1/20/2012 10:29:34 AMOn Thursday January 19, the Teton County Sheriff's Office Search & Rescue Team engaged in two separate search and rescue missions simultaneously.
Four Pines Ski Area Rescue
The first call for assistance coming in to the Teton County Sheriff's Office at 2:40 PM was from the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort ski patrol stating that a female subject was injured and in need of assistance in the Four Pines area which is out of bounds from the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort ski area proper. TCSO Search & Rescue personnel then contacted the injured party via cellular telephone to ascertain latitude/longitude coordinates from the Global Positioning System in her telephone. The injured party, identified as Edie Asrow, a 59 year old female from Jackson Hole, advised S&R personnel that while skiing in the Four Pines out of bounds area, she had been avalanched and slid approximately 200 feet, losing her skies and sustaining what she believed to be minor injuries. Asrow stated she had tried to walk but due to her injuries was unable to do so.
Due to the extremely precarious conditions in that area, TCSO Search & Rescue personnel determined that a rescue attempt via skiing in from above the subject was not feasible. It was determined that skis could possibly be dropped from the Search and Rescue helicopter to the subject. At 3:57 PM, the TCSO SAR helicopter was flown from the hanger at the SAR building to the location but was unable to locate Ascow due to extremely poor visibility. Due to strong wind and poor visibly the helicopter mission was aborted.
Further conversation with Ascow determined that she was actually located south of the latitude/longitude coordinates obtained from her cellular telephone transmission and it was decided an attempt would be made to reach her from below her position. At 6:27 PM, a team of four TCSO Search & Rescue personnel traveling on snowmobiles left the incident command post traveling to a location at the base of the ski run know as "The Hoback's". They then ski/skinned uphill to her position, reaching her at 6:35PM. Ascow was secured and transported back to the incident command post where she arrived at 8:54 PM. Ascow was treated by an emergency medical services unit at the incident command post and released.
Cache Creek/Game Creek Junction Rescue
At 3:41PM, a 21 year old male subject from Jackson, Wyoming, Kolin Smith, contacted the Teton County Sheriff's Office to report that he had become stuck while snowmobiling and was in need of assistance. Smith stated that while snowmobiling in Cache Creek, he became stuck at the junction of Cache and Game Creek. After attempting to dig his snowmobile free for one and a half hours, he began walking back to the trailhead but due to the extremely deep snow, became fatigued and was asking for assistance.
At 4:30 PM, a team of three TCSO Search & Rescue personnel left the Cache Creek trailhead in search of Smith. Smith was located and transported back to the trailhead where he arrived uninjured and in good health at 6:34PM.
Contact:
Captain Tripp Wilson
Teton County Sheriff's Office
180 South King Street
P.O. Box 1885
Jackson, WY 83001
307.733.4052
www.tetonsheriff.org