Rescue Conducted for Injured Climbers from Separate Accidents on the Grand Teton

Date: July 11, 2013
Contact: Public Affairs Office, 307.739.3393

Park rangers orchestrated the rescue and aerial evacuation of two injured climbers from the Lower Saddle of the Grand Teton on Thursday, July 11, in Grand Teton National Park. Each of the climbers was injured in separate, unrelated accidents while ascending the Grand Teton—one accident occurred on Wednesday afternoon, July 10, and the other on Thursday morning. 

Teton Interagency Dispatch Center received a call for assistance on the first climber at 8:40 a.m., July 11. Todd Hanna, age 39, of Austin, Texas injured an ankle on Wednesday, when a rock he grabbed pulled loose and he fell while on a guided climb of the Grand Traverse. After his fall, Hanna was able to scale the North Ridge, where he was met by other guides who then assisted him to the Lower Saddle of the Grand Teton. Hanna spent the night at a base camp on the Lower Saddle, but his injury prevented his ability to hike out from the high elevation camp on Thursday morning. 

Rangers summoned the Teton Interagency contract helicopter to conduct an evacuation of Hanna and three rangers were flown to the Lower Saddle to assist with the mission. While loading Hanna in the ship, rangers were approached by other climbers in the area who reported a second injured person.

While climbing with a companion, Hannah Marshburn, age 24, of Jackson, Wyoming took a fall at the Golden Staircase of the Exum Ridge on the Grand Teton and sustained a facial injury and possible head injury. Rangers responded to this new situation and provided emergency medical care to Marshburn before placing her, along with Hanna, in the Teton Interagency helicopter for a quick flight to the Lupine Meadows rescue cache. 

The double rescue of injured climbers was completed by late morning. Both Hanna and Marshburn were transported via private vehicles to St. John's Medical Center for further care.