1 hurt, 1 killed in separate Grand Teton Park falls

An Edmond, Oklahoma woman died Monday morning while climbing the 13,770-foot Grand Teton in Grand Teton National Park. The victim was identified as 43-year-old Mary Bilyeu.

According to park rangers, Bilyeu was with her climbing partner and a guide from Jackson Hole Mountain Guides when she fell. She was negotiating a short section above the Exum Gully about 8:30 a.m.

The circumstances of the accident are under investigation.

While rangers were preparing to recover Bilyeu’s body, they received a second emergency call at around 11 a.m. A hiking party near Paintbrush Divide reported Silas Peterson of Santa Fe, New Mexico fell and sustained multiple injuries. Peterson slid down a steep snow-covered slope and another 150 feet through steep loose rock.

Peterson was transported by contract helicopter to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center.

Both rescue operations were affected by stormy weather including lightning strikes and several waves of heavy rain, hail, and high winds.