JACKSON HOLE, WYO – Park Rangers in Grand Teton NP were busy over the weekend, responding to three incidents beginning early Saturday morning.
On Saturday, August 26, at approximately 8:15am, Rangers responded to a climber pinned in a rock slide in the south fork of Garnet Canyon. Cassie Grenier, 24, of Jackson, was with two climbing partners when the group triggered rocks and boulders loose from a talus slope. Several large rocks pinned Grenier’s legs and a large rock landed on her chest.
Her climbing companions were able to remove the large rock from her chest, but were unable to rescue her from the boulders. A helicopter was able to land nearby the scene and three rangers traveled to Grenier at approximately 9:25am. The rangers were able to safely remove the large rocks and free Grenier.
She was removed from the site via helicopter short-haul and transported to St. John’s Medical Center in Jackson via park ambulance at approximately 10:30am. Grenier’s injuries were not life-threatening.
Later that Saturday, at approximately 6:40pm, dispatch received a report that a man had fallen off a noncommercial raft and was floating near several obstacles in the water without a life jacket on the Snake River south of Deadmans Bar. Rangers were immediately launched via air, water, and on foot to locate the man.
The raft and two individuals on board were soon identified by a helicopter and viewed to be floating with no distress, as the man self-rescued and was able to get back in the raft. Rangers contacted the two individuals at a pullout near Moose Landing and the operator of the vessel was cited for multiple violations, including operating a boat under the influence of alcohol.
The boat operator, 35-year old John Gregg from Dallas, Texas was transported to Teton County Jail and had an initial court appearance on Monday, August 28.
On Monday, August 28, at approximately 10am, Jenny Lake Climbing Rangers responded to a report of an injured climber at the base of the Lower Exum Route on the Grand Teton. The injured climber, Mounier Fizari, a 22-year-old male from Bountiful, Utah, fell about 20 feet as he was climbing.
Four park rangers were flown to the area of the incident and hiked to Fizari. Due to the technical nature of the terrain and Fizari’s injuries, he was rescued via helicopter short-haul at approximately 12:50pm. A park ambulance transported Fizari to St. John’s Medical Center in Jackson.
