VIDEO: A hiker experiencing a medical emergency was rescued near Russell Lake, west of Red Lodge, on Tuesday evening after becoming separated from his group. Red Lodge Fire Rescue was alerted just after 6 p.m. when the hiker’s party used their InReach device’s SOS feature to contact emergency services. Red Lodge Search and Rescue (RL SAR) quickly dispatched a team to the trailhead near Cooke City to gather information and search for the missing individual. A second team was sent shortly after with additional resources. RL SAR coordinated with Park County, Montana Search and Rescue, which called in LifeFlight from Billings and an ambulance from Yellowstone National Park.
Command staff contacted the hiker’s party via their InReach device to learn more about the situation. Fortunately, the missing hiker was found by a member of his party who had returned to the trailhead to search for him. It was confirmed that the hiker was experiencing a medical emergency, and the pair continued to the trailhead. The RL SAR team, which included a paramedic, met them on the trail, conducted a medical evaluation, and escorted them to the trailhead where LifeFlight was able to land. The patient was then transported to Billings via the medical helicopter.
