Search and rescue volunteers on the ground gathered at Buck Ridge to support the helicopter team that flew directly to the person in need. PHOTO BY ERIC LADD
A skier attempting to circumnavigate Sphinx Mountain in the southern Madison range on Sunday was rescued by a short-haul helicopter team with Gallatin County Sheriff Search and Rescue Big Sky Section.
The person had started from the Madison Valley side and completed a portion of the scenic loop before he fell ill and found himself unable to get out of the backcountry alone, according to a release from Gallatin County.
“It’s amazing how quickly you can get yourself into these remote areas (around Big Sky),” said Andy Driesbach, a member of the three-person short-haul team that made the rescue.
The man is “a phenomenal athlete and very well versed in backcountry pursuits,” Driesbach said. He added that without a helicopter available, the rescue would have been significantly more complicated.
“Just the cumbersome nature of trying to get to this arduous spot would have been potentially a multiple day rescue,” Driesbach said.
In addition to the heli team, GCSSAR volunteers on the ground massed at Buck Ridge, south of Big Sky, and snowmobiled toward Circle Mountain to help, according to the county statement. The helicopter team flew directly to the skier, picked him up and left him with a Madison County deputy sheriff.
Driesbach said helicopters are a unique tool to have in search and rescue toolkit, but one that’s a necessity with the remote areas around Big Sky and Gallatin and Madison counties. Of the handful of SAR teams around the country that have a short-haul helicopter team, Gallatin County’s is the only one without an exclusive use contract, which guarantees access to a helicopter and a qualified pilot.
The athlete who needed rescuing on Sunday had a stroke of luck that a helicopter was available when he needed it. Helicopters and qualified pilots typically have better availability in the winter than in the summer, Driesbach said, because during summer pilots can often be off fighting wildfires, logging or doing utility work.
“Knocking on wood, we get lucky more often than not,” Driesbach said. “But, at some point in time, our luck’s gonna run out.”
Children turning 5 on or before
9/10/2024: Kindergarten
enrollment for the 2024-2025 school year can be completed by following the
registration process now.
Children
born on or after September 11, 2019:4K enrollment is now open for
families that have a 4-year-old they would like to enroll in our program for
the 2023-2024 school year. Please complete the 4K Interest Form to
express your interest. Completing this form does not guarantee enrollment into
the 4K program. Enrollment is capped at twenty 4-year-olds currently
residing within Big Sky School District boundary full time and will be
determined by birth date in calendar order of those born on or after September
11, 2018. Interest form closes on May 30th.
Enrollment now is critical for fall preparations. Thank you!
My Barking Dog is a nightmare comedy that tells the story of Toby and Melinda, two lonely people whose lives are forever changed the night they encounter a starving coyote at their apartment building. Over time they grow to expect him, leaving ritual offerings to entice the coyote every night. Toby and Melinda forge a connection over this visitor and share curiosity and concern about his presence in the city. The coyote expands their world–until, one night, their world is shattered. Their lives are pushed suddenly into uncharted territory, sending them on a surreal odyssey that changes their city–and the world–forever.
Directed by LX Miller. Starring Max Schneider and Denise Hergett
Verge Theater is continuing their mission to provide accessible theater to our community. Tickets for My Barking Dog are Pay What You Wish with a suggested price of $35. Audience members are offered the opportunity to select the price point that is comfortable for them when purchasing tickets.
My Barking Dog runs March 15-17, 22-24, 28-30
Performances on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays begin at 7:00 p.m., with Sunday matinees offered at 3:00 p.m.
Suitable for ages 16 . No animals are harmed in the staging of this production.
Saturday, March 23rd 6:00-8:00pm
We will combine the heart-opening powers of cacao with the transcendental powers of breathwork and sound. Together, these practices will give us the opportunity for a deep
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Event Details
Saturday, March 23rd 6:00-8:00pm
We will combine the heart-opening powers of cacao with the transcendental powers of breathwork and sound. Together, these practices will give us the opportunity for a deep inward journey and peak state experience. This experience can activate and clear the chakras, release trauma, reset the nervous system, connect us with higher consciousness, and help us achieve self-actualization. No prior experience is necessary. Register at santoshabigsky.com/workshops-special-events
Time
March 23 (Saturday) 6:00 pm - April 23 (Tuesday) 8:00 pm