Three Skier-involved Avalanches in 24 hours for TCSAR Volunteers

Including the avalanche in the Snow King backcountry that resulted in a short-haul operation on Friday, Teton County Search & Rescue was called regarding three skier-involved avalanches in 24 hours at the end of last week.

On Friday, at 10:26 p.m., TCSAR volunteers were paged regarding a skier-triggered avalanche on the so-called Taco Bell Couloir on the east face of East Gros Ventre Butte. Two skiers had dropped in to ski the line near the top, causing an avalanche that ran the length of the slide path into Flat Creek. As TCSAR volunteers were gearing up to go into the field, they were told to stand down after it was discovered that there were no burials—or swiftwater rescue in the creek. Please visit the Bridger-Teton Avalanche Center to see a thorough site visit regarding this avalanche.

TCSAR rescued an injured skier from No Name Canyon after he was caught in an avalanche, the third avalanche call that TCSAR received in 24 hours. Photo: TCSAR

On Saturday, at 2:42 p.m., TCSAR volunteers were called to respond to another avalanche involving a skier, this time in No Name Canyon. The skier had been part of a guided group of three that had entered the backcountry from the JHMR boundary. There were no burials associated with the avalanche but one skier sustained injuries that prevented him and the rest of his group from exiting the backcountry on their own power.

TCSAR responded to the accident with a team in the helicopter, which was able to land near the site. The skiers were loaded into the ship and flown to the landing zone at the base of Teton Village. The helicopter returned to pick up the remaining SAR volunteers in the field before flying back to TCSAR hangar in Jackson, completing the mission in one hour.

Teton County Search & Rescue Responds to Avalanche in Backcountry of Snow King Mountain

Jackson, Wyo. — At 12:47 p.m. on Friday, February 24, Teton County Search & Rescue received an alert about an avalanche involving two skiers on an out-of-bounds run on Snow King Mountain. The skiers had exited a gate at the top of the mountain and were descending an area known as Scotty's Ridge when they triggered the avalanche. Both skiers were local residents on their lunch break and carrying avalanche safety equipment. They both were caught in the slide and lost their skis in the incident, with one skier partially buried and sustaining injuries. 

TCSAR responded with a short-haul team in the helicopter, along with other volunteers responding up the Snow King gondola to descend on skis to the two skiers. After assessing the situation, TCSAR short-hauled both skiers to a landing zone and a waiting ambulance at the START Bus Barn. In a short-haul operation, rescuers use the helicopter to lift a patient harnessed to the end of a rope for a short flight out of the backcountry. It is often used in steep, technical terrain where landing a helicopter is not an option or when injuries are life-threatening.

TCSAR appreciates the help and coordination on this rescue from Snow King Mountain and Ski Patrol. This accident serves as a good reminder that Snow King’s out of bounds is not avalanche controlled, and that the terrain should be taken seriously despite its close proximity to town.

The Snow King avalanche was the second call of the day for TCSAR. Just minutes earlier, at 12:35 p.m., the team was called regarding a skier with a dislocated shoulder above Ski Lake on Teton Pass. The team began assembling a response with snowmobiles and the helicopter. As the volunteers were gearing up to head out into the field, the party called to say that they would be able to self-rescue and get out on their own. The team stood down on that call while volunteers mobilized for the Snow King rescue.

AMPL and TCSAR Foundation Partner to Install New Beacon Checker Stations at Popular Trailheads

Ten new beacon checker stations help snow riders be better prepared for backcountry adventures.

Jackson, Wyo. — Backcountry users now have access to 10 additional avalanche beacon checker stations thanks to a partnership between AMPL and Teton County Search and Rescue Foundation. Several of the new stations provide safety messaging and infrastructure to areas frequented by snowmobilers. The new stations are located at the following trailheads: Coal Creek, Phillips Bench, Mosquito Creek, North Fork Fall Creek, Dog Creek/Pritchard, Cliff Creek, Brush Creek (Toppings Lake), with another three going up on Togwotee Pass, including top of Togwotee, Breccia Cliffs access, and Angle Mountain access.

Will Mook from AMPL demonstrates the new beacon checker station at Mosquito Creek. Photo: TCSAR Foundation

The process started two years ago when AMPL raised the funds to purchase five beacon checker stations. TCSAR Foundation, through its Backcountry Zero initiative, helped raise money for additional stations from a local men’s group alongside the Stephen P. Adamson, Jr., Memorial Fund.

“AMPL's goal of installing beacon checkers was to promote safe, responsible recreation by bringing avalanche awareness to popular trailheads around the county,” said Will Mook, Executive Director of AMPL. “Beacon checkers serve as a great reminder that the terrain accessible from these trailheads can be consequential avalanche terrain, and users should be prepared before leaving the parking lot. If these signs save just one life, they will have been worth the investment.”

Each station includes a QR code directly to the Bridger-Teton Avalanche Center forecast, a checklist for proper safety equipment, and prompts to consider the consequences of your decisions. They also include a flashing indicator that shows whether your avalanche beacon is transmitting.

The green circle indicates that your avalanche beacon is properly transmitting. Photo: TCSAR Foundation

“The beacon checkers are an amazing resource, both to answer the ‘are you beeping question’ and to visually remind people that this is something to stop and think about before heading out,” said Liz King, Associate Director for TCSAR Foundation. “While they don’t replace a proper transceiver check with your partners, these units will help ensure no one enters the backcountry without a transmitting beacon.”