TCSAR Helps Backpacker in Distress in the Teton Wilderness

At 10:46 a.m. on Friday, July 31, Teton County Search & Rescue received a satellite SOS activation originating from the Box Creek trail northwest of Turpin Meadows in the Teton Wilderness. The message did not include any details, leading TCSAR to investigate whether it was a false activation, possible bear encounter, or other emergency. 

If you are in need of or expecting helicopter assistance, please help our team by making yourself visible. Photo: Teton County Search & Rescue during a training exercise.

After communicating with Garmin, through which the SOS message was transmitted, the team was able to get in touch directly with the reporting party. In the process, TCSAR discovered that a 23-year-old male was in distress due to a medical issue. He had been backpacking with a group of friends when the emergency occurred.

In response, TCSAR dispatched a short-haul helicopter team to the scene, with a ground team in vehicles as backup. While flying over the location, the helicopter team needed several flight overs before eventually spotting the reporting party beneath some trees. The ship landed and volunteers met the patient before helping him into the ship for a flight back to TCSAR headquarters. The team then transferred the patient to a waiting ambulance from Jackson Hole Fire/EMS.

This incident brings to light a few friendly reminders that can help our team:

If you are in need of help and are expecting a helicopter, please make yourself visible. Wear bright colors and wave your arms when you see the ship approaching (but do not approach the ship as it is landing). Do not ever wave at a helicopter if you don’t need help. Lastly, all rescue services provided by TCSAR are free of charge. 

Our team was happy to be able to assist this individual.

TCSAR Recovers Body of Missing Thru-Hiker in the Tetons

For immediate release

Media contact: Teton County Sheriff Matt Carr, (307) 733-4052, mcarr@tetonsheriff.org

Jackson, Wyo. — At approximately 8:20 a.m. on Wednesday, July 29, Teton County Search & Rescue located a hiker who’d been reported missing for nearly a week on the remote trail system between Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks. 

TCSAR is saddened to report that the hiker, a 28-year-old male from Australia, was found deceased near an area known as the Wigwams on the west slope of the Tetons in Teton County, Wyo. Evidence suggests that he may have fallen from a steep, high-altitude ridgeline that separates Grand Teton National Park and the Jedediah Smith Wilderness. 

The TCSAR helicopter during the operation on July 29, 2026. Photo: Teton County Search & Rescue

The following information was provided by rescue officials from Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks, which conducted the initial investigation:

The man had been attempting a thru-hike of the Continental Divide Trail, starting in Canada earlier this summer. He had been tracking his progress via a Garmin satellite device and giving regular updates to his family in Australia. His family described him as healthy with the ability to travel 25-30 miles a day. 

On July 19, the hiker posted an update from a location near Old Faithful in Yellowstone. He described his upcoming itinerary in the Tetons, Gros Ventre Wilderness, the Wind River Range, and Divide Basin. 

On July 23, the family received another Garmin check-in but it did not include coordinates or a message. During this same period, the family received a video via Facebook Messenger that they believe placed him in the Tetons. The family received no further communication, which they indicated was outside the man’s regular pattern.

On July 27, the family contacted officials from Yellowstone and Grand Teton. Park officials were able to determine that the Garmin tracking points on July 23 placed the hiker near the Wigwams inside Teton County. The parks then transferred the investigation and subsequent operations to Teton County Search & Rescue, which has jurisdiction for SAR operations outside of the two national parks. 

On the morning of July 29, TCSAR assembled a helicopter short-haul team and flew to the hiker’s last presumed point. From the air, the team spotted a bright orange backpack which they believed belonged to the missing hiker. They then found the subject below the ridge south of North Wigwam Peak and collected the body for heli transport back to TCSAR headquarters in Jackson. From there, the team transferred the subject to the Teton County Coroner’s Office.

TCSAR sends its sincere condolences to the family and friends of the deceased, and wishes to express its gratitude to the partnering federal agencies who assisted in the investigation.

FAA Recognizes TCSAR at the Highest Level of Aviation Safety and Operational Standards

Jackson, Wyo. — On July 14, Teton County Search & Rescue was formally recognized by the Federal Aviation Administration after earning its second of two certifications that place its helicopter program among the highest operational standards in the United States.

At the TCSAR headquarters on Tuesday, Dale Ogden, manager of the FAA’s Denver Flight Standards District Office, and Derek Smith, Principal Operations Inspector, presented the team with a Part 135 Air Carrier certificate, its second certification to be issued by the FAA.

The FAA’s Dale Ogden presents Teton County Sheriff Matt Carr and TCSAR’s aviation team with the Part 135 Air Carrier certificate. Also pictured are TCSAR Chief Pilot Steve Wilson (left), TCSAR Director of Aviation Operations Jon Bourke (second from right), and TCSAR Director of Aviation Maintenance Cole Deines (right). Photo: Sam Pope

TCSAR first completed its Part 133 External Load Operator certification more than two years ago, allowing the organization to safely and legally conduct external load operations under FAA oversight. Those capabilities support work for partners such as the Wyoming Department of Transportation and Jackson Hole Mountain Resort while ensuring the program operates under the same regulatory framework as commercial helicopter operators. Together these certifications signify that TCSAR meets rigorous federal requirements for pilot training, aircraft maintenance, safety management, operational procedures, and organizational oversight. 

TCSAR’s helicopter program has grown steadily since the red H125 arrived in Jackson in October 2023, now performing roughly 60 rescue missions per year. Photo: Anthony Pecchi

While commercial aviation companies must obtain these certifications to transport passengers or conduct external load operations for hire, public aircraft operators such as TCSAR are not required to do so. TCSAR voluntarily pursued the certifications to demonstrate its commitment to the highest level of aviation safety and accountability.

“Our goal was to build trust by ensuring our aviation program is held to the same standards expected of commercial operators working for federal agencies,” said Jon Bourke, TCSAR Director Of Aviation Operations. “We wanted independent oversight from the FAA to demonstrate our commitment to safety, professionalism and operational excellence.”

The newly awarded Part 135 Air Carrier certification marks the completion of an even more extensive process. The certification required years of developing and gaining FAA approval for operating manuals, maintenance programs, pilot training, safety procedures, and organizational systems, followed by comprehensive inspections of personnel, aircraft, and facilities.

Left to right: GTNP Deputy Chief Ranger Matt Wilber, TCSAR Volunteer Tim Ciocarlan, Bernie Little, Flight Standards District Office Manager Derek Smith, Sheriff Matt Carr, TCSAR Dir. of Aviation Ops Jon Bourke, TCSAR Chief Advisor Anthony Stevens, TCSAR Chief Pilot Steve Wilson, TCSAR Dir. of Aviation Maintenance Cole Deines, GTNP Acting Jenny Lake District Ranger Nick Armitage, TCSAR Volunteer Alex Norton, TCSO SAR Coordinator Mike Estes. Photo: Sam Pope

Achieving both certifications means TCSAR’s aviation program is now subject to ongoing FAA surveillance and oversight, providing continued assurance that it maintains the highest recognized federal safety standards.

The certifications also strengthen TCSAR’s ability to support federal partners, including Grand Teton National Park, Yellowstone National Park, and Bridger-Teton National Forest, under existing cooperative agreements. By meeting the same standards required of commercial contractors, TCSAR can continue providing critical aviation support while giving federal agencies confidence that its operations meet the same level of safety expected throughout the aviation industry.

The TCSAR helicopter is an invaluable emergency response public service for the entire region. Photo: Griffin Kerwin

Although TCSAR now holds certifications that would allow commercial operations under FAA regulations, the organization is not entering the commercial aviation business. Its mission remains unchanged: providing emergency search and rescue to those in need, as well as fire-fighting initial attack for agencies who need their assistance.

About TCSAR: Teton County Search & Rescue is a volunteer-led organization based in Jackson, Wyoming, that provides search and rescue services throughout Teton County and surrounding areas. In October 2023, the team acquired an Airbus H125 helicopter after completing a community-funded campaign to establish a dedicated, year-round aviation program. The program is staffed by a pilot, director of operations, and director of maintenance employed by the Teton County Sheriff’s Office, and supports approximately 60 helicopter rescue missions each year. All TCSAR rescue services are provided free of charge to the general public.

Media contact: Matt Hansen, TCSAR Foundation Communications Director, matt@tetoncountysar.org, (970) 846-7766