Gallatin County SAR Rescues Solo Backcountry Skier Impaled By Tree Through Groin
As a general rule, you should never ski alone in the backcountry. But of course, people always break the “rules.” We live in a free society and anyone can ski in the backcountry alone if they so choose, and plenty of people do. Including this unfortunate skier…
According to an official press release from the Gallatin Media Center, on November 11, 2015, at 1:20 PM Gallatin Country Search and Rescue responded to a call for an injured backcountry skier near History Rock in Hyalite Canyon near Bozeman, Montana. The backcountry skier “had been skiing alone and impaled himself on a tree.”
It gets worse. The skier impaled himself in the groin and it “was bulging near the belly button.” The skier tried to walk out when he found another group of skiers who assisted him by building a fire and contacted Search and Rescue.
SAR utilized a backcountry rescue helicopter and technical rescue specialists to transport him to Bozeman Deaconess Hospital for treatment.
If you decide to go on a solo mission this winter, remember this unfortunate mishap. Is it really worth the risk to ski alone?
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Skiing alone can be a totally safe and spiritual journey through the mountains. Attention to snow conditions and terrain selection are key components to making things safer. And there’s no doubt about it, a swift, silent, solo mission comes with its own rewards. But it’s definitely safer to ski in the backcountry with a partner. Partners can save you from an avalanche, help you with broken gear, or assist you in case you are injured. It’s way less risky to ski with a buddy.
The decision to ski alone is yours. Whatever you decide to do, please be safe.
