JACKSON, Wyo. — Teton County Search and Rescue (TCSAR) announced Monday that it had participated in the rescue of an injured Nordic skier in the Fairy Falls area of Yellowstone National Park on Wednesday, April 24.
According to TCSAR, the 55-year-old woman and her partner had skied a mile into the backcountry when she sustained an injury. Yellowstone’s Communications Center picked up their emergency call. YNP rangers skied to her assistance, then requested TCSAR’s helicopter assistance.
TCSAR’s helicopter departed Jackson at 3:36 p.m. and arrived in Fairy Falls about half an hour later, the agency said. While the team of three volunteers and the pilot initially planned to short-haul the skier out of the backcountry, they were able to land the helicopter and load the skier and her partner into it. From there, they traveled to the Grand Loop Road landing zone, where the patient was transferred to a waiting ambulance.
The team landed back in Jackson later that day, with the mission completed in a total of 3.5 hours.
“At present time, TCSAR has the region’s only SAR-dedicated helicopter,” the agency said in its announcement. “Though Yellowstone is not a regular location for TCSAR missions, the team has done and will continue to perform rescues in the park if and when requested by park officials…TCSAR appreciates the coordinated effort from Yellowstone National Park to bring this operation to a successful close.”
