‘Cold, exhausted’ paddleboarder found drowning in reservoir, CO rescuers say

A woman was rescued after a wind gust separated her from her paddleboard, Colorado rescuers said.

Firefighters were deployed to the Horsetooth Reservoir in Fort Collins and found the young woman “actively drowning,” according to a July 10 Facebook post by the Poudre Fire Authority.

The “cold, exhausted” paddleboarder wasn’t wearing a life vest and was found 100 yards from the shore after a caller said she was separated from her board and had gone “under the water,” firefighter said.

Officials put her in a rescue boat and she was taken to the shore to be evaluated by medical personnel, officials said.

Officials urge the public to wear a life vest as “even if the weather is beautiful and the water calm,” things can change at a moment’s notice, rescuers said.

Fort Collins is about a 70-mile drive north from Denver.

This story was originally published July 11, 2025 at 1:15 PM with the headline "‘Cold, exhausted’ paddleboarder found drowning in reservoir, CO rescuers say."