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.

TCSAR Uses Wheeled Litter to Evac Injured Backpacker

At 12:23 p.m. on Monday, August 24, Teton County Search & Rescue received an alert regarding an injured backpacker on the Green Mountain Trail on the west side of the Tetons.

The backpacker, a woman in her 70s, sustained injuries when she tripped and fell while descending about two miles from the trailhead at North Leigh Canyon.

TCSAR volunteers assist an injured backpacker on the Green Mountain Trail on Monday, August 24, 2026. Photo: Teton County Search & Rescue

TCSAR sent two teams in response. Three volunteers who live in Teton Valley gathered gear from TCSAR’s rescue cache in Alta and reported directly to the trailhead to approach the patient on foot. A second team of six volunteers from Jackson drove to the trailhead in a SAR vehicle and ascended the trail on foot while hauling more supplies along with a wheeled litter.

Photo: Teton County Search & Rescue

A wheeled litter is a portable rescue tool that allows rescuers to package a patient in a body-length rigid stretcher with elevated sides that sits on a single fat mountain bike tire. The system has disc brakes that help the volunteers guide the litter over rough terrain.

Photo: Teton County Search & Rescue

Once on scene, the volunteers assessed the patient’s injuries and packaged her for transport in the wheeled litter. They then transported her down the trail to a waiting ambulance from Teton County Idaho Fire & Rescue near the trailhead. Afterwards, the volunteers packed up, readied the gear for the next mission, and headed home.

Howdy Hey: Meet the New Faces at TCSAR Foundation

Teton County Search & Rescue Foundation is pleased to announce the addition of some new faces at the organization. Recently, Dana Torykian and Kevin Kroeger were appointed to the Board of Directors, filling the spots vacated this summer by Jesse Stover and Dave Landes, both of whom served tirelessly and admirably before terming off after nine years. We are enormously grateful for their service and commitment to supporting TCSAR volunteers and backcountry safety during such a critical juncture in the organization’s history.

Meanwhile, we are very excited to have Sara Nethercutt join the Foundation staff as our new Development Administrator.

Please help us give these new Foundation members a warm welcome. We know they will help us serve our mission in supporting TCSAR volunteers and engaging our community with meaningful outreach and backcountry safety education.

Dana Torykian

Dana Torykian brings a combination of extensive nonprofit leadership and a background in finance to the TCSAR Foundation board. During the winter months, she serves as a mountain host at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, supporting ski patrol and other departments to ensure guests have a safe and enjoyable on-mountain experience. Dana also volunteers with Elevate Wyoming Math, providing one-on-one and group tutoring to help close math achievement gaps and build academic confidence among young students in Teton County.

Prior to becoming a full-time resident of Jackson, Dana held a number of nonprofit positions in San Diego, including case management at Birthline of San Diego, nonprofit consulting at San Diego Social Venture Partners, and fundraising as Co-President of the Encinitas Education Foundation. Earlier in her career, she worked as a CPA at Ernst & Young and in finance as a Vice President at J.P. Morgan, where she advised high-net-worth individuals on complex wealth strategies. She holds an MBA from the Anderson School of Management at UCLA and BA in Business Economics from UC Santa Barbara.

Dana thrives on spending time in the mountains with her family and friends — downhill and ski touring, hiking, trekking, camping, and fly fishing — and she never misses a chance to get out on the pickleball court. She and her husband, Rich, also enjoy many of the cultural and outdoor educational options available in the Jackson community. After coming to Jackson for 30 years and calling it home for the past three, they can proudly say the mountain obsession runs in the family — their two adult children are just as hooked.

Kevin Kroeger is a new member of the TCSAR Foundation Board of Directors.

Kevin Kroeger

Kevin Kroeger is a full-time Teton County resident and the founder and president of Whiskey Holdings, a family office holding company. Previously, Kevin was a partner and member of the Executive Committee at DRW Holdings, a global proprietary trading firm.

An engaged father of three, Kevin is an active backcountry enthusiast and a humbled fly fisherman. He is a frequent user of our national parks and Forest Service lands, whether skiing, hiking, fishing, or simply exploring the remarkable places that surround the Teton community.

Through his time in the backcountry, Kevin has developed tremendous respect for the men and women of Teton County Search & Rescue. Their willingness to unselfishly commit themselves at a moment’s notice to helping others, combined with their incredible skill and training, is something he finds both remarkable and inspiring.

Kevin is honored to join the Teton County Search & Rescue Foundation Board and looks forward to supporting the people and organization that help make it possible for all of us to safely enjoy this extraordinary place.

Sara Nethercutt is the TCSAR Foundation’s Development Administrator. Photo: David Bowers

Sara Nethercutt

Sara Nethercutt joined the Foundation in 2026 after three years in hospitality and event management at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. An Arkansas native, she developed a deep appreciation for the outdoors while studying Geology & Environmental Science at Tulane University. She further pursued this interest as a geology teaching assistant and researcher at UC Santa Barbara. Sara is excited to combine her experience in event operations, education, and relationship-building to support the volunteers of TCSAR and advance the Foundation’s mission. When she’s not at work, Sara enjoys hiking, backpacking, climbing, and skiing in the Tetons and beyond with her dog, Potato.