On August 17, 2021, at 10:14 am, Gallatin County dispatch received a call from a person on the M Trail with a dislocated shoulder. The caller was at the top of the M Trail and needed assistance to the trailhead after sustaining a fall injury.
Gallatin County Sheriff Search and Rescue members responded to the trailhead and deployed a hasty team immediately up the trail to assess and stabilize the patient. Secondary teams deployed up the trail with a one-wheel litter and additional gear. American Medical Response and Bridger Canyon Fire Department were also dispatched to assist.
Search and Rescue teams quickly arrived on scene with the patient. They assessed the injury and were able to stabilize the shoulder, enabling the patient to walk down the trail. Team members safely arrived at the trailhead and the patient was subsequently transported Bozeman Health for further evaluation.
Sheriff Dan Springer would like to remind outdoor enthusiasts that slips, trips, and falls can happen on well-traveled trails such as the M. In this case having a charged cell phone and a friend along for the outing assisted rescuers in obtaining further information, directly from the patient, resulting in an efficient rescue operation.