Speedflyer rescued by Teton County Search and Rescue

Speedflyer rescued by Teton County Search and Rescue

JACKSON (WNE) — Teton County Search and Rescue retrieved a 26-year-old Jackson man May 7 after the man crashed during a speed-wing flight south of Jackson, according to a Search and Rescue press release.

Speedflyers use a smaller, lightweight setup and generally fly at higher speeds and closer to the ground than traditional paragliders.

The man crash landed near Horsethief Canyon, the release said, and called for help himself, said Cody Lockhart, Teton County Search and Rescue’s chief adviser.

Because the crash occurred close to town, rescuers could respond from their homes and arrive at the scene quickly. Rescuers hiked about 10 minutes from the base of Horsethief and placed the man on a wheeled litter to transport him out of the backcountry.

“This was a pretty simple rescue,” Lockhart said.

The man’s dad showed up and took him to the hospital, Lockhart said.

It was Search and Rescue’s first wheeled litter rescue of the summer season.

While Search and Rescue no longer experiences true offseasons, the organization still sees peaks during the winter and summer, Lockhart said.

“Our summer season is just kicking off,” he said, “with people starting to get on the rivers and people starting to get the bikes out.”

This story was published on May 13, 2025.