The RECCO Story: How A Tragic Accident Changed the Whole Snow Rescue Industry When I was a kid, I used to notice a small, almost unnoticeable tag hidden inside my ski jacket. It wasn’t just in mine — it showed up in my parents’ gear, in gloves, even in helmets and boots. The only thing I recognized was the name stamped on it: RECCO®. It took years before I understood what it actually […] Avalanche Micho | April 10, 2026 2 Comments
This Ultimate Backcountry Rescue Kit Weighs Only 2 Pounds and Packs Some Ingenious Custom Tools Most backcountry skiers carry some version of a repair kit and a first aid kit, but very few are as thoughtfully built as this kit from Mountain Sense. Designed as a lightweight, all-in-one solution for ski touring, this 2-pound rescue and repair kit helps skiers stay self-sufficient when things go wrong far from the trailhead. Related: Backcountry Layering: Be Aware, […] Industry News Brent Glogau | March 29, 2026 0 Comments
[VIDEO] Snoqualmie Pass, WA, Skier Rescued After Being Buried Under 48″ of Snow While Others Ride By Unaware View this post on Instagram A wild video from Washington state shows just how dangerous deep snow can be, even on what looks like a wide-open ski run. The footage, shot at Snoqualmie Pass Ski Area, captures a man completely buried headfirst in nearly four feet of fresh snow after a major storm. He was unable to move, with only […] Brent Glogau | March 17, 2026 0 Comments
Stowe Mountain Rescue, VT, Assists Skier After Misreading Backcountry Map and Taking Wrong Line Stowe Mountain Rescue responded this week to a backcountry incident involving a skier who followed a widely shared ski-line map of the Stowe area and ended up in dangerous terrain after taking the wrong chute, the rescue group said in a public statement. The incident, which did not result in serious injury, reiterated long-standing concerns from local rescuers about how […] Backcountry Martin Kuprianowicz | February 4, 2026 0 Comments
Recovery Operations Suspended For Missing Climber On Mount Hood, OR The Hood River County Sheriff’s Office has suspended the search for Matt Aldridge, the 26-year-old climber from Bend, Oregon, who went missing on December 13. Aldridge had left Mount Hood Meadows Ski Area with two partners on December 13, with the intention of climbing the Newton Clark Headwall. Poor conditions and slow progress caused his two partners to turn around, […] Backcountry Zach Armstrong | December 18, 2025 0 Comments
4 Backcountry Skiers Rescued After Smart Decisions Help Avoid Disaster Near Stowe, VT Stowe Mountain Rescue responded to a backcountry call this week that ended with four skiers safely back at the resort, thanks to a series of smart decisions and quick action before conditions deteriorated. The group of backcountry tourers became disoriented while skiing in the Spruce Peak backcountry and realized they had traversed too far to the left. That recognition was […] Backcountry Brent Glogau | December 16, 2025 0 Comments
Colorado’s Unsung Heroes of Search-and-Rescue Receive a Funding Increase for the First Time in 35 Years After months of talks, negotiation, and legislation, Colorado’s nearly 50 search-and-rescue teams will officially benefit from a 400% fee increase, helping support the volunteers who work selflessly to save others. Often overlooked, search-and-rescue teams are imperative in saving lost, injured, or stranded people, helping with avalanche response, and providing medical care in remote areas. According to Colorado Parks and Wildlife, in […] Backcountry Sam Fishman | November 17, 2025 0 Comments
3 Hikers Rescued in 2 Separate Incidents on 14,505′ Mt. Whitney, CA Two rescue operations unfolded on Mount Whitney this month, aiding three hikers in separate incidents just days apart, according to Inyo County Search and Rescue (SAR). The first rescue occurred on November 2, when SAR responded to reports of a hiker suffering a medical emergency near Trail Camp, approximately 12,000 feet up the mountain. Three SAR members joined the California […] Climbing Martin Kuprianowicz | November 10, 2025 0 Comments
20 Hikers Rescued From Below-Freezing Temperatures From the Summit of Mount Washington, New Hampshire 20 hikers who were not prepared for the unpredictable weather conditions at Mount Washington, New Hampshire, were rescued on Saturday after they got stuck in temperatures below freezing. The hikers were rescued by the Mount Washington Cog Railway, which runs year-round, even though the Mount Washington State Park Summit Facilities shut down in mid-October. “Today on the Cog Railway, we […] Hiking Gregg Frantz | October 28, 2025 0 Comments
2 Hikers Rescued from Iconic Climbing Route on 3rd Pillar of Dana, a Notorious Eastern Sierra, CA, Ski Line Two hikers were rescued late Sunday night after becoming stranded while scaling the 3rd Pillar of Dana, a dramatic granite buttress rising above the Eastern Sierra near Lee Vining. The incident occurred on the final pitch of the Regular Route, a classic technical climbing line known for its exposure, complexity, and alpine setting. The Mono County Sheriff’s Office said it […] Climbing Martin Kuprianowicz | August 8, 2025 0 Comments
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 […] Brains Elliot LeBlanc | July 10, 2025 0 Comments
19 People and Dog Rescued After Being Trapped for Hours in Austrian Cable Car Damaged During Storm 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 | June 25, 2025 0 Comments
Skier Seriously Injured Following 1,000-Foot Fall Near Skywalker Couloir, CO 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; […] Backcountry SnowBrains | June 17, 2025 0 Comments
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 […] Hiking SnowBrains | June 16, 2025 0 Comments
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 […] SnowBrains | June 3, 2025 1 Comment
Skier Rescued After Sliding 800 Feet on Mt. Superior in Little Cottonwood Canyon, UT A skier was rescued Friday after sliding approximately 800 feet down the south face of Mount Superior in Utah’s Little Cottonwood Canyon. The man, visiting from out of town with two companions, had removed his skis and donned hiking boots when he lost his footing and slid uncontrollably down the mountain, Fox 13 News reports. Salt Lake County Search and […] Martin Kuprianowicz | May 5, 2025 0 Comments
Backcountry Skier Airlifted After Technical Nighttime Rescue Near 8,000-Foot Castle Peak in Lake Tahoe Area, CA 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 […] SnowBrains | April 28, 2025 0 Comments
Ski Resorts Slash Rescue Response Times with AirFlare, a Mobile Search Tool That Helped Locate Nearly 2,500 Guests This Season 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 […] Industry News Martin Kuprianowicz | April 16, 2025 0 Comments
What Are Your Chances of Dying While Skiing or Snowboarding? Everything we do in life involves a risk. Some risks are greater than others. Even simple daily activities, like getting out of bed, walking down a set of stairs, or driving, expose us to personal harm. Related: Risk Taking in Extreme Sports | Why Do We Do Things That Could Kill or Injure Us? There are many ways we could die […] Brains Brent Glogau | April 12, 2025 1 Comment
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 […] Backcountry Martin Kuprianowicz | March 9, 2025 1 Comment
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