Avalanche Ends in Tragedy on Taylor Mountain

Jackson, Wyo. — Today, a rescue dog found a 28-year-old Jackson resident who’d been buried in an avalanche since Wednesday on Taylor Mountain. The victim was then airlifted off the mountain to the Coal Creek parking lot, bringing to a close a search and rescue mission that started at 2:30 p.m. on April 1.

The avalanche occurred on the south face of Taylor, just west of Teton Pass. The victim’s partner had lost sight of him after the avalanche was triggered. The partner was unable to locate the victim via avalanche transceiver, and skied out to the Coal Creek parking lot to make the emergency call. 

TCSAR responded to an avalanche on April 1 on Taylor Mountain to search for missing snowboarder. Sadly, the man was recovered deceased the following day. Photo: Teton County Search and Rescue

Teams from Teton County Search and Rescue and Wyoming Department of Transportation responded to search the avalanche path and debris pile on the 10,352-foot mountain. Teams worked the top, middle, and bottom of the slide path, and used beacon searches as well as probe poles. The team did retrieve the victim’s splitboard at the toe of the slide. The board, a “hard boot” setup, was intact and not broken.

By nightfall on Wednesday, the search was called off as the teams could not locate the man. 

On Thursday morning, about 40 people with TCSAR, WYDOT, and Jackson Hole Mountain Resort ski patrol, including search dogs, returned to the site. A weather window allowed the TCSAR helicopter to conduct avalanche mitigation on the mountain to prevent further slide activity. At 11 a.m., a dog had a positive hit on the avalanche, and the victim was dug out and transported to the Coal Creek parking lot.

TCSAR extends its sincere condolences to the victim’s family and friends. We are also grateful for the assistance from the different agencies involved in the effort, as well as the many offers for help from members of the community.

 During these challenging times, TCSAR continues to urge backcountry users to be extra cautious in their decision-making.

Media contact: Matt Hansen, Communications Director, Teton County Search and Rescue Foundation, matt@tetoncountysar.org; (970) 846-7766

Teton County Search and Rescue Remains Ready During Coronavirus Outbreak

Team urges backcountry travelers to be cautious as Winter Storm drops nearly three feet of snow on the Tetons

Jackson, Wyo. — Teton County Search and Rescue is closely monitoring the coronavirus pandemic and following CDC guidelines for the health and safety of our team members and Foundation staff. As all of you, we are concerned about a potential outbreak here in Jackson and recognize our important responsibility of having a healthy team of first-responders. With large-scale events being canceled, the SAR team decided to postpone group training this weekend, as the priority is to keep the team operationally healthy and ready to respond in the event of backcountry emergencies.

“Our team is continuing to train in small groups and individually and as always are prepared 24-7 for backcountry emergencies,” said Stephanie Thomas, executive director of the TCSAR Foundation. “Big storms can bring unfortunate accidents for weeks to follow so please remember to be prepared and change plans accordingly.”

On March 15, all three Teton County, Wyo., ski resorts (Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, Grand Targhee, and Snow King Mountain) announced they would be closing for the remainder of the season to ‘flatten the curve’ of the coronavirus. Please check with each resort on their individual uphill skiing policies.

We know that as a community of adventurers, people are going to be out skiing and recreating in Teton County during this global health scare. With a Winter Storm dropping nearly three feet of heavy, wet snow in the Tetons over the weekend, we want to remind backcountry travelers to continue to follow best practices: 

• Check the daily avalanche forecast from the Bridger-Teton Avalanche Center.

• Let someone know where you are going, and when you plan to return.

• Carry the appropriate gear (beacon, shovel, probe, airbag, first aid kit, communication device, extra layers, food, etc.)

• Always be prepared to self-rescue, as avalanche conditions, inclement weather, nightfall, and other natural hazards may make it difficult for first-responders to reach you regardless of what is happening in the news.

• Additional resources for backcountry safety can be found at Backcountry Zero.

As the TCSAR team likes to say, “Be prepared, practiced, and present.”

"All Friends On a Powder Day" Highlights Dangers of Snow Immersion Suffocation

On Jan. 18, 2019, Jackson skier Jenny Karns fell upside down into a terrain trap during a powder day at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. With her ski partner well ahead and unaware, she became trapped, with just one ski sticking out of the snow. Just seconds from suffocating, she was found and dug out by three people who happened to be skiing by. Her fight for survival is the topic of the latest episode of “The Fine Line,” the monthly podcast produced by Teton County Search and Rescue Foundation and Backcountry Zero.

“I was under the snow, upside down, thinking this was the day I was going to die,” Karns tells podcast host Rebecca Huntington.

Jackson Hole ski patroller Kirk “Sparky” Speckhals and local skier Jenny Karns in the KHOL 89.1 FM studio. Photo: TCSAR Foundation

One of those skiers who came to her aid, Josh Bagnato, joins Karns in the studio, as well as Kirk "Sparky" Speckhals, a longtime JHMR ski patroller, who was first on scene and offers perspective on snow immersion suffocation (SIS), a danger that lurks on powder days.

From 2008 to 2018, there were 41 deaths nationwide attributed to SIS. According to DeepSnowSafety.org, an informative site about SIS, California leads the nation in such deaths, followed by Colorado and Washington. The majority of those fatalities occurred in tree wells during big snowstorms—conditions favored by powder hounds. But Karns fell over in the bottom of a gully and was then covered by a slough of snow.

Looking back, Karns says it’s important to keep your friends close. “My new motto is all friends on a powder day,” she says.

You can hear the entire episode on Backcountry Zero, iTunes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Thanks to Karns, Speckhals, and Bagnato for sharing their stories.

Tips to avoid Snow Immersion Suffocation

• Keep a whistle nearby to use in case of emergency.

• Do whatever you can to keep your head above the surface of the snow including rolling, grabbing tree branches or the tree trunk. If possible, keep your feet below level of your head.

• If you become immersed, make a space around your face and protect your airway – resist the urge to struggle, it could compromise your airspace and entrap you further.

• Stay calm to conserve air.

• Trust your partner is on their way.

• If possible, use your cell phone to call ski patrol or the resort's emergency number.