Idaho National Guard rescues hiker injured in climbing accident

The Idaho Army National Guard’s State Aviation Group assisted Custer County Search and Rescue in rescuing an injured hiker on Thompson Peak of the Sawtooth Mountain Range, 75 miles northeast of Boise, Idaho, on July 6. (Elizabeth Adams/Idaho Army National Guard)

The Idaho National Guard’s State Aviation Group successfully rescued a 19-year-old hiker who sustained climbing injuries after falling during a rescue operation on July 6 on Thompson Peak in the Sawtooth Mountains, about 75 miles northeast of Boise.

The operation was conducted in coordination with the Custer County Search and Rescue team.

“Our crew did an incredible job under very difficult environmental conditions,” said Captain Katherine Smith, commander of Detachment 1, Company G, 1st of the 168th Aviation Regiment, in a press release. “The rescue required a high level of crew coordination as well as teamwork with the highly trained Custer County Sheriff’s Office recovery team.”

The rescue team initially found the injured hiker under a rock ledge, so the crew could not easily hoist him into their helicopter. The crew flew to Stanley Airport and picked up a Custer County technical rope rescue team.

The five-person technical rope rescue team lowered the hiker approximately 270 meters from the ground and moved him into a more favorable position to hoist him into the helicopter. The hiker was flown to Stanley Airport and taken to a hospital for further treatment.

The rescue operation at high altitude required extreme caution from the pilot and rescue workers.

“Due to the reduced power reserves caused by the altitude of over 10,000 feet, the uneven terrain and the location of the recovery site, the flight crew was forced to pay extremely close attention to the limitations of the aircraft,” Smith said. “Lack of situational awareness in such situations could result in a loss of lift or even rotor failure, requiring the flight crew to perform an emergency procedure to maintain stable flight.”

The Idaho Army National Guard’s State Aviation Group assisted Custer County Search and Rescue in rescuing an injured hiker on Thompson Peak of the Sawtooth Range outside Stanley, Idaho, on July 6. (Idaho Army National Guard)