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.

TCSAR Rescues Injured Hunter in Horse Creek Area

Just past noon on Friday, September 13, Teton County Search & Rescue was called to respond to an injured horseback rider in the Horse Creek area.

A 50-year-old man from Maryland, on the last day of his guided hunting trip, became injured after he was bucked off his horse. An emergency call from a Garmin inReach was routed from dispatch to TCSAR, with volunteers responding in the rescue helicopter. A ground team drove to the trailhead as backup.

The helicopter was able to find a landing zone near the patient, who was not able to walk due to the injury. Without the use of the helicopter, the team would have been hiking in at least six miles to bring the man out in the wheeled litter. Instead, the volunteers had a short walk to reach the patient from the helicopter.

They assessed the man’s condition and packaged him in the suck bag, a type of full-body vacuum splint. With the help of the guides, the team carried the man to the helicopter for internal transport. The heli lifted off and transported the man to a waiting ambulance at the TCSAR hangar, completing the mission in 2 hours, 5 minutes.

The Fine Line episode No. 40: "Texas Two Step: We Bounce Pretty Good"

People and horses have a long shared history in Jackson Hole. But not everyone rides off into the sunset. Example: On September 12, 2020, TCSAR was alerted to two women, sisters from Texas, who had been seriously injured after falling from their horses at the same time in the Gros Ventre Wilderness.

Left to right: Keegan Pfeil, Shawna “Munch” Pruitt and Lizzie Watson. Photo: TCSAR Foundation

In the 40th episode of The Fine Line, our podcast about adventure, risk and rescue in the Jackson Hole backcountry, the two women share their experience with a finely tuned sense of humor. Meanwhile, TCSAR volunteers Keegan Pfeil and Lizzie Watson discuss the team's response up what might be the most rugged road in Teton County.

Thank you to Roadhouse Brewing Company for sponsoring The Fine Line and their support of backcountry safety in Jackson Hole.