TCSAR was back in action over the weekend and early this week with two callouts. The first occurred Saturday afternoon when a snowboarder became disoriented during the height of a massive winter storm and mistakenly entered the Granite Canyon drainage. The individual was not prepared with avalanche or survival gear. At the same time Grand Teton National Park was dealing with a highway closure because of the blizzard. Members of TCSAR assisted GTNP with locating and helping the individual out of the backcountry.
The Second callout occurred monday afternoon near Togwotee Mountain Lodge. A snowmobiler was high marking a slope when the slope broke and he was buried in an avalanche. The victim had rented an avalanche beacon and was recovered by members of his own party within approximately 18 minutes of his burial. Unfortunately he was found to be pulseless and attempts to revive him with CPR on scene did not succeed.
Please continue to closely evaluate our taciturn snowpack as the current wind and snow are continuing to create unstable conditions in the backcountry, and ALWAYS be prepared with beacon, probe and shovel.