JACKSON, Wyo. — Teton County Search and Rescue (TCSAR) had a busy past three days with rescues every day since Saturday.
Yesterday, Jan. 24, a woman reportedly fell off her snowmobile during a guided trip in the Buffalo Valley. She sustained a potential spinal injury. The helicopter team and an RZR team responded to the incident. The helicopter landed near the patient, loaded her and flew her to a waiting ambulance at the highway.
On Sunday, a skier was injured on Chiver’s Ridge on Teton Pass. The man hit a support cable on a power pole and suffered several non-life-threatening injuries. TCSAR short hauled him to the overflow lot on Teton Pass where an ambulance was waiting.
On Saturday, TCSAR assisted Grand Teton National Park with a rescue in the Sliver Couloir on Nez Perce. Two skiers were ascending when a snowboarder above them triggered a small avalanche. The slide caused one of the skiers to be washed down the couloir. During the fall the skier sustained an ankle injury. Park Rangers assisted in the helicopter rescue.
“All of these incidents were resolved with efficiency but serve as reminders for backcountry users to have situational awareness, watch out for hidden obstacles, and always be prepared for an accident with extra layers, food, water a communication device and headlamps. You never know how long, or whether, it will take for first responders to reach you,” stated TCSAR in a recent Instagram post.
TCSAR had one of the busiest years on record, according to their year-end report. The team spent more than 17,000 hours on SAR-related activities, including training, active rescues, and community events. The team responded to 103 calls for service as of Dec. 1. It was the second-busiest year on record, just two short of 2017.
