TCSAR Gets Busy with Four Rescues in Two Days

Jackson, Wyo. — Teton County Search & Rescue responded to four calls in two days last week.

The first two rescues involved two backpackers from the same party, but at different times, on the Teton Crest Trail. Both men, in their 60s, were backpacking as part of a group.

TCSAR volunteers treat an injured paraglider near the summit of Mount Glory on September 12. It was one of three rescues that day. Photo: Teton County Search & Rescue

One man reported a calf injury, which resulted in TCSAR flying the helicopter to pick him up on the Fox Creek trail on Friday morning. Roughly 12 hours later, the same group called to say that another member of their party was in distress due to a previous medical issue. Due to the late hour, TCSAR informed the party that they would have to wait until the following morning for a response.

At first light on Saturday, Sept. 12, the pilot and two volunteers departed SAR HQ and found a spot to land near the patient. They loaded him internally for a flight back to Jackson, where a friend was waiting to pick him up.

TCSAR welcomes the opportunity to respond to emergencies, and stresses the need for people to be prepared before tackling multi-day adventures in the backcountry. Time of day, weather conditions, and mechanical issues may also affect how and when the team is able to respond. This isn't intended to shame or judge anyone—rather, it's meant to underscore the critical need for preparedness and to be self-aware of any personal limitations.

Photo: Teton County Search & Rescue

Shortly after that rescue wrapped up, at 9 a.m. on Saturday, TCSAR was called to respond to a paraglider who had crashed near the summit of Mount Glory. The patient, a 37-year-old male from Telluride, had suffered trauma to his lower legs.

TCSAR assembled a helicopter short-haul team, and the pilot found a landing zone near the patient. The volunteers disentangled the patient from his wing and loaded him into the helicopter for a short flight to a waiting ambulance near the summit of Teton Pass.

In the day's third rescue, a hunter required TCSAR assistance after slashing his leg while field dressing an elk in a remote section of the Teton Wilderness. The hunter, a 26-year-old local resident, had tried to self-rescue by riding his horse several miles after sustaining the injury. Eventually, the pain became too much and he called for help using a Garmin satellite device.

TCSAR responded with a helicopter team consisting of the pilot and three volunteers. The team located the patient and landed nearby. They loaded him into the ship and flew him to SAR HQ, where he was transferred to an ambulance with Jackson Hole Fire/EMS.

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.