SYNOPSIS

On Monday, March 27, 2023, a 55-year-old canoeist was pinned to a strainer in the Gila River.  Lifesaving measures by the victim's group were unsuccessful.

NARRATIVE

Five friends were on a multi-day rafting trip down the wilderness run of the Gila River.  They had put in near the Gila Cliff Dwellings on March 25.  They were using a tandem raft, canoe, and two kayaks.  The river was running pretty strongly.  There were instances where they were getting soaked because of the strong flows.

Sometime around mid-morning on March 27, the group approached a blind curve in the river.  The canoeist was in the lead position.  The other members of the group were following from some distance behind.  Just around the bend in the river was a large, partially submerged tree with a big root ball on river left and a narrow passage against the bank on river right.

The other members of the group heard the canoeist call out for help and then silence.  When they rounded the bend, they saw the canoe pinned against the tree.  The victim was on the far side of the tree, snagged by his shirt about a foot under the water.  They freed the victim and began CPR, but were unsuccessful.  That afternoon the group was transported by helicopter to Grant County Airport, where the surviving members were interviewed by New Mexico State Police.  There were no injuries reported.

In the past year, this run has become heavily obstructed by logs, root balls, and other hazards.  Post-fire flooding in 2022 pushed large trees into the river.  As verified by U.S. Geological Survey data, the flow of the Gila River was about 400 cubic feet per second at the time of the incident, down from 1,400 cfs in mid-March.  The gauge recorded a peak flow of 4,000 cfs in August 2022.

Two weeks before the incident, a trip report was published on the American Whitewater Club's New Mexico chapter website.  It describes in detail the location of the tree and reports it is "all the way across the channel with a small sneak route on the right."

Based on all statements and information, it appears that the group failed to stop and scout the blind curve ahead for clear passage, leading to the incident.

Gila River
Silver City                   