WEST YELLOWSTONE - A snowmobiler crashed into a tree near West Yellowstone on Wednesday afternoon, sustaining injuries that required a call to search and rescue.
According to the Gallatin County Sheriff's Office, at 4:05 p.m., Gallatin County Sheriff's Search and Rescue in West Yellowstone responded to a request for assistance from a snowmobiler on the South Plateau Trail, four miles south of town.
A person riding a snowmobile left the trail and crashed into a tree, suffering a leg and arm injury.
SAR Volunteers and a paramedic from the Hebgen Basin Fire Department responded with a specialized rescue sled and were able to treat the patient on scene before transporting them off the trail and to a nearby ambulance.
The patient was transferred over to the Hebgen Basin Fire Department EMS crew for further medical evaluation and was then transported to the Big Sky Medical Center.
Gallatin County Sheriff Dan Springer is reminding everyone out enjoying the trails and backcountry that trail conditions can change rapidly and people should ride to their ability and only travel the posted speed limits on the trail.
Riders should also recreate with a friend and carry a reliable means of communication. Rescuers were able to quickly respond to this incident because a friend called immediately and provided accurate GPS coordinates.
Photos courtesy of Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office.
