TCSAR Rescues Lost Hiker During Midnight Mission

On Thursday, August 27, Teton County Search & Rescue volunteers were called out for a midnight mission.

Just before 10 p.m. on Thursday, TCSAR received an emergency call from a family member concerned that their 19-year-old son was lost in the dark after trying to hike up Cream Puff Peak, a 9,639-foot mountain in the Hoback Canyon.

TCSAR volunteers ascend the trail of Cream Puff Peak in search of a lost hiker. Cream Puff Peak is known for a trail network that can at at times difficult to follow even in the daytime. Photo: Teton County Search & Rescue

The subject was visiting family who work in the area during the summer and had been hiking by himself when he lost the trail. The subject called his dad to say that he had been turned around and didn’t know which way to go, which prompted the family to notify emergency personnel. Eventually, the lost hiker’s phone died. He did not have a headlamp or food and had run out of water.

In response, TCSAR sent a team of five volunteers into the field. They began hiking up the trail from the Poison Creek trailhead at 12:30 a.m. The team shouted into the darkness and were able to make voice contact with the subject. However, as the team ascended the mountain the subject’s replies grew softer and intermittent. TCSAR then dispatched another two volunteers into the field at 1:45 a.m. This second team started at the same trailhead but approached off-trail up a ravine to the existing trail on a ridge.

The first team eventually found the subject, who was uninjured but cold, tired and hungry. The volunteers provided him with extra layers, food, and water before they began hiking down the trail together. They all made it back to the trailhead at 3:15 a.m., where the subject’s father picked him up for a ride home.

One takeaway from this incident is to keep a close eye on your cell phone battery life. If you see that your phone is about to die during an emergency, send a text to 911 so that first responders can get your location. That cellular ‘handshake’ will give SAR personnel your coordinates on a map, allowing them to find you even after your cell phone dies. And then, of course, stay in your same location until help arrives.

TCSAR Rescues Backpackers in Distress in Teton Wilderness

Just after 7 p.m. on Monday, August 24, Teton County Search & Rescue received an emergency call regarding two backpackers in distress in the Teton Wilderness. It was the second call of the day for the volunteers.

The call came in from an outfitter who reported that two men—brothers in their early 30s, separate from the outfitter’s business—had come into their guide camp severely dehydrated, tired, and reporting of a bear encounter that left one of them with torn pants and bear spray residue on his arm.

TCSAR picked up two backpackers in distress in the Teton Wilderness on Tuesday, August 25, 2026. Photo: Teton County Search & Rescue

The location of the call was in the Hawk’s Rest area of the wilderness, one of the most remote and wild locales in the Lower 48.

Due to the time of day of the initial call and knowing the brothers weren't in immediate danger, TCSAR waited until first light on Tuesday, August 25, to deploy a helicopter team. At 8 a.m., the team, consisting of the pilot and two volunteers, landed the ship at the given location.

At that time, the team learned that one of the subjects had separated and departed the site earlier that morning. As the team began piecing together the possibility of a larger ground search with more personnel and safety equipment, the subject returned to the original site. TCSAR then loaded the two men into the ship for transport back to SAR HQ in Jackson.

Our team is here to help and the volunteers appreciated the opportunity to bring these backpackers out of the wilderness.

This incident also brings to light a few reminders worth mentioning for your own safety:

All backcountry users should make sure they are prepared for their chosen objective and carry adequate gear, clothing, and enough food and water for the duration of their trip. It also is very important for groups to stay together, especially after making an emergency call.

TCSAR Rescues Injured Horse Rider in Teton Wilderness

Jackson, Wyo. — At 7:29 a.m. on Thursday, August 13, Teton County Search & Rescue received an emergency alert for an injured horseback rider deep in the Teton Wilderness. The patient, a 67-year-old female from Lander, had sustained multiple injuries after getting bucked off her horse the day before, on Wednesday. Her party had contacted dispatch that afternoon as an information-only notification. 

On Thursday morning, the members of her party called back to say it was clear that the woman, along with her dog, would need assistance getting out of the backcountry. 

Teton County Search & Rescue volunteers did a heli evac for an injured horse rider on August 13 in the Teton Wilderness. Photo: Teton County Search & Rescue

In response, TCSAR assembled a helicopter team consisting of the pilot and three volunteers. The team covered the distance from SAR HQ in Jackson to the scene in about 23 minutes. The helicopter found a flat landing zone near the patient, and the volunteers were able to help her and the dog into the helicopter for the flight back to Jackson. TCSAR then transferred the patient to a waiting ambulance from Jackson Hole Fire/EMS, completing the mission in approximately three hours.