Jackson, Wyo. — Today, a rescue dog found a 28-year-old Jackson resident who’d been buried in an avalanche since Wednesday on Taylor Mountain. The victim was then airlifted off the mountain to the Coal Creek parking lot, bringing to a close a search and rescue mission that started at 2:30 p.m. on April 1.

The avalanche occurred on the south face of Taylor, just west of Teton Pass. The victim’s partner had lost sight of him after the avalanche was triggered. The partner was unable to locate the victim via avalanche transceiver, and skied out to the Coal Creek parking lot to make the emergency call.

TCSAR responded to an avalanche on April 1 on Taylor Mountain to search for missing snowboarder. Sadly, the man was recovered deceased the following day. Photo: Teton County Search and Rescue

Teams from Teton County Search and Rescue and Wyoming Department of Transportation responded to search the avalanche path and debris pile on the 10,352-foot mountain. Teams worked the top, middle, and bottom of the slide path, and used beacon searches as well as probe poles. The team did retrieve the victim’s splitboard at the toe of the slide. The board, a “hard boot” setup, was intact and not broken.

By nightfall on Wednesday, the search was called off as the teams could not locate the man.

On Thursday morning, about 40 people with TCSAR, WYDOT, and Jackson Hole Mountain Resort ski patrol, including search dogs, returned to the site. A weather window allowed the TCSAR helicopter to conduct avalanche mitigation on the mountain to prevent further slide activity. At 11 a.m., a dog had a positive hit on the avalanche, and the victim was dug out and transported to the Coal Creek parking lot.

TCSAR extends its sincere condolences to the victim’s family and friends. We are also grateful for the assistance from the different agencies involved in the effort, as well as the many offers for help from members of the community.

During these challenging times, TCSAR continues to urge backcountry users to be extra cautious in their decision-making.

Media contact: Matt Hansen, Communications Director, Teton County Search and Rescue Foundation, matt@tetoncountysar.org; (970) 846-7766