JACKSON HOLE, Wyo. — Summer is already in full swing for Teton County Search and Rescue. Volunteers have been busy through spring and last weekend had the hangar humming again.
TCSAR responded to two callouts on Saturday—the first, at 7:20am. TCSAR volunteers were called to respond to an injured female mountain biker near the top of the Ferrins Trail. The team responded by driving the RZR up the Snow King access road, where they met the patient at the summit.
They transported the patient down the mountain where she self-transported to the hospital. Meanwhile, one TCSAR member stayed behind and rode the women’s mountain bike out of the backcountry.
A few hours after that mission, TCSAR was paged with a SPOT activation from a remote location on the west side of the north Tetons. A woman had fallen from her horse and could not walk or ride. Given the remote nature of the accident, TCSAR requested an interagency helicopter assist and permission to land in the Jedediah Smith Wilderness.
With permission granted from the land manager, the ship flew three TCSAR members and a GTNP ranger to the accident site. Once on the ground, the team assessed the patient’s multiple injuries and packaged her for transport. The patient was short-hauled to a lower meadow, where she was then loaded into the helicopter for the flight to a waiting ambulance at Lupine Meadows.
One TCSAR member remained in the field and rode the patient’s horse out of the backcountry. The team extends its appreciation to the partnering federal agencies for helping to bring this callout to a successful conclusion.
The second mission closed at 5pm, completing a big Saturday in the field for volunteers.
