Custer County Search and Rescue was deployed early Sunday morning to look for five persons who had not returned from a tubing trip down Grape Creek.

Reportedly, on Saturday, June 6, five persons ranging in age from 11 to 41 began a float trip down Grape Creek.

The group, all from Fremont County and Colorado Springs, started at Lake DeWeese dam at noon and were headed downstream, apparently due to arrive at Temple Canon Park near Canon City at 6 p.m.

Local SAR was notified at 5 a.m. on Sunday, June 7, that the five tubers had not arrived as scheduled.

Two SAR teams on foot, as well as seven on horseback, were immediately sent out to comb the area.

Local SAR captain Bob Pruiksma said the five were dressed in swim trunks, tank tops and shorts and were not prepared to spend the night outdoors.

Other teams from Fremont, El Paso and Pueblo counties were also dispatched, as was a flight for life helicopter from Pueblo.

Flight for Life personnel spotted the five around 9:30 a.m. on Sunday morning.

They were located some 12 miles downstream from Lake DeWeese and seven miles from their final destination, said Pruiksma.

Ground teams reached the tubers an hour later. Pruiksma said they were in good condition. One of the tubers, said Pruiksma, had a dry sack with a cigarette lighter and as a result they were able to build a fire to keep warm Saturday night.

– Nora Drenner