JACKSON, Wyo. — Teton County Search and Rescue (TCSAR) was mobilized on Tuesday, April 16, to assist Tip Top Search and Rescue with a mission in the Wind River Mountains, the agency announced.
Tip Top, based in Sublette County, reached out to TCSAR on the evening of Monday, April 15, asking for helicopter assistance to reach a 29-year-old female skier experiencing a medical issue while on a multi-day ski traverse of the Winds with a partner. The skiers issued a distress call with a satellite device when her condition worsened on Downs Mountain, a flat-topped mountain on the Continental Divide at 13,355 feet, according to TCSAR.
TCSAR’s helicopter is the only search-and-rescue-dedicated helicopter in the area, so the team prepared for a Tuesday morning departure while Tip Top organized its ground team. The U.S. Forest Service granted special permission for the rescue teams to enter the wilderness via both helicopter and snowmobiles “due to the extreme conditions and life-saving measures needed,” according to TCSAR’s announcement.
The heli team, including a pilot, a TCSAR volunteer and a Grand Teton National Park Ranger, lifted off at 7 a.m. on Tuesday. Their initial approach was thwarted by low-lying clouds, forcing them to turn back for their own safety. After refueling in Jackson, they made a second attempt, which was successful. The patient was loaded onto the ship and flown back to Jackson, where a Jackson Hole Fire/EMS ambulance awaited.
“This rescue is a great example of why TCSAR asked for the community’s help in purchasing a SAR-dedicated helicopter,” TCSAR posted to Facebook. “We are grateful to have this resource, and are honored to work with our interagency partners and regional SAR teams. Thank you to Tip Top SAR for coordinating this rescue, and to everyone who has supported these efforts along the way.”
