Park County Search and Rescue helps extricate people from wilderness in two incidents

POWELL (WNE) —- Park County Search and Rescue volunteers helped extract two people from the wilderness in separate incidents last weekend.

Early Friday evening, the Park County 911 Center received a 911 call for a 24-year-old male who had sustained a severely broken lower leg while packing out an elk camp, according to a Park County Sheriff’s Office release.

The injured male was located approximately 8 miles up the Deer Creek Trail on the South Fork of the Shoshone River. Park County Search and Rescue, along with Guardian Medical Flight of Cody, were dispatched to the scene.

The Guardian crew was able to drop off a paramedic approximately a quarter of a mile away, who accessed the patient while the helicopter flew back to the trailhead to retrieve more equipment and two PCSAR members to aid in evacuating the subject.

The PCSAR team and Guardian crew were able to haul the injured male back to the remote landing zone. Guardian transported the male to Cody Regional Health where he was treated. His condition is unknown at this time.

Saturday evening at approximately 8:18 p.m., the Park County Communications Center received a 911 call from a solo motorcycle rider who was stranded approximately 2 miles north of the top of McCullough Peaks.

The 73-year-old male was not injured but was unable to get himself and his motorcycle out.

PCSAR responded to the scene using ATVs. Members used a combination of coordinates from the 911 call, night vision equipment and a newly purchased handheld thermal imaging device to locate the man.

He was then transported back to Cody and given a ride home back to Powell.

This story was published on October 29, 2024.