Wednesday, AUGUST 6, 2025 |
Photo – Members of Search and Rescue carry injured person down side of mountain – Courtesy Sheriff Alex Bakken Facebook
Medical personnel had to overcome rugged terrain to rescue an injured hiker over the weekend.
As reported by Bigfoot99, on Saturday afternoon, 15 Search and Rescue volunteers responded to a call about an injured hiker located within the Platte River Wilderness Area of southern Carbon County. Bigfoot99 reporter Matt Copeland reached out to Intermountain Health Flight and Ambulance Service Rawlins Region Director Cy Cass for more information about the incident. Cass explained that his helicopter team arrived at the scene before the Carbon County Search and Rescue Teams and were able to locate an uninjured female standing by the North Platte River.
Intermountain Health Flight and Ambulance Service is also known as Classic Air Medical.
Rawlins Region Director Cass said the helicopter pilot struggled to find a suitable landing zone due to the mountainous terrain. The pilot eventually settled on a flat area on top of a nearby hill, but had to conduct a “hot drop,” where he left the helicopter running with its blades spinning while the medical team disembarked. Cass explained that type of maneuver allows the pilot to maintain control of the aircraft while landing in a hazardous location.
After landing, Cass said the two-person medical team began looking for the female. However, she had returned to her injured companion. Eventually, the Intermountain Health team located the reporting party and, with the help of the Carbon County Search and Rescue teams, began looking for a way to evacuate the injured person.
Cass said the Search and Rescue team considered lifting the patient into the helicopter by ropes. However, they eventually determined that bringing the injured person down the mountain side, to the river, was the best course of action. By rotating stretcher carriers, the team successfully completed the descent and reached the riverbank.
The helicopter pilot flew up and down the valley, searching for a suitable landing zone. Ultimately, the decision was made to touch down on a shallow gravel bar in the middle of the North Platte River. Cass said the riverbed offered the most practical location to load the patient into the medical helicopter.
Additionally, Cass said the water offered a safer landing zone than a typical dirt patch, where rotor wash can stir up loose sand and cause a “brown out.” The wet soil helped minimize airborne dust during the landing approach.
In total, Cass said his team was on the ground for approximately 7 hours, necessitating a pilot change in the middle of the rescue operation.
Due to HIPAA privacy restrictions, Cass was unable to disclose any information about the injured person.
Intermountain Health Flight and Ambulance Service Rawlins Region Director Cy Cass said Saturday’s successful search and rescue operation demonstrated the seamless cooperation between his agency, both Carbon County Search and Rescue East and West teams, and the Carbon County Sheriff’s Office.
