bouncing off into the water. I'm an EMT, and that was still hard to watch. The jumper destroyed his ribs (no pfd). Lots of stupid stuff goes down there, I just do my best to explain to my friends that jumping is a bad idea and no swimming without the vest.


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