TCSAR and JHMR Ski Patrol Partner for Big Rescue Effort in No Name Canyon

At noon on Wednesday, March 22, Teton County Search & Rescue was notified of an injured backcountry skier in No Name Canyon. The skier became injured while descending a steep, very narrow southeast-facing couloir known as Mini Gothic. The 37-year-old male had accessed the area after entering the backcountry through a gate at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. The accident left the skier in significant pain and unable to ski or walk.

TCSAR, JHMR Ski Patrol, and Jackson Hole Fire/EMS provide care for an injured skier on March 22, 2023. Photo: TCSAR

Getting to this location from the resort generally requires about 1.5-2 hours of hiking, ascending on touring equipment, and traversing on skis. The skier’s location, steep terrain, and inclement weather created challenging conditions for a rescue, and TCSAR volunteers considered numerous options for how to get the patient out safely.

After careful analysis of the weather, TCSAR decided to deploy a helicopter for a short-haul operation to extract the patient. The helicopter flew to the accident site and dropped off two TCSAR volunteers to care for the patient at roughly 9,600 feet. The helicopter lifted off and left the crew in the field before landing on Fish Creek Road to rig for short-haul; this step is mandatory to attach a rope to the bottom of the helicopter that is used to pick up the patient and rescuers for a short flight out of the backcountry. 

TCSAR volunteers used climbing skins on skis to ascend a ridge out to No Name Canyon, a backcountry area south of Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. Photo: TCSAR

Meanwhile, Jackson Hole Ski Patrol dispatched two members to the site as TCSAR sent a ski team of eight volunteers to the aerial tram at JHMR as backup. As the ski team went up the tram, inclement weather grounded the helicopter on Fish Creek Road. At approximately 2:10 p.m., the ski team entered the backcountry from a top gate at the resort and began making their way toward the patient. The helicopter eventually was not able to fly due to icing, leaving the full response to the ski team.

Ski patrol arrived on scene carrying a rescue sled and were tremendously helpful in coordinating the response. TCSAR’s ski team arrived at the patient soon after, at roughly 3 p.m. Ski patrol and TCSAR volunteers packaged the patient and together transported him down the mountain in the rescue sled. 

The teams guided the sled down 2,800 vertical feet over roughly two miles and variable terrain to Fish Creek Road, where the patient was handed over to an ambulance with Jackson Hole Fire/EMS at 4 p.m. The various members of ski patrol and TCSAR closed the mission and headed back to their respective bases. It was a great partnership on a big rescue effort.

This was the third time in the last six weeks that TCSAR has come to the rescue of a skier in No Name Canyon. Today’s incident serves as a healthy reminder of the time, resources, and people hours in the field necessary to pull off a rescue when the helicopter can’t fly.

TCSAR Foundation and Roadhouse Host Special Beer Release to Support Mission Critical

Jackson, Wyo. — Please join TCSAR Foundation and Roadhouse Brewing from 6-9 p.m. on March 21 for a special release of the new Landing Zone IPA in support of Mission Critical.

Starting tonight at the Pub & Eatery on the Town Square, Roadhouse will be donating $1 from each pint sold of the new Landing Zone IPA to Mission Critical—TCSAR's initiative to purchase a year-round rescue helicopter for Teton County. 

Roadhouse’s newest offering, Landing Zone is a Cold IPA—a light IPA-style beer brewed with their very own house lager yeast. Expertly crafted for a cool 5.1% ABV packed full of American and New Zealand hops, the Landing Zone has a very drinkable body with generous aromas of tropical fruit, white grape, and sweet berry. Available only at the Roadhouse Pub & Eatery, proud supporters of TCSAR volunteers and backcountry safety in Jackson Hole.

This evening, TCSAR Foundation will also be raffling off some awesome prizes donated by Stio, Teton Gravity Research, LEM Helmets, Rocky Talkie Radios, and Purple Orange in support of the helicopter campaign.

DJ Knew Jack, KHOL’s Musical Director, will be spinning the tunes.

No tickets necessary, and everyone's invited.

Tonight, make the Roadhouse your LZ!

Back-to-Back Heli Rescues for TCSAR on March 18

Jackson, Wyo. — Teton County Search & Rescue utilized its helicopter to perform back-to-back rescues on Saturday, March 18.

In the first, a witness called 911 at roughly 1:30 p.m. Saturday after watching a skier fall about 700 feet down Central Couloir on Cody Peak. Central is a highly visible and extremely steep, technical ski descent in the backcountry south of Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. In order to access it, one must exit the resort gates, climb the ridge of Cody Peak before dropping into the couloir from the summit.

A skier carefully descends Central Couloir in the JHMR backcountry after his partner fell, requiring a TCSAR rescue. Photo: TCSAR

Ski patrollers and TCSAR volunteers help carry a patient to the rescue ship in Cody Bowl on March 18. Photo: TCSAR

The skier, a woman from Salt Lake City, lost her balance about halfway down the couloir. She tumbled down the couloir and over a cliff band at the bottom, sustaining multiple injuries. Her partner, a man from Victor, Idaho, was still up in the couloir.

JHMR ski patrol were first on scene while TCSAR mobilized a response with a team in the helicopter. The helicopter was able to land in Cody Bowl, where ski patrollers and SAR members helped load the patient inside the ship. Then, she was flown to a landing zone (LZ) and waiting ambulance at the base of Teton Village.

The woman’s partner was able to collect her skis still in the couloir. He pitched them over the cliff at the bottom before he jumped the mandatory exit cliffs to the field of snow below. He was able to ski out of the backcountry on his own power.

TCSAR is grateful for the partnership with JHMR Ski Patrol for the seamless response to help this skier get the help she needed.

The Teton Village landing zone and coordinated partnerships help TCSAR successfuly close rescue calls. Photo: TCSAR

Just after 3 p.m. on Saturday, TCSAR was contacted by Bonneville County Idaho SAR for a helicopter assist of a missing snowmobiler in the Palisades area of the Snake River Mountains. A 50-year-old man had gone missing after riding his snowmobile up Pole Canyon, outside of Victor, Idaho, on Friday and had not been seen or heard from since. Teton County Idaho SAR was involved in the hours-long search on snowmobiles. Air Idaho, a private helicopter ambulance, joined the search from the air.

TCSAR’s heli team searched for more than two hours from the air. The team eventually spotted the man; he was alive but stuck in extreme terrain. The heli landed and volunteers were able to reach him and help him board the ship for a flight out of the backcountry. TCSAR’s heli team was able to get back to the hangar in Jackson at 7:15 p.m., about 20 minutes before sunset.

TCSAR appreciates the coordination from the different SAR teams and agencies involved to help find this missing snowmobiler and get him back to safety. These incidents underscore the importance of having a life-saving rescue helicopter available at a moment’s notice. TCSAR currently leases its ship for eight months per year. Given the increased rate of rescues, the team is presently trying to raise enough money to purchase a year-round SAR helicopter for Teton County. Learn more about this effort here.