Lost hiker rescued near Afton
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AFTON, Wyoming — Teton County Search and Rescue teamed up with Star Valley Search and Rescue on June 14 to help a hiker who had become stranded in extreme terrain east of Afton, Wyoming.
Teton County Search and Rescue received the request for assistance just after 7 p.m., according to a news release. SVSAR reported a hike, a woman, had became disoriented and lost in fog.
Wet and cold, she had “followed the wrong ridgeline until deadfall and steep terrain left her unable to continue,” the news release stated. the “exhausted” hiker realized she wouldn’t be able to find her way out before dark and called for help.
SVSAR responded, taking dirt bikes to a location above and to the south of her, then hiking several miles to find her.
“With daylight getting short, volunteers believed it would take many hours to help get her down safely without helicopter assistance,” according to the news release, so they called TCSAR for assistance.
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A helicopter team was dispatched, as well as ground teams in vehicles as backup.
The helicopter reached the scene quickly, and found the hiker at 8:40 p.m., according to the news release. They hoisted her up with a rope connected to the helicopter and flew her down to the valley floor. They safely landed just outside of Afton at 8:55 p.m.
The hiker, an Afton resident, did not require medical care.
Teton County Search and Rescue personnel expressed their appreciation for the partnership and coordination from SVSAR and the new helicopter, which they say is a huge asset Teton and surrounding counties.
“As many of our incidents are getting deeper into the backcountry where access is very limited,” SVSAR wrote in a Facebook post, “finding a (helicopter) has been a challenge. This is a real game changer for all of us.”
“(The team) was happy to be in a position to help the woman get out of the backcountry safely,” SVSAR said in the news release.