JACKSON, Wyo. — Teton County Search and Rescue (TCSAR) assisted an injured skier near Teton Pass on Friday afternoon in a mission that took three and a half hours.

According to a Monday social media post, TSCAR received an emergency callout at 12:29 p.m. for a skier who had sustained a knee injury on the south ridge of Taylor Mountain. The 28-year-old local woman had been skinning up from the Coal Creek drainage, and her partners called 911 when it was clear that she would be unable to ski or hike out.

“TCSAR dispatched three teams to approach the scene on skis and placed a helicopter team on standby,” reads the social media post. “One volunteer team, consisting of three members who live on the west side of the Tetons, reached the patient first.”

TCSAR rescued an injured skier near Teton Pass on Friday. Photo: TCSAR

The patient was about 800 feet up the mountain and one mile from the Coal Creek parking lot. The volunteers evaluated the patient and made an evacuation plan. The other ski teams arrived shortly after, and volunteers used rope and a toboggan to transport the patient to the Coal Creek parking area. The mission included 25 volunteers, and was completed in three hours and 31 minutes.

“Volunteers encountered slick conditions in their response, which served as a timely reminder that skiers heading into the backcountry should expect to find unforgiving conditions,” TCSAR wrote. “Ski crampons and other tools that help amplify traction on snow and ice should be strongly considered as our temperatures fluctuate between the seasons.”

Monica is a Staff Reporter who studied journalism at Syracuse University and has been in the valley since 2015. She loves writing about the local food and bev scene, especially craft beer. When she’s not on the clock, you can find her paddle boarding, sewing, or whipping up a new recipe at home.