Teton County Search and Rescue volunteers responded Wednesday January 19th to assist an injured skier on Teton Pass.

A call for help came in at approximately 3 p.m. Two skiers encountered the woman, said to be in her 40s, after she injured her knee in the Christmas Tree Bowl area below Edelweiss.

The rescue team met at the top of the pass. A helicopter that was being used elsewhere landed off Highway 22 near the top of the pass to await further instruction.

A hasty team skinned in to assess the situation, and the chopper flew over the area to scout a possible landing zone. Due to the time of day and incoming weather — snow and extreme cold — the team decided to use the helicopter for a short-haul rescue.

A rescuer was short-hauled in beneath the helicopter with supplies and wrapped the woman’s leg. She was then lifted to the top of the pass, where paramedics were standing by, and transported by ambulance to St. John’s Medical Center in Jackson.

The rescue took 15 to 20 minutes, whereas a ground rescue would have taken 4-5 hours.