Raft flips on Roaring Fork, rescuers respond

BASALT Pitkin County Sheriffs deputies and Basalt Fire-Rescue responded to the Roaring Fork River near Wingo Junction Saturday afternoon following a report of four rafters needing assistance after flipping their raft. The incident occurred at about 5:22 p.m., according to a Basalt & Rural Fire Protection District press release. Basalt Fire-Rescue was assisted by Carbondale fires Swiftwater Team during the rescue. Two rafters rescued themselves and were found on shore and unharmed. Another rafter was found on an island and required the services of the Swiftwater Rescue technicians. That individual was moved from the island to shore unharmed. Just as rescuers were finishing retrieving the rafter from the island, the fourth rafter was located just downvalley of the Roaring Fork Club in Basalt. Rescuers managed to assist the rafter and lone occupant from the island without injury. All four boaters were wearing proper safety equipment, according to the press release. On Friday, a local man was knocked out of a raft during a guided trip on the Roaring Fork River. He was in the water for close to 40 minutes before members of Aspens and Snowmass swiftwater teams pulled him to shore.