rescue

The Hidden Costs of Search and Rescue: Why Getting Rescued Always Ends up Costing More

Why do search and rescue operations end up being so expensive? Since 2020 and the COVID-19 pandemic, outdoor recreation has spiked among Americans. As more and more people have gotten out into the wilderness, the number of emergencies have risen as well. Alongside increasing extreme weather events, this has caused a perfect storm of conditions putting pressure on Search and […]
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Elliot LeBlanc |
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19 People and Dog Rescued After Being Trapped for Hours in Austrian Cable Car Damaged During Storm

Austria cable car rescue

19 people and a dog were rescued unharmed Monday evening after spending more than four hours trapped in a gondola suspended high above the ground during a summer storm in western Austria. The passengers were riding the Karrenseilbahn, a popular cable car in the state of Vorarlberg, when severe winds struck the area around 3:00 p.m. local time, pushing two […]
Martin Kuprianowicz |
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Skier Seriously Injured Following 1,000-Foot Fall Near Skywalker Couloir, CO

skywalker couloir

On Saturday, June 14, at approximately 10:30 a.m., the Boulder County Communications Center received reports of a skier suffering serious injuries following a fall near the Skywalker Couloir on South Arapahoe Peak, west of Nederland, Colorado, the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office reports. Related: Skier Seriously Injured After Tumbling 2,000 Feet in Skywalker Couloir, CO Multiple calls were made to 9-1-1; […]
Post Tag for BackcountryBackcountry
Avatar photo SnowBrains |
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Hikers Struck by Lightning on 14er While Calling Search and Rescue Results in Colorado’s Highest-Ever Helicopter Rescue

Two hikers from New York were rescued in a record-setting helicopter operation after being struck by lightning near the summit of Colorado’s Torreys Peak late Thursday, while on the phone with rescue teams, according to a social media post from Alpine Rescue Team. Related: When Lightning Strikes: This Simple Advice Could Save Your Life Alpine Rescue Team responded just before […]
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Avatar photo SnowBrains |
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5 Lost Texan Children Saved From 12,352′ Colorado Mountain Following Challenging 25-Hour Rescue Mission

The Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office Emergency Services Division’s volunteer Search and Rescue (SAR) team, with the assistance of state and local partners, successfully rescued six hikers—including five juveniles—from Greenhorn Mountain, Colorado, on Sunday, June 1, following a challenging 25-hour search in steep and heavily wooded terrain. All hikers were found safe and, though exhausted, were uninjured. One SAR team member […]
Avatar photo SnowBrains |
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Backcountry Skier Airlifted After Technical Nighttime Rescue Near 8,000-Foot Castle Peak in Lake Tahoe Area, CA

ski news

A backcountry skier who broke his leg in steep, snowy terrain near Castle Peak in the Lake Tahoe area was rescued late Saturday night in a complex, multi-agency operation, according to the Placer County Sheriff’s Office. The skier, who was 6 feet 8 inches tall, was injured around 8,000 feet elevation in the Castle Peak area, a popular but remote […]
Avatar photo SnowBrains |
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Ski Resorts Slash Rescue Response Times with AirFlare, a Mobile Search Tool That Helped Locate Nearly 2,500 Guests This Season

breckenridge

A growing number of ski areas across North America are turning to AirFlare, a mobile-based location platform that helps resort staff quickly pinpoint the whereabouts of guests on the mountain. During the 2024–25 winter season, ski resorts initiated nearly 2,500 searches using AirFlare’s tools — a 27% increase from the previous year, the company announced. Related: [PHOTOS] Skier Injured in […]
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Martin Kuprianowicz |
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American Ski Mountaineer Rescued by Helicopter with 200-Foot Steel Cable from Steep Couloir Near Mont Blanc

It was me. I fell in a no-fall zone. What had begun as a beautiful day in a gorgeous amphitheater of Dolomite-style couloirs near 4,810-meter (15,780-foot) Mont Blanc ended with broken bones and an intense helicopter rescue. We had a strong crew of ski mountaineers, two from Italy and one from France, and set off on a nice morning from […]
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Martin Kuprianowicz |
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Unprepared Hikers Carrying 150lbs of Gear and 5 Gallons of Water Rescued From Mount Whitney, CA, After Snow Filled Their Shoes

mount whitney, california, highest, Whitney

Two ill-equipped hikers were rescued from Mount Whitney, California, on November 2nd after a failed summit attempt left them exhausted and stranded on the trail. The pair, who had no prior mountaineering experience, began their ascent at 6 p.m. on Friday, carrying a staggering 150 pounds of newly purchased gear and five gallons of water. Related: Solo Hiker in Shorts […]
Post Tag for ClimbingClimbing
CragBrains |
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8 Hikers Face Being Charged $25,000 Each After Hiking in Closed Area at Jasper National Park, AB

The Jasper Wildfire Complex in August. Photo Credit: Rocky Mountain Outlook

The 2024 Canadian wildfire season was one of the worst on record, torching over 13 million acres across the country. One of the most destructive fires crossed paths with the popular mountain town of Jasper, Alberta, where over 25,000 people were forced to evacuate the area. Destroying over one-third of the buildings in Jasper, the fire was not fully controlled […]
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Luke Guilford |
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Unconcious Climber Miraculously Rescued After Shrub Stops Significant Fall in ‘No Fall Zone’ on 75º Slope

On Monday afternoon, search and rescue teams successfully extracted an injured solo climber from the treacherous slopes of East Lion Mountain in British Columbia. The climber, who had fallen a significant distance while descending the summit without a helmet, was found precariously perched on a ledge, saved by a small cluster of shrubs. Related: Climber ‘Unrecognizable’ After Miraculously Surviving 700-Foot […]
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CragBrains |
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[UPDATED] Search Suspended for 3 Climbers Missing on Atwell Peak Near Whistler, BC, Due to High Avalanche Risk

Atwell Peak highest point

Updated Sunday, June 9, 8:45 am PST:  Rescue teams have been forced to suspend their search for three overdue and experienced mountain climbers missing near Squamish, B.C., citing unstable and avalanche-prone conditions in the rugged Atwell Peak area. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) stated in a media release that “significant challenges due to current unstable conditions have resulted in […]
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Leander Walchshöfer |
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1 Buried in Snowmobile-Triggered Avalanche in Ruby Mountains Wilderness, NV

The Ruby Mountains Wilderness in northeastern Nevada is a popular destination for backcountry skiing and snowmobiling. On Friday, March 1, a snowmobile triggered an avalanche on a northeast facing aspect that buried one individual. The individual was safely extricated after reportedly being buried upside with just his boots visible above the slide. Related: 2 Snowmobilers Killed in Separate Avalanches in […]
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Luke Guilford |
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