BEND, Ore. — A large-scale rescue operation involving air and ground crews brought an injured snowboarder to safety Monday afternoon in the rugged backcountry near Broken Top Mountain.
According to the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office, the call for help came in at approximately 2:40 p.m. on March 30, after a 44-year-old Bend woman was injured while snowboarding in the Tam McArthur Rim area. She was located on steep, snow-covered terrain at an elevation of about 7,350 feet.
Officials said the severity of the woman’s injuries and the difficult terrain required a rapid and technical response. A three-person team from Search and Rescue (SAR), including members of the Mountain Rescue Unit (MRU) and Advanced Life Support providers, was initially transported by Air Link. However, poor weather conditions prevented the helicopter from reaching the exact location.
The team was dropped near Lower Three Creeks Snow Park and, with assistance from a Good Samaritan, traveled closer to the scene before skiing roughly two miles uphill to reach the injured snowboarder.
Meanwhile, additional SAR personnel, snowmobile operators, and medical responders mobilized to assist in the rescue effort.
A break in the weather later in the evening allowed an Oregon Army National Guard HH-60 Black Hawk helicopter, equipped with a paramedic, to access the remote location at approximately 8:20 p.m. The woman was stabilized at the scene before being airlifted to St. Charles-Bend for further medical treatment.
In total, 22 SAR volunteers and a sheriff’s deputy participated in the rescue. The effort was supported by the Oregon State SAR Coordinator from the Oregon Department of Emergency Management, along with Air Link, the Oregon Army National Guard based at McNary Field in Salem, and Three Sisters Backcountry Yurts.
Authorities praised the coordinated response and the dedication of the volunteers who helped bring the injured snowboarder to safety in challenging conditions.
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