The Turpin Meadows operation was the eighth interagency helicopter mission by TCSAR volunteers this summer. Because TCSAR does not have a helicopter on contract in the summer, they must go through Teton Helitack to have a helicopter released for rescues in Teton County. The helicopter may be released if it’s available and not being used for another purpose. TCSAR is grateful for the Teton Helitack partnership that allows the team to conduct these helicopter missions.
Later that Friday afternoon, at 3:39 p.m., the volunteers were paged to respond to a woman who had fallen from her horse near Goosewing Ranch. TCSAR responded by driving a truck up the Gros Ventre Road. They located the patient, treated her injuries, and helped her to a waiting ambulance at the trailhead. The incident involved 12 volunteers and took 3 hours, 54 minutes.
At 11:20 a.m. on Saturday, the team was alerted to a female mountain biker who had crashed about a mile up the Mill Creek Trail in Teton Canyon. Five volunteers drove over Teton Pass to the trailhead and hiked up the trail to locate the patient, who was complaining of severe pain in her lower leg. The team packaged her for transport in the wheeled litter and brought her down the trail to a waiting ambulance. That incident involved 10 volunteers and 4 hours to complete.
As that rescue was in progress, the team was called to assist a woman who’d become injured while hiking in Phillips Canyon. The woman had reportedly fallen while crossing a log bridge. Two TCSAR volunteers who were originally driving to the Mill Creek rescue were diverted directly to the Phillips Bench, along with a truck with more team members. The vehicles drove up the powerline two-track and hiked in about 1.5 miles with the wheeled litter and medical supplies. The volunteers packaged the patient, and wheeled her on the litter back to the RZR. From there, the team drove her to the trailhead to a waiting ambulance. This mission had 16 volunteers and came to a close after 3 hours, 57 minutes.
—About TCSAR and TCSAR Foundation: Teton County Search & Rescue was started in 1993 by the Teton County Sheriff’s Office to provide vital emergency search and rescue services for Teton County and surrounding areas to those in need. The TCSAR Foundation supports TCSAR volunteers through direct support, community education and advocacy. Together, we create an organization that works to keep Teton County residents and visitors safe in the backcountry 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
