A Denver man died Saturday while on a multi-day commercial river trip in Dinosaur National Monument. According to a park service news release, just before 3:00pm on Saturday, monument staff received a call that CPR was in progress on a client with Sheri Griffith Expeditions. The client, a 60-year-old man, was in a two person inflatable kayak that flipped in Winnie’s Rapid on the Green River causing him to enter the water. He was observed giving the “head pat” signal to indicate he was okay as he continued to float downstream but before he was retrieved from the water he showed signs of distress and went unconscious. CPR was initiated once he was pulled from the water and an emergency call was made by satellite phone. The Classic Air Medical helicopter from Vernal landed below Winnie’s Rapid and assessed the victim. The body was transported to the Memorial Hospital in Craig and was later transferred to the Moffat County coroner. An autopsy will be conducted to determine the cause of death.
