National Guard and Challis search and rescue team save injured man on Idaho summit

CHALLIS, Idaho (KIFI) — Search and rescue teams successfully performed a daring high-altitude helicopter rescue Saturday to save an injured 27-year-old man stranded near the summit of McGowan Peak.

The emergency began around 4:33 p.m. on March 21, when Custer County dispatch received a Garmin SOS notification. Details surrounding the rescue are limited, but a post by the Custer County Sheriff's Office indicates the man had been climbing or hiking in the Pahsimeroi section of the Lost River Range south of Challis, Idaho.

Faced with steep, unforgiving terrain, Challis Search and Rescue, alongside the Idaho National Guard, flew a Black Hawk helicopter to the peaks. Working in thin air, rescue crews hoisted the man from the mountainside at 9400 feet and flew him to a staging area, where he was transferred to an awaiting medical helicopter.

The man's current condition is unknown. However, following the successful mission, the Custer County Sheriff’s Office took to Facebook to praise the seamless teamwork between the local volunteers and Idaho National Guard crews.

"We appreciate the crew of Talon 70 and Air 4! Another season of cooperation begins!" states the post.