October 13, 2011
By Cory Hatch, Jackson Hole Daily
A hunter who suffered temporary paralysis after falling from his
horse in the Teton Wilderness was flown by helicopter to an Idaho
hospital Wednesday after weather stymied rescuers’ at-tempts to
evacuate the man.
Bill Rumbaugh, 59, was bucked off his horse and dragged while
hunting with an outfitter around 6:30 a.m. Tuesday about 29 miles
northeast of the Turpin Meadows trailhead, officials with the Teton
County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement.
As a result of the fall, Rumbaugh “sustained numerous abrasions”
and “experienced temporary paralysis,” officials said. Rumbaugh’s
hometown could not be immediately ascertained.
The hunting party eventually moved Rumbaugh to the outfitter
camp.
The Teton Interagency Helicopter attempted to fly two Grand Teton
National Park rangers to the scene, but heavy cloud cover forced the
helicopter to land at Moran.
By 4:30 p.m., the helicopter was able to fly to the outfitter
camp where the park rangers provided medical treatment to Rumbaugh.
Bad weather returned, forcing the helicopter to remain at the
camp overnight with the two park rangers and Rumbaugh.
At about 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, “an air ambulance helicopter came
in and took him over to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center,” said
Teton County Sheriff’s Office captain Tripp Wilson.
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