Major Search & Rescue Operations - 2021

February 18, 2021 - Rangers Assist in Rescue of Injured Avalanche Victim
Teton County SAR requested that a Park Ranger medic assist as a medical provider (Advanced EMT) on an avalanche victim who was excavated, and on whom CPR was in progress on Togwotee Pass.  The ranger along with TCSAR personnel flew to the scene and landed nearby.  Return of spontaneous circulation was established in the patient. The victim was  short-hauled to Grand Teton Medic 1 which then transported the patient to an air ambulance (fixed wing) at the Jackson Hole airport.  The patient died shortly after landing in Idaho Falls.
May 2, 2021 - Injured hiker Short-hauled off Phelps Lake Trail
A 25 year old female hiking in the Phelps Lake area slipped while climbing over a downed tree and sustained a serious non-weight bearing injury to her lower leg and knee. Two rangers responded as a hasty team and hiked approximately one mile on the Woodland Trail to her location. Trail conditions were a mix of unconsolidated snow​, firm snow and dirt. Due to the variable conditions, patient size and weight, and the nature of the injuries, a helicopter short-haul was utilized to extract her. An empty rescue litter was inserted to the scene.  Rangers on scene packaged her inside the litter and extracted her via short-haul to a waiting ambulance.
June 5, 2021 - Rangers rescue stranded hiker off Paintbrush Divide
On 6/4/21 rangers responded to a Garmin inReach Activation at 2140 hrs. located at Paintbrush Divide. Two hikers were stuck at Paintbrush Divide and stranded overnight in deteriorating weather conditions (high winds and cold temperatures). Two rangers were sent to their location and arrived at 0319 hrs. They provided extensive support to the two hypothermic hikers. On 6/5/21, contract helicopter 35HX retrieved the stranded hikers and rangers from the divide starting at about 0800 hrs. 
June 21, 2021 - Injured Visitor Rescued Off Via Ferrata at JHMR
On June 21, 2021 Teton County Search and Rescue requested the Interagency Helicopter to perform a short-haul rescue of an injured client on a Via Ferrata route at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort (JHMR).  The client was reported as having an isolated lower leg injury and was unable to bear weight on his injury.  Helicopter 35HX responded with 4 rangers on board to a staging area at Teton Village.  JHMR guides on-scene packaged the patient's injury and the patient was extricated from the base of the Via Ferrata route via screamer suit and one short-hauler back to the staging area.  
July 25, 2021 - Seriously Injured Climber Rescued off Open Book in Garnet Canyon  
A climber on Open Book sustained serious injuries after taking a leader fall at the top of the 1st pitch, approximately 55 meters from the base of the climb.  His partner was unable to lower him. A single rescuer was inserted into the accident scene. The short-hauler climbed a short distance up to SCHOUs location, remained on the short-haul line, inspected the existing anchor built by the climbers, clipped into the anchor, and unclipped from the helicopter. The rescuer splinted the climber's leg and they were extracted from the wall.  Another short-haul rescue of an injured hiker at Delta Lake was completed simultaneously!
August 12, 2021 - Rangers Rescue Injured Climber off Mt. Owen 
Park Rangers performed a short-haul rescue of an injured climber who fell while ascending the Koven Couloir.  The climber, a 39 year old female, was transported by helicopter short-haul to the Lupine Meadows Rescue Cache, transferred to a park ambulance, and taken to St Johns Hospital.
August 13, 2021 - Rangers Perform Two Medevacs
An injured hiker was flown out from the Upper North Fork of Granite Canyon and a trail runner suffering from heat illness was flown off Paintbrush Divide. 
August 19, 2021 - Rangers Rescue Severely Injured Hiker from Inspiration Point
A man fell approximately 60 feet off the trail near Inspiration Point and rangers on scene determined that he had sustained a head injury that warranted a short-haul evacuation.  It was executed without incident.
August 27, 2021 - Ill Prepared Climbers Rescued Off Grand Teton
Two unprepared climbers arrived on the summit of the Grand Teton at 1900 hours and needed to be rescued by 2 climbing rangers who responded from the Lower Saddle.  The rangers provided warm jackets, food and water, and then guided the 2 individuals back to the Lower Saddle without further incident by 0100 in the morning.  
August 30, 2021 - Two More Ill Prepared Climbers Rescued Off Grand Teton
A party of two requested help getting down from the summit of the Grand Teton.  They were uninjured, however, they were unwilling to descend given the icy conditions, darkness, and their unfamiliarity with the descent route.  They also stated they did not have what they needed to survive the night.  At 2140hrs they lost power to their cell phone.  A team of 2 NPS rangers departed from Lupine Meadows at 2300hrs and made contact with the party at 0515hrs the following morning.  The stranded party was short-roped from their location to the Upper Saddle at which point no further assistance was needed.
September 5, 2021 - Injured Hiker Rescued Out of Garnet Canyon
A member of a party descending off the Grand Teton sustained a broken ankle. Two Rangers hiked up and met the party to evaluate and stabilize the patient. On the morning of 9/6/2021, a short-haul rescue was performed to extract the patient and one rescuer. 
September 20, 2021 - Rangers Respond to Down Hiker
Rangers responded to a  report of CPR was in progress on a 49-year-old female on the Cascade Canyon trail, just west of the Horse Trail junction.  Four NPS rangers responded via motorized boat across Jenny Lake and then on foot to the scene with Advanced Life Support (ALS) equipment.  Three additional NPS rangers responded in the same manner with a wheeled litter and additional supplies.  Helicopter 35HX was dispatched from an incident in Yellowstone National Park. Rangers arrived on scene and took over life-saving procedures being performed by several medically trained bystanders.  ALS cardiac interventions were performed for the next hour and the patient's response remained unchanged.  After consultation with NPS medical control doctors, resuscitation efforts were ceased and the patient was pronounced dead.
September 25, 2021 - Rangers Rescue Severely Injured Hiker near Hidden Falls
On Saturday September 25, 2021 Park Rangers performed a short-haul rescue of an injured person who fell an estimated 60 feet while scrambling in steep terrain near Hidden Falls.  The 35-year-old male, was transported by helicopter short-haul to the Lupine Meadows Rescue Cache, transferred to Air Idaho Rescue, and then taken to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center.  



Major Search & Rescue Operations - 2020

February 17, 2020 - Injured Skier Short-Hauled off of 25 Short
Rangers and Teton County SAR personnel performed a short-haul rescue of a skier with a knee injury at approximately 8000ft on 25 Short.
February 22, 2020 - Injured Skier Short-Hauled off of Olive Oil
Park Rangers and Teton County SAR personnel conducted a helicopter short-haul rescue of an injured skier from near the base of Olive Oil in Grand Teton National Park.  The patient fell while skiing and suffered a severe lower leg injury.  Helicopter 38HX landed near the scene and dropped off two rescuers who provided medical care and packaged the patient for the short-haul extraction to a waiting ambulance at Teton Village.
June 17, 2020 - Rangers Assist Yellowstone 
Yellowstone NP contacted GTNP and requested a mutual aid assist (contract helicopter, 35HX, and associated personnel) to find a lost hiker that had spent the previous night out. The hiker still had not been located late in the afternoon.  35HX left Lupine Meadows about 1630 hrs., and with the coordination of YNP, initiated an aerial search. They located the missing person at about 1850 hrs., and were able to extract him and two accompanying rangers from dense forest vegetation using short-haul.
July 4, 2020 - Rangers Spend Night with Injured Climber
A climber descending the South Fork of Garnet Canyon took a fall on snow, sliding approximately 200 feet into rocks and sustaining a broken leg.  Two climbing rangers departed Lupine Meadows at 10:30 PM.  They reached the patient in the Cave Couloir, at approximately 1:00 AM on July 5th.  They assessed and stabilized the patient's injuries and spent the remainder of the night with the patient.  Two more rangers were flown to the Cave Couloir at about 8:00 AM.  The patient was extracted via short-haul at 9:30 AM.  He was transported to St. John's Medical Center via ground ambulance.
July 7, 2020 - Trail Crew Saves Hikers Life
A 23 y/o male was rescued from Cascade Creek about 1/2-mile up canyon from Inspiration Point by NPS Trail Crew and bystanders.  His ankle was entrapped, and he was succumbing to hypothermia and the force of the water.  Trail Crew responded from their project at Inspiration Point and, with the help of bystanders, rescued the man from the creek.  The patient was then short-hauled to the Rescue Cache and transported to St. John's via Medic 1.
July 9, 2020 - Rangers Find, Rescue Overdue Climber 
On July 10 Park Rangers rescued a 62 year-old male after he unexpectedly spent the night in the backcountry.  He intended to ascend Rock of Ages in the Lake of the Crags area in Hanging Canyon.  At about 0300 hrs., four rangers began hiking and climbing to arrive at Lake of the Crags by daylight.  They made voice contact with the man at about 0630 hrs., and down-climbed to his location, approximately 300 feet down a gulley that descends into Cascade Canyon on the south side of Rock of Ages. Rangers assisted him back up the gulley to the col at the base of the East Ridge of Rock of Ages, and then lowered him more than 800 feet to the north to the Lake of the Crags area. The interagency helicopter landed at the west end of the lake and he was flown to Lupine Meadows via helicopter. He was then transported by park ambulance to St. John’s Hospital in Jackson.
July 14, 2020 - Rangers Provide Assistance to Yellowstone
Yellowstone NP requested GTNP to provide a short-haul rescue team to respond to 7 Mile Hole near Canyon Village for an injured hiker.  The patient sustained a lower leg injury and was unable to walk.  A ranger was inserted to the scene at approximately 1845 hours and they were extracted and delivered successfully to a nearby LZ at 1920 hours.
July 16, 2020 - Rangers Rescue Backpackers
Just before reaching Static Peak Divide, two members of a backpacking party fell on a snowfield (without injury). When they reached the divide and saw a similar snowfield ahead of them, they felt that they could not proceed nor turn back, and called park rangers for assistance.  At first light, three rangers departed from the Whitegrass trailhead with technical gear to assist the stuck party from their location.  They assisted them with roped belays and by shuttling their packs back over the snowfield that they had previously crossed, until they reached easy ground and then could proceed back to the trailhead on their own.
July 25, 2020 - Rangers Respond to Multiple Rescues
Rangers rescued a climber with a head injury in Garnet Canyon, flying her out via helicopter from the Meadows.  During that rescue a call came in for a injured hiker below Delta Lake who slipped and tumbled, impacting rocks, and injuring both legs below the knees. He was unable to sustain his weight or hike under his own power.  Rangers performed a short-haul rescue of the hiker, flying him to the Lupine Meadows Rescue Cache for subsequent ambulance transport to St Johns Hospital.  Finally, a ranger on patrol encountered a climber who was struck in the head by rockfall.  The climber hiked out under their own power with a ranger escort.
July 30, 2020 - Rangers Rescue Injured Hiker below Paintbrush Divide  
Rangers performed a short-haul rescue of an injured hiker who slipped and fell on steep snow, sliding into rocks and sustained serious injuries.  
August 3, 2020 - Rangers Respond to Cardiac Arrest
Rangers responded by foot and air in an attempt to save the life of a hiker who suffered a cardiac arrest on the Garnet Canyon Trail.  Four rangers were inserted via short-haul to the scene, approximately 2 miles from the Lupine Meadows Trailhead, while additional rangers ran up by foot.  Unfortunately, resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful and the deceased was flown out via helicopter long line.
August 4, 2020 - Rangers Rescue Stranded Climbers on Symmetry Spire
Rangers rescued two climbers who were stuck and benighted on the SW Ridge of Symmetry Spire. The party stated that they became stuck and separated while rappelling. Rangers responded in the middle of the night to the stuck party's location with technical climbing gear and clothing to assist the party with their descent.  After ascending to the summit via the NW ledges, the rescuers rappelled about 500 ft, and reached the party at about at 0630 hrs. They assisted them in their descent to non-technical ground in the SW couloir. Once on the non-technical ground, the subjects refused additional assistance, and the rangers returned to the valley at about 1100 hrs.
August 8, 2020 - Climber Falls into Crevasse 
September 10, 2020 - Climber Rescued Near the Summit of the Grand
A climber near a location known as "Boulder Problem in the Sky" near the summit of the Grand Teton had injured her right knee and could not descend the mountain without a rescue.  Helicopter 35HX responded to Lupine Meadows where two rangers boarded the helicopter and landed at the Lower Saddle to configure for short-haul.  One ranger was inserted to the scene, did a patient assessment and put the patient in a screamer suit for extraction.  The patient and ranger were extracted and flown to Lupine Meadows arriving at 1746 hours.
October 3, 2020 - Injured Climber Short-Hauled off East Face of Teewinot
A climber ascending Teewinot Mountain slipped on a "wet patch" of rock and fell approximately 40-60 feet while ascending the East Face route.  After a short-haul insertion to the scene, rangers treated the climber's injuries and packaged him in a stokes litter.  He was extracted via short-haul to the rescue cache in Lupine Meadows, where he was transferred to Medic 1 for transport to St Johns Hospital.  




 







Major Search & Rescue Operations - 2019

February 5, 2019 - Rangers Rescue Injured Snowboarder in Granite Canyon
February 28, 2019 - Rescue in Granite Canyon
June 16, 2019 - Injured Hiker Short-Hauled out of Death Canyon
On the evening of 6/16/19 an injured hiker requested assistance in Upper Death Canyon after injuring his knee post-holing in deep snow.  A ground based team of three rangers responded and assessed the injured knee during evening hours and determined that a short haul extraction was needed the following morning. On the morning of 6/17/19 an attended short-haul extraction of the patient was conducted to an ambulance waiting at White Grass Ranch.
August 23, 2019 - Injured and stranded climber Short-Hauled off Middle Teton
On the afternoon of August 23rd, 2019, a climber got off route while descending from the summit of the Middle Teton.  He fell on the descent and became stranded near the top of the North West Ice Couloir.  Two rangers were short-hauled to the summit of the Middle Teton.  They used ropes to descend to the scene and secure the subject.  The subject and the two rangers were subsequently short-hauled to Lupine Meadows.
August 31, 2019 - Climber Struck by Rockfall on Gilkey Tower
A climber who was injured by rock fall on Gilkey Tower and was unable to move under his own power was short-hauled to the Lupine Meadows Rescue Cache.  A nearby solo climber making a traverse from the South Teton to Nez Perce had a ledge he was on break loose while standing above the injured climber's party.  The subsequent rock fall raked the three climbers below.  The force of the impact knocked him off his stance and he slid approximately 10 feet before being caught by the rope tied to his partners. 
September 1, 2019 - Injured Hiker Falls down Cave Couloir, Overnight Rescue Ensues
An injured hiker who fell 300-500 feet on snow suffering multiple injuries including a head injury was rescued by helicopter short-haul after a team of rescuers spent the night caring for him.  Four rescuers were dispatched to the scene making contact with the patient at 2315 hours.  The patient was assisted down canyon some distance before stopping for the night above the Meadows camp zone in Garnet Canyon.  The patient was extracted via helicopter short-haul on the morning of 9/2/19 at approximately 0930 hours.
October 16, 2019 - Hammock Collapses, Injuring Hiker
A man fell from a hammock after the tree it was secured to fell over and he sustained serious head injuries.  Two Teton County SAR rescuers were inserted to the accident site via short-haul.   The patient was extracted via attended short-haul to Lupine Meadows at 1745 hours and transported to St John's Hospital in Medic 1.   The second short-hauler escorted the patient's partner from the backcountry.



 



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