TCSAR Responds to Injured Mountain Biker on Phillips Ridge Trail

At 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, September 4, TCSAR was called to respond to an injured mountain biker on the Phillips Ridge Trail. The 35-year-old local male, riding alone, was descending a series of switchbacks on his bike when he crashed about a mile from the trailhead on Fish Creek Road. He sustained multiple upper body injuries.

TCSAR responded with teams on foot and in a RZR side-by-side. The volunteers reached the patient and found him next to the trail. They were able to help him walk a short distance to the RZR and transport him down to the trailhead. Opting against an ambulance, the man met his girlfriend there and she transported him to higher medical care.

The volunteers headed back to the hangar in Jackson, completing the mission in 1 hour, 55 minutes.

TCSAR volunteers use a RZR side-by-side to access an injured mountain biker on the Phillips Ridge Trail on September 4, 2024. Photo: TCSAR

ATV Crash on Shadow Mountain Triggers Response from Teton County Search & Rescue and Multiple Agencies

Jackson, Wyo. — At 1:32 p.m. on Tuesday, August 6, Teton County Search & Rescue was contacted by dispatch regarding an ATV crash on Shadow Mountain, a popular recreation site about 20 miles north of Jackson in the Bridger-Teton National Forest. The patient, a 16-year-old female visiting from out of town, sustained serious head trauma. 

The TCSAR ship prepares for a short-haul operation on August 6, 2024. Photo: TCSAR

The girl and two family members were riding two machines as part of a larger guided group, but they were separated from the group at the time of the crash. The girl was wearing a helmet and it is unknown what caused the accident.

After receiving the emergency alert, TCSAR sent volunteers into the field in the helicopter and ground vehicles as backup support. Meanwhile, the team also called in Air Idaho, a medical air ambulance to provide flight-for-life transport if necessary. 

With the accident site in a densely forested area on Shadow, the TCSAR helicopter inserted two volunteers onto the scene via a long line. The volunteers detached from the helicopter to begin initial treatment and patient packaging for a short-haul operation. As the TCSAR ship prepared to pick up the patient and rescuers, a thunderstorm moved in and caused the helicopter to be grounded on the valley floor.

Multiple agencies responded to the ATV crash on Shadow Mountain on August 6, 2024. Photo: TCSAR

TCSAR volunteers in a RZR side-by-side vehicle subsequently drove to the scene and picked up the patient and transported her down a dirt road. Taking advantage of a weather window, the TCSAR helicopter lifted off and picked up the patient from the RZR team and transferred her to a Jackson Hole Fire/EMS ambulance and the Air Idaho ship parked at a landing zone at Lost Creek Ranch.

Medical providers continued caring for the patient, who was transported by Air Idaho to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center in Idaho Falls. TCSAR extends our most sincere thoughts and prayers to the girl and her family during this difficult time. The team is grateful for the support from participating agencies, and offers its gratitude to Lost Creek Ranch, which was not involved in this incident, for providing a landing zone for two helicopters and a safe space to conduct this rescue.

TCSAR Responds to Off-Road Vehicle Crash near Sheep Mountain

On Monday morning, June 17, Teton County Search & Rescue received a call regarding an off-road vehicle accident on upper Flat Creek Road below Sheep Mountain. Deputies with the Teton County Sheriff’s Office were first on scene and helped provide initial information and patient assessment.

The patient, a 23-year-old male from Colorado, had rolled his machine off the dirt road onto a steep embankment. He sustained serious injuries, while a female passenger reported minor injuries. The group was part of a larger family outing on rental side-by-sides. The deputies were able to bring the vehicle rightside up and provide critical patient support before TCSAR could arrive.

A TCSAR volunteer gets ready to receive the long line from the helicopter for a short-haul extraction on June 17, 2024. Photo: TCSAR

TCSAR dispatched two RZR side-by-sides along with a short-haul team in the SAR helicopter. Though the RZR teams brought gear to stabilize the vehicle and perform a potential high-angle rigging operation, they opted for a short-haul extraction due to the nature of the man’s injuries and rugged terrain.

Short-haul is a method of rescue where a patient can be removed from the scene via a long line connected to the belly of the helicopter. It is often used in places where the helicopter is not able to land.

The team successfully short-hauled the man to a Jackson Hole Fire/EMS ambulance on Flat Creek Road, and all volunteers returned to the hangar in Jackson.

With eight calls since June 1, the busy summer season has officially begun. Photo: TCSAR

The incident was the latest in a series of rescues that have kicked off the start to an already busy summer season, with eight calls coming in since June 1. On Saturday, June 15, a local woman suffered a lower leg injury while hiking on the Sink-or-Swim trail, and on Sunday, a hiker became too ill to continue in Darby Canyon. Both incidents required volunteer response and patient transport out of the backcountry. TCSAR has also provided helicopter assistance for operations in Grand Teton National Park.

The team appreciates the coordination and partnership from various first-responder organizations during backcountry emergencies, and urges all backcountry users to be prepared, practiced, and present during their outdoor adventures.