Helicopter crew details the Mount Sieh rescue in Glacier

Rescuers in Glacier National Park successfully rescued two hikers who fell from a popular trail along the 10,000-foot peak Mount Sieh on July 6. One person suffered a broken wrist, leaving her unable to climb out of the steep cliff area.

Following the rescue, the crew released a dramatic video of the operation in which a SAR officer rescued one of the women from the rocky slopes of the peak.

in an interview with OutsideThe responding agency, Two Bear Air, said the two women, whose names and ages have not been released, were well prepared for such an emergency. After their fall, the two sent a satellite message to park rangers, alerting them to their position and location. He also shared that he had a shiny gold space blanket to alert rescue workers.

Will Milam, chief rescue specialist for the responding agency, said, “They did the right thing. Both women received treatment, took care of the injuries, stayed in place and recovered from where they were injured.” two bears air rescue In Montana, it was reported Outside.

“That’s exactly how we found them,” Milam said, pointing. Video Shared on Facebook showing the rescue.

Mount Sieh is known for its crumbling loose rock. At an elevation of 10,019 feet, it is the fifth highest peak in Glacier, making it one of only six peaks higher than 10,000 feet in the national park. Mount Sieh also has a 4,000-foot steep north face, one of the tallest rock walls in the Lower 48.

“They were in an area that would have required reaching and holding on to rocks. With an injured wrist, the woman did not have that ability,” Milam said.

helicopter hoist rescue in difficult terrain

Milam has 30 years of experience in search and rescue, and has been with Two Bears Air since 2017. He says the agency responds to about 120 calls each year. In the summer, most of those emergencies involve rafters and hikers – and a portion of those rescues involve search-and-rescue systems.

These specialized systems involve a motorized winch attached to the helicopter to safely raise and lower rescue workers, litter boxes and patients in areas where it is otherwise impossible to land the aircraft. Milam says that once his team locates a patient, they run a checklist to discuss all the parameters involved in a rescue, such as how well the aircraft is performing at altitude and whether it has enough power to hold a hover and get people out. They also pass through potential hazards, such as wind, rocks and cliffs, tree cover, snow, and terrain.

“If we all agree, the system operator will open a cabin door; he’ll go out on a skid and attach the hoist hook to the rescue specialist, lower them down with whatever equipment we’ve decided,” Milam said.

In this case, the team used an air rescue jacket, which is a one-size-fits-all harness worn by rescued patients. Two Bear Airs sent down a rescue specialist with 120 feet of cable to extract each patient one by one.

Both women were taken to the Logan Pass Visitor Center and released into the care of Glacier National Park.

come prepared, leave alive

Milam says the hikers were well prepared, carrying communications equipment and emergency gear during their hike.

“These are the missions that make it worthwhile. They were prepared for emergencies,” he said.

When heading into the backcountry, Milam reminds hikers to tell people where they are going and when they plan to return — and to stick to that plan.

“Have a way to communicate and be prepared to stay longer than you think,” he said. “In this case, if the weather got too bad and the helicopter couldn’t get in, the women were willing to spend time there.”

Satellite devices like Garmin InReach also have an advantage over some phone SOS systems, Milam said. These tools send links with the location from where a text was sent, giving responders a starting point for their search.