WOODY CREEK — A swift-water rescue team plucked a man from the middle of the Roaring Fork River after he fell into the water Friday during a commercial raft trip.

The man, whose name was not released, was transported to Aspen Valley Hospital where he remained at press time. He was said to have suffered minor injuries.

The man, identified only as a local resident, was a paying client on a Blazing Adventures raft trip that began at Wink Jaffee Park and was to end at Wingo Junction. But about a mile and one-half after the trip began, and well before the group of about seven got to the Toothache rapid (Class III), the raft hit a log in the middle of the river, ejecting two of its occupants, Blazing Adventures owner Bob Harris said.

The boaters were able to rescue one of the occupants, but the man who is now in the hospital clung to the log before letting go and ending up on Barking Dog Island.

Harris, who was not on the trip, said the rafters immediately attempted to rescue the man with throw bags, but since he had initially hung onto the log, separation between him and the raft quickly grew to 40 to 50 feet. Once the raft picked up the other swimmer, it pulled over onto the bank approximately 100 yards from the island.

During that time, an unknown person called 911 and a swift-water rescue team was dispatched. Harris said the swift-water rescue team arrived before the boaters had walked back up the riverbank to try to help their lost raft-mate.

Aspen Fire Chief Darryl Grob said the man on the island was “unresponsive” — potentially due to hypothermia-like conditions — so a rescue was initiated. The man was wearing a wet suit and splash jacket, according to Harris.

Pitkin County sheriff’s deputies ordered all other rafters to exit the river at Smith Bridge in Woody Creek, and catch lines were set up farther down the river in the event anyone fell into the raging waters, which were running at approximately 1,700 cubic feet per second yesterday. The swift-water rescue team borrowed an unidentified commercial raft and paddled over to the island, where they rescued the man and brought him to shore. He was then placed in an ambulance and transported to Aspen Valley Hospital.

Harris said he visited his client in the hospital Friday evening, and that the man was cold and might have injured his foot. His official condition has not been released.

With the recent warm weather and the beginning of summer today, the valley’s rivers are expected to run high this weekend, and officials are urging boaters to use caution. Harris said that right now, his outfit is recommending that rafters in that section be at least 14 years of age — when the water is lower, 8-year-olds are allowed — but that the river is not especially dangerous.

“The water is running at about 1,700 cfs, which is good high water, but — to put it in perspective — in 1995 it was 6,000 cfs and we were rafting in there,” Harris said.

hoop@aspendailynews.com