The Snohomish County Volunteer Search and Rescue Helicopter Rescue Team is an “all hazard” response team conducting 80+ missions a year throughout Washington state. Operating primarily on the northern end of the trail, they perform multiple rescues of PCT hikers each year. We deeply appreciate the work of the team and all other emergency responders from Mexico to Canada.
On 09/14/14 we were notified that a personal locator beacon had ben activated on the PCT west of Glacier Peak. Snohawk10 flew to the coordinates and located the hikers just down stream of the Kennedy Creek bridge. One of the two hikers was completely incapacitated and was in need of definitive medical care. HRT extracted both the sick hiker and the hiking partner. The sick hiker was handed over to ALS at Taylor’s Landing.
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Kennedy Creek Extraction from Snohomish HRT on Vimeo.
It’s important that hikers and riders understand the risks associated with traveling in the wilderness and that they are prepared to deal with all contingencies. If you haven’t yet, or it’s time for a refresher, sign up for a wilderness first aid class.