Idaho National Guard Rescues Injured Hiker on Thompson PeakIdaho National Guard Rescues Injured Hiker on Thompson Peak On July 6th, the Idaho Army National Guard’s State Aviation Group assisted Custer County Search and Rescue in the rescue of a 19-year-old hiker injured on Thompson Peak outside Stanley. The hiker sustained an ankle injury while climbing in the Sawtooth Range mountains, roughly 75 miles northeast of Boise. “Our crew performed admirably under challenging conditions,” said Captain Katherine Smith, commander of Det. 1, Company G 1st, 168th Aviation Regiment. “The rescue required coordination between our crew and the skilled extraction team from the Custer County Sheriff’s Office.” The injured hiker was found on a sloping rock face below a ledge. Upon assessment, it was determined that a winch extraction was not feasible. The crew retrieved a rope team from Custer County Search and Rescue at Stanley Airfield. “We were able to position the team within approximately 1,000 feet of the patient using our two-wheel landing gear,” said Chief Warrant Officer 3 Theron Cameron, a UH-60 pilot with the Idaho Army National Guard. The hiker was then moved to a location where the rescue operation could be more efficiently executed. The crews were able to secure him and hoist him into the aircraft. The flight crew transported the rescued hiker to Stanley Airport, where he was handed over to medical personnel.
STANLEY — The Idaho Army National Guard’s State Aviation Group assisted Custer County Search and Rescue in the rescue of an injured 19-year-old hiker on Thompson Peak outside Stanley on July 6.
The hiker suffered an ankle injury while climbing in the Sawtooth Range mountains, about 75 miles (120 kilometers) outside Boise.
“Our crew did an incredible job under very challenging environmental conditions,” said Capt. Katherine Smith, commander of Det. 1, Company G 1st, 168th Aviation Regiment. “The rescue required a lot of coordination from the crew, as well as teamwork with the highly skilled extraction team from the Custer County Sheriff’s Office.”
The 19-year-old was stuck on a sloping rock face below a ledge. When crews found him, they determined there was no way to safely bring in a winch to extract him.
Thanks to Idaho Army National Guard
The crew quickly went to nearby Stanley Airfield and picked up a rope team from Custer County Search and Rescue.
“We were able to get the team within about 1,000 feet of the patient using a two-wheel landing gear,” said Chief Warrant Officer 3 Theron Cameron, a UH-60 pilot with the Idaho Army National Guard.
The team then moved the hiker to a location where the rescue operation was more efficient, where the crews were able to secure the hiker and hoist him into the aircraft.
The flight crew transported the rescued hiker to Stanley Airport, where he was taken to the medical wing.
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