Fremont Rescue

December 2005 Searches

December 8, 2005                                      Sand Creek

Five hunters were reported over-due by their significant others about 8:30 a.m. Thursday morning. 

The hunters departed from Idaho Falls about 11:00 p.m. Wednesday night with a snow machine to retrieve either another snow machine or their animal. They encountered difficulties in the Sand Creek area north of St. Anthony, Idaho. After being subjected to sub-zero weather over night, there was a concern about their safety and well being. 

13 Fremont County Search and Rescue members responded to assist locating the individuals.  By the time rescue members arrived in the Sand Creek area, the missing individuals were reported home in Idaho Falls.

December 10, 2005                                 

A man and his 13 year old son found themselves stuck in the snow.  The man left the vehicle to get help.  When he returned the 13 year old boy was not at the vehicle, apparently walking away from the vehicle.  Severe sub zero temperatures caused concern about his welfare.  14 Fremont County Search & Rescue members responded to help locate the boy.  Fortunately the boy was located about 15 minutes after search members were notified.  The young boy was fine. 

December 13, 2005

Called out on search. Individuals were located and search was called off.

December 17, 2005      Horsemint Springs/ W. Dry Creek Canyon

What started out to be an enjoyable Saturday snowmobile ride, on Reas Peak in Island Park, for two young ladies from Idaho Falls and 6 gentlemen from Rigby, turned out to be a ride to remember!

Approximately noon, the riders found themselves on a ridge above West Fork of Dry Creek Canyon.  At least two of the men went down the steep narrow canyon, seemingly unable to return to the top.  Three others eventually followed leaving one man and the two young ladies on the top.  Finally, the other gentleman, concerned about the other members of his party ventured down the canyon, leaving the two young ladies on top with one machine.

Cell service was poor in the canyon, but one group member was able to contact a wife with apparent information that someone needed to help rescue the two young ladies because the gentlemen were in the canyon and were having difficulty getting out.

The information reported to search and rescue was two females in a canyon, and 6 gentlemen were scared to rescue them. The rescue information came into Search and Rescue about 3:15 p.m.  15 rescue members responded to the call prepared for subzero temperatures and possible wind chill factors.  Sometime around 5:00, rescue Commander, Brett Mackert, received information the two girls were safe at a cabin, and it was the 6 gentlemen that were stranded in West Fork of Dry Creek Canyon.

The two young ladies made good choices and wise decisions.  They knew they must stay with their machine even though they were getting cold because the men knew where they were, even though it was tempting to ride out.  Three gentlemen and one young lady from Shelly came upon the two chilled ladies, helping to warm them up and eventually guiding them to their own cabin in Island Park where they contacted Search and Rescue.  After receiving the call, Brett Mackert became aware of the change in the search.  The two young ladies were never in danger as first reported to Search and Rescue.

With help from the two young ladies and critical location information from the Shelley party that rescued them, Search and Rescue was able to pinpoint where the 6 gentlemen were, West Dry Creek Canyon on Reas Peak.  There was minimal cell service with the party. Search and Rescue Commander, Brett Mackert, was able to assist rescue members on the mountain find safe ways to access the location using GPS readings and a mapping program on a laptop computer.

Rescue members rode machines as far as possible, and two members walked ¾ mile to their location.  The stranded individuals had a fire going, using gasoline, a spark plug, spark from the engine and a piece of cardboard.  When the two rescue members made contact with them at 7:07 p.m. they had concern because 1 of the stranded had extremely cold feet and another complained of ankle pain.  Two other members later shuttled medical supplies into them.  Because of snow conditions, Search members were able to walk on snowmobile tracks, alleviating the necessity for snow shoes.

The six stranded members had stayed together, an important choice in the back country.  The party had already made that decision; however, the canyon where they were located kept them together.  They had used their resources for survival, not knowing if conditions would require they spend the night in the canyon.  One party had a GPS, which he inadvertently left in his pick-up.

Rescue members were able to assist the party shuttle their machines part way out of the canyon, ultimately having to leave the six machines in the canyon. Rugged and steep terrain restricted them from riding the rest of the way out. They were required to walk the rest of the way to where rescue members had left their machines.  From there the party was shuttled to the command center, arriving about 10:15 p.m.  Once contact was made with the stranded party, it took over three hours to shuttle them from where they were located to the command center at the Blue Creek parking area. Temperatures were 5 to -15 degrees.

A note to all riders riding in the back country: Remember the time of year, exercising all back country cautions.  Take necessary equipment and survival gear when venturing into the back country.  If you have a GPS and cell phones, be sure to take them with you, but do not rely on them entirely for a safe rescue if you find yourself in trouble or stranded.  Avalanche Transceivers and equipment, and knowing what the avalanche conditions are to save lives are a must for everyone entertaining back country riding.   Plan ahead.   Make sure you know the area you are heading into before heading into it.  If you find yourself in trouble, stop, take a look around you, and do not go any farther.  The farther you go the more complicated and dangerous it is to get yourself to safety, also making rescue efforts more difficult and dangerous. Make mental notes in relation to any physical features or landmarks that would assist in your rescue.   Make a plan, stick to your plan, narrow the riding area, and most of all let someone know where you are going.

To check avalanche conditions, here are three sites to look at.

http://www.islandparksnow.net/

http://www.mtavalanche.com/current/

http://www.jhavalanche.org/scripts/avalanche.php?action=forecast&area=teton

December 18 & 19, 2005                           Keg Springs, Island Park

10:15 p.m. Fremont County’s Search and Rescue pager went off for the second time during the weekend. 

Two men from Idaho Falls, one 45 and the other 21, were reported lost somewhere in the Keg Springs area in Island Park.  Sheriff Deputies confirmed their pick-up was indeed in the Keg Springs parking lot.  After getting gear ready and riding to the staging area near Keg Springs, 9 riders took off to find the lost individuals, not knowing where they may be.  Two members in different groups located a fire down a deep canyon 2 ½ miles into Montana sometime after 2:00 a.m. the next morning.  Terrain was rugged, and members were not able to safely ride snow machines into their location.  Wind was blowing making visibility difficult, and snow covered tracks as they went.  They rode their machines in as far as they felt safe to do so, trying several different routes to get as close as possible.  With the use of snowshoes, members reached the lost individuals at 6:05 am and helped shuttle them to machines, eventually taking them to the Keg Springs parking lot shortly before 8:00.

Between the search December 17, and the search December 18, Fremont Search and Rescue members have about 23 hours into searches.  This includes assembling necessary equipment, travel time both directions, and the search. 

As a result of these two searches and rugged terrain, there have been 8 sleds left in the canyons in Island Park this weekend.

December 28, 2005                            Two Top, Island Park

A gentleman found himself and his snow machine stranded Wednesday December 28, 2005 in a canyon in the Two Top Mountain area in Island Park.  Searchers figured he was either in Garner or Jessie Canyon.  12 Fremont County Search and Rescue members responded to assist the individual.  Brett Mackert, Search and Rescue Commander, was able to contact the individual by cell phone guiding him down the canyon on foot where his family was able to pick him up on snowmobile.  Rescue members were able to return home without having to rescue the individual. 

December 28 & 29, 2005                           Cave Falls Area

An Idaho Falls cross country skier did not return to his residence after what should have been a typical cross country ski trip.  At 10:45 p.m., Fremont County Search and Rescue was notified by the concerned wife regarding her husband’s not returning home.  15 search members responded to Ponds’ Lodge in Island Park where the individual, reported to officials by his wife, was to have been skiing.  He left his residence in Idaho Falls about 9:00 a.m. initially telling his wife he would ski the Brimstone Trail along the Buffalo River in Island Park, a trail he often skies. Normally he parks his vehicle in the Ponds’ Lodge parking lot or nearby Park and Ski parking areas.  Rescue members spent several hours attempting vehicle location to help determine where to search.  Heavy snow and wind caused concern for the gentleman’s welfare as the search dragged into the morning hours. Rescue members expanded the search for his vehicle to all parking areas in the Island Park area. After numerous conversations with his wife, Commander Brett Mackert expanded the search to various other cross country ski areas in Fremont County.  The concerned wife also indicated other areas outside Fremont County where he sometimes skied.  The search was expanded to surrounding counties.  Madison, Jefferson, Bonneville, Butte, Teton and Bannock counties in Idaho, Gallatin County in West Yellowstone, Montana, and Teton County in Wyoming assisted Fremont County in their search, looking in parking areas for the vehicle where the gentleman sometimes skied.  An ATL issued by Fremont County expanded the search to all Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho.  The next morning local news media broadcast information regarding his safety and location.  The man’s vehicle was located in the Cave Falls Parking area the next morning as he skied out.  While skiing Fall River Ridge trail, he became disoriented, Using his head and survival skills,  he built a snow cave where he spent the night with his dog. During daylight hours he was able to safely ski back to his vehicle.  Fremont County Ambulance was dispatched to check for frostbite, eventually turned around after a local EMT on scene found the gentleman in good shape and not in need of an ambulance.

A reminder to anyone traveling backcountry areas whether skiing, snowmobiling or hiking:   

Remember the time of year, exercising all back country cautions.  Take necessary equipment and survival gear when venturing into the back country.  If you have a GPS and cell phone, be sure to take them with you, but do not rely on them entirely for a safe rescue if you find yourself in trouble or stranded.  Avalanche Transceivers and equipment, knowing what the avalanche conditions are, and knowing necessary skills to save lives are a must for everyone entering back country riding or traveling.  Plan ahead! Make sure you know the area you are heading into before heading into it.  If you find yourself in trouble, stop, take a look around you, and do not go any farther.  The farther you go the more complicated and dangerous it is to get yourself to safety, also making rescue efforts more difficult and dangerous. Make mental notes in relation to any physical features or landmarks that would assist in your rescue.  Make a plan, stick to your plan, narrow the riding area, and most of all let someone know WHERE you are planning to go.

            To check avalanche conditions, here are three sites to look at.  

http://www.islandparksnow.net

http://www.mtavalanche.com/current

http://www.jhavalanche.org/scripts/avalanche.php?action=forecast&area=teton