Injured snowmobiler rescued from creek near West Yellowstone

WEST YELLOWSTONE, Mont. (KIFI) - Gallatin County Sheriff Search and Rescue reports a severely injured snowmobiler was rescued after crashing their snowmobile into a creek Wednesday.

According to officials, the snowmobiler was recreating with a group of friends around 9:45 a.m. when they crashed their snowmobile in the the creek near Two Top Loop, 4.2 miles south of West Yellowstone and sustained serious injuries.

Due to the snowmobiler being in the creek and reporting severe injuries, GCSSAR volunteers determined the best and most efficient way for responders to assist would be through the use of snowmobiles and a specialized snowmobile towed "snowbulance."

GCSSAR members extracted the patient from the creek and packaged them for transport from the location by snowbulance to a staged Hebgen Basin Rural Fire District ambulance.

Weather prevented air ambulance from getting to West Yellowstone, so the snowmobiler was evacuated to a safe location and was later handed off during transit to Air Idaho Rescue for transport to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center for further evaluation and treatment.