Boots (and Skis) on the Ground: TCSAR Rescues Injured Skier from Taylor Mountain

Jackson, Wyo. — At 12:29 p.m. on Friday, March 13, Teton County Search & Rescue received an emergency alert for an injured skier on the South Ridge of Taylor Mountain. The skier, a local 28-year-old female, sustained a knee injury while skinning up from the Coal Creek drainage. Unable to ski or hike out, her partners called 911.

TCSAR dispatched three teams to approach the scene on skis and placed a helicopter team on standby. One volunteer team, consisting of three members who live on the west side of the Tetons, reached the patient first. She was about 800 feet up the mountain and roughly a mile from the Coal Creek parking lot. The volunteers evaluated the patient’s condition and made a plan to get her out of the backcountry.

The other ski teams arrived shortly afterward, and all worked together to transport the patient by rope and toboggan to the Coal Creek parking area. The effort involved 25 volunteers and took 3 hours, 31 minutes to complete.

Volunteers encountered slick conditions in their response, which served as a timely reminder that skiers heading into the backcountry should expect to find unforgiving conditions. Ski crampons and other tools that help amplify traction on snow and ice should be strongly considered as our temperatures fluctuate between the seasons.

TCSAR Heli Evacs Injured Snowmobiler on Togwotee Pass

Jackson, Wyo. — At 11:37 a.m. on Thursday, February 26, Teton County Search & Rescue received an emergency alert for an injured snowmobiler on Togwotee Pass. The snowmobiler, a 42-year-old male, had become injured after crashing into a ravine between the X and K trails near the CD trail. 

Due to the location and nature of injury, TCSAR dispatched the helicopter with a short-haul team, consisting of the pilot, spotter, and two volunteers to conduct the short-haul. Short-haul is a method of rescue in which a patient can be lifted from the scene by a long rope connected to the belly of the helicopter.

The team was able to execute the short-haul and fly the patient a short distance to a waiting ambulance on the highway. From there, the team returned to SAR HQ in Jackson, completing the mission in 2 hours, 23 minutes.

TCSAR Responds to Injured Snowmobiler in Mosquito Creek

Jackson, Wyo. — At 11:42 a.m. on Friday, February 20, Teton County Search & Rescue was called with a report of an injured snowmobiler in the Mosquito Creek area. A 32-year-old male had sustained multiple injuries after his machine hit a stump.

A team of Jackson Hole Ski Patrollers, which included a TCSAR volunteer, was in the area doing their own training. They were able to locate the patient and began assessing his injuries. 

TCSAR responded with a helicopter team and sent snowmobile teams to the area as backup. The heli team was equipped with short-haul gear in case the ship could not land. Short-haul is a rescue method in which rescuers and patient can be picked up from the scene by a long rope connected to the belly of the helicopter. In this case, the pilot found a suitable place to land, and the team loaded the patient internally for a short flight to a waiting ambulance at the TCSAR headquarters in Jackson.

Start to finish, 14 SAR personnel wrapped up this rescue in around two hours.