Tag Archives: search and rescue

Kayaker rescued from Flathead River

News,

A number of local emergency responders, including North Valley Rescue, were called out to help with a woman who took a tumble into the Flathead River yesterday . . .

A woman in her 30s was rescued after falling out of her kayak Friday afternoon on the Flathead River.

According to Brian Heino, search and rescue coordinator with the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office, she was able to get to shore but not up the bank. Heino said Glacier National Park employees had a boat available nearby and were able to pick her up.“I don’t know where they got [the boat],” Heino said. “They don’t normally have one.” The woman was cold but uninjured and OK.

The incident occurred between Blankenship Bridge and the Coram railroad trestle.

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Larry Wilson: Snowcats needed for winter rescue

Commentary, ,

Larry expands on his previous comments about the importance of proper search and rescue snowmobile training, even in areas normally closed to motorized transport . . .

Most of the North Fork, north of Canyon Creek, is now closed to snowmobilers. There are some exceptions, where unplowed roads are open.

I stand by my statement that search and rescue training has been limited by the closures. SAR training requires space so that actual missions have operators experienced in backcountry snow conditions. You can not adequately train on groomed trails or even on unplowed roads. Very often, backcountry missions involve heavy powder, steep hillsides and running through trees. Extreme skill is important, but so is being familiar with the area.

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Two skiers rescued after spending the night lost in Glacier Park

News, , ,

Here’s a little North Fork area search and rescue action . . .

Two cross-country skiers were rescued Sunday from the remote North Fork area of Glacier National Park after spending the night lost and stranded in the backcountry during a winter storm.

A husband and wife from Kalispell, ages 46 and 39 respectively, sent a 9-1-1 text message at 8 p.m. Saturday, saying they were lost in Glacier Park.

Flathead County dispatchers were able to determine that the message originated from a remote location about one mile north of the Akokala Creek Trail in the North Fork, about six miles north of Polebridge. Park rangers were notified, but ground and air searches could not begin until Sunday morning because of bad weather, downed trees and difficult trail conditions.

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New aviation group formed to aid search & rescue efforts

News,

This is a pretty big deal, with potentially significant impact on search and rescue operations in Flathead County, including the North Fork . . .

FEAR is in the air.

In this case, FEAR is not a formless feeling of terror, but Flathead Emergency Aviation Resources, a new nonprofit organization designed to give wings to search-and-rescue efforts.

The organization’s goal is to save time, energy and money in aviation endeavors of law enforcement and search-and-rescue groups by providing easier, cheaper access to aircraft and pilots, according to one of the main organizers, Flathead County Undersheriff Jordan White.

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Search and rescue of overdue hiker in Glacier National Park’s North Fork area

News,

A tale of extreme hiking from a press release posted today on the Glacier Park web site . . .

Officials at Glacier National Park were contacted by the wife of an overdue hiker on Wednesday morning, May 25, 2011. Richard Layne, 59 years old and from Helena, was issued his backcountry permit on May 10 and according to his permit would be hiking in remote sections of Glacier’s North Fork and exiting on May 20. Layne and his wife had agreed that if he was not back by the 25th of May, she was to contact the park service.

Layne’s ambitious itinerary began at the Polebridge Ranger Station into Bowman Lake, from Bowman Lake to Brown’s Pass, through Hole-in-the-Wall and over Boulder Pass, exiting Kintla Lake and out the Inside North Fork Road to Big Prairie. Most of these areas are in winter conditions with extreme hazards.

Due to the impending change in weather expected on Thursday, rangers contracted Minute Man Aviation to fly Layne’s route. From the helicopter, rangers spotted tracks in the snow going over Boulder Pass that were consistent with human travel. In the afternoon, Layne was spotted near Upper Kintla Lake waving his red jacket at the helicopter. Rangers retrieved Layne and brought him out of the backcountry, uninjured but very tired.

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