Clear Creek Claims Two Lives Over The Weekend

GOLDEN, CO — Two men died as a result of separate incidents Sunday when they were swept downstream while spending time on Clear Creek, according to reports. One man died after falling off a rubber tube he was riding, and the other was wading in the water with friends near Tunnel 1 when he was caught by the current and swept away.

The man who died after falling off his tube was in his 20s, Denver7 reported. He was riding whitewater currents in a mountain canyon west of Denver when he fell off the tube. Golden Fire Chief Alicia Welch told the Denver Post rescuers tried for more than an hour to revive the man before pronouncing him dead around 8:15 p.m.

In an incident later Sunday evening, another man — also in his 20s — was wading in Clear Creek when he was swept away by the current. The Arvada Fire Swift Water Rescue team located the man’s body near a pedestrian bridge in the area of U.S. 6 and State Highway 93. Firefighters performed CPR, but were unable to revive the man.

The identities of both men have yet to be released.

Clear Creek recently reopened after it was closed in early July when water levels rose above 1,200 cubic feet per second. Once levels dropped, the creek reopened due to public demand.

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