On November 11, 2023, at 1:07pm, Yellowstone National Park Dispatch received a 911 call from a concerned family member where an individual had sustained injuries that prevented the individual from hiking out of the backcountry cabin they were staying at.  The caller indicated that one of the individuals in the party was in need of immediate medical treatment near Cabin Creek outside of West Yellowstone, Montana.

Gallatin County Sheriff Search and Rescue (GCSSAR) volunteers from the West Yellowstone Section and GCSSAR Heli Team, Montana Fish & Wildlife Law Enforcement, US Forest Service Law Enforcement, Hebgen Basin Rural Fire District and Gallatin County Sheriff’s Deputies, responded to the request for aid.  The GCSSAR team members along with law enforcement communicated with the patient over inReach to establish critical details leading to how best to serve the injured individual. Due to the remote location and varying snow levels, SAR Heli Team extracted the patient from Cabin Creek to a staged Hebgan Basin Rural Fire Ambulance. The patient was cleared medically by Hebgen Basin Rural Fire and required no further higher-level care.

Gallatin County Sheriff Dan Springer would like to remind backcountry recreationalists that having a plan for contingencies along with being able to call for aid in remote areas is crucial in the backcountry adventures.