JACKSON, Wyo. — On Monday, Feb. 17, Teton County Search & Rescue (TCSAR) responded to three late-in-the-day rescue calls, creating “challenging” situations for first responders.
“While our valley’s rescuers are always ready to respond, backcountry users should please remember that recreating in the late hours carries very small margins for error”
Teton County Search & Rescue
According to TCSAR, one call for help was in the middle of the night, and two other calls came late on President’s Day.
“While our valley’s rescuers are always ready to respond, backcountry users should please remember that recreating in the late hours carries very small margins for error,” TSCAR said in an announcement. “Accidents at these times result in challenging conditions for first-responders, especially during big storm cycles that have produced dangerous avalanche conditions.”
TCSAR’s report reads that the first call was received at 1:30 a.m. on Monday after two people attempted an evening snowmobile ride up a Forest Service Road near Triangle X Ranch in Moose. The pair became stuck and decided to walk out, with one person losing a boot in the deep snow. Due to the time of the call, a small team from TCSAR assembled and entered the field on snowmobiles. After locating the stranded couple, the team provided them warm socks and boots and a free ride out of the backcountry. TCSAR volunteers returned to the Jackson hangar at 5:15 a.m, per the report.
TCSAR said in a press release that the next call arrived at approximately 4:40 p.m. on Monday. TCSAR volunteers worked with the Jackson Hole Ski Patrol, Grand Teton National Park and Jenny Lake Rangers to retrieve an injured skier in Granite Canyon, outside of the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort boundary.
The TCSAR report states that the female skier was skiing in the lower half of Granite Canyon when she was caught by an avalanche. She became injured after she was carried a few hundred feet down the slope and into a tree. Ski Patrol arrived on scene to provide initial patient care, and placed her in a toboggan. TCSAR initiated a helicopter response with the pilot, one Jenny Lake Ranger and two TCSAR volunteers. Park rangers also prepared a snowmobile team as backup in case the ship could not fly due to weather and time of day.
The heli team found a narrow window of weather and daylight, enabling the pilot to successfully short-haul the patient to the base of Teton Village before dark, according to TCSAR.
The third call came in just minutes after the initial page for the Granite Canyon avalanche. TCSAR said in its report that a pair of snowmobilers had become stuck near Baldy Knoll on the west side of the Tetons. A team of three TCSAR volunteers departed up the trail on snowmobiles and located the stuck party at 6:40 p.m. The volunteers helped the snowmobilers dig out their sleds and all were able to safely navigate back to the trailhead.
TCSAR reminds recreationists to enjoy the mountains during the day, when volunteers still have plenty of light in the event of an emergency.
