On Wednesday, January 11, 2023, at 2:08 p.m. the West Yellowstone Police Department Dispatch Center received a 911 call from a snowmobiler requesting assistance. The snowmobiler reported that one of their party had sustained a shoulder injury after their snowmobile left the trail and struck a tree. The accident was in the area of Junction 17, outside of West Yellowstone.

Volunteers from the Gallatin County Sheriff Search and Rescue West Yellowstone Section, Yellowstone National Park and Hebgen Basin Rural Fire Department responded to assist with the rescue.

Volunteers located the patient and determined that their injuries were considerably more severe than initially suspected. They loaded the patient into a specialized snow ambulance and transported them to a waiting HBFD ambulance crew in West Yellowstone.

Sheriff Dan Springer would like to recognize, and thank, the numerous snowmobilers that stopped to assist volunteers in preparing the patient for transport.

Photo courtesy of Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office.