Teton County Sheriff’s Office assists in three rescues in one day
The Teton County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue team assisted with 3 different rescue efforts on Monday.
The first search started approximately 3 AM when the Sheriff’s Office was made aware that there was a pending request from Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office for a helicopter and snowmobile teams. This search was for two snowmobilers who had spent the night out in the Bald Mountain/Black Mountain area after they were unsuccessful in getting themselves out the previous day.
Bonneville County Idaho and Lincoln County Wyoming teams searched most of the night and were able to locate an area where the snowmobilers most likely were located but due to darkness, terrain and rescuer safety, they had to postpone searching until daylight hours.
Teton County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue helicopter and snowmobile teams mobilized and at about 9:15 a.m. the helicopter was able to make contact with the two snowmobilers and confirm they were okay. The helicopter was able to find a better route out for the snowmobilers and rescue crews. At around 10:50 a.m. the snowmobilers were reunited with their families. They were well prepared, made a fire to stay warm through the night and got out without injuries. One of the snowmobilers was a 33 year old male from Lincoln County who works for the Teton County Sheriff’s Office and the other was 32 year old male from Lincoln County.
The second call was received at approximately 11:57 a.m. A 16 year old male from Manila, Utah was snowmobiling in the Togwotee area when he crashed his snowmobile and seriously injured his leg.
The Togwotee Mountain snowmobile guides assisted in finding the injured teen and prepared a landing spot for the helicopter. The patient was air lifted to a waiting ambulance at Black Rock Ranger Station.
The third call came in at approximately 3:15 PM. This was for a skier with a knee injury in the Commissary Ridge area of the Caribou-Targhee National Forest. The 39 year old female from Jackson, was flown out by helicopter and then driven by a friend to the hospital for treatment.
