JACKSON, Wyo. — This week, Teton County Search and Rescue (TCSAR) shared that on Tuesday, Feb. 4, the agency was notified of a snowmobiler stuck in a drainage on the western slope of the Tetons.
According to TCSAR, the notification came at 3:56 p.m. after the local resident had motored a couple of miles into the Hill Creek area and was not able to get back out due to heavy, wet snow. A TCSAR volunteer happened to be snowmobiling in the vicinity during his time off and responded to try and help the man, subsequently informing TCSAR that conditions were too dangerous for a ground response.
TCSAR opted for a helicopter rescue and dispatched three short-haul members with the pilot. They flew to the scene and successfully pulled the snowmobiler out of the backcountry.
“The ship returned to the base just minutes before ‘pumpkin hour,’ known as 30 minutes after sunset,” TCSAR writes. “Pumpkin hour originates from Cinderella, and can mean a personal curfew or deadline. For aviation crews, it indicates when a helicopter can’t fly due to darkness.”
TCSAR also writes that at the mission debrief, the team learned that the rescued snowmobiler attended the Moto Avalanche Safety Night on Dec. 12 at the Virginian, where the man confirmed he learned to call 911 early for help in a situation like the one he was in. TCSAR emphasizes that by calling early that day, it allowed the team to consider various options and get the man out before nightfall and worsening weather when a rescue might not have been possible.
