Two skiers rescued after triggering avalanche near Rendezvous Peak
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JACKSON, Wyo. – Two men were rescued by crews on Friday after skiing in the backcountry and triggering an avalanche.
According to a news release from Teton County (Wyoming) Search and Rescue on Friday, Dec. 16, two skiers were in the backcountry at the top of Teton Pass. The men were going to ski a drainage several canyons to the north.
While using climbing skins attached to their skis, they crossed a southeast-facing slope on Rendezvous Peak and triggered a large avalanche.
One skier was caught in the avalanche and was carried 500 yards down the slope. He was buried up to his chest but was able to keep his head and arms above the snow. After he was recovered by his partner, he found he had a leg injury.
Search and rescue crews told EastIdahoNews.com that they were notified about the incident around 12:30 p.m. on Friday.
However, the skiers told crews they believed they would be able to ski out on their own. They unintentionally provided inaccurate information about their location, believing they were in a different canyon, the release said.
An hour later, the skiers called search and rescue crews and said they needed help.
Crews got a helicopter with ground teams as a backup in case the weather deteriorated. The helicopter landed on the snow near the skiers, and two members from search and rescue arrived with skis, warm clothing, shelter tools and other 24-hour gear.
The volunteers then provided initial patient care and helped the hurt skier to the helicopter.
Both skiers were flown back to a hangar in Jackson.
No names or ages were released. It’s unclear what kind of leg injury one of the skiers sustained.
“After the first nine months of 2022 proved to be the busiest ever for TCSAR, this was the team’s first active mission since Oct. 9,” the release said.