Crash Injures Snowmobiler Near West Yellowstone

A snowmobiler in West Yellowstone dislocated his hip in a crash on Wednesday afternoon. Rescuers from the Sheriff’s Search and Rescue in West Yellowstone, U.S. Forest Service and Hebgen Basin Fire Department all responded.

Rescuers located the injured snowmobiler, a 20-year-old male from Minnesota, in a steep off-trail area, which was difficult to reach with the heavy rescue sled. Rescuers were able to package the patient onto a backboard, which they used to transport him by hand to the rescue sled. Rescuers then carefully transported the injured snowmobiler over the approximately four miles of extremely rough trail to the rendezvous point with a waiting Hebgen Basin Fire Department Ambulance.

Gallatin County Sheriff Brian Gootkin would like to remind people snowmobiling the backcountry to be use caution in when riding off trail. The low snow amounts and lack of a hard base can make riding off trail treacherous.