Area SAR teams dedicated to their mission
Flathead Search and Rescue's Darren Wise, left, and David Thompson Search and Rescue member Dick Balcom are hoisted into a 2 Bear Air helicopter Sunday, June 29, 2025, during a training rendezvous at Fawn Creek Campground. (Scott Shindledecker/The Western News)
David Thompson Search and Rescue's Valerie Albert seems to have some doubt about participating in a helicopter hoist lift with 2 Bear Air Sunday, June 29, 2025, during a training rendezvous at Fawn Creek Campground. (Scott Shindledecker/The Western News)
Lacie, a seven-month-old Border Collie, and her handler, Flathead Search and Rescue's Sarah work on finding lost people using their scent Sunday, June 29, 2025, during a training rendezvous at Fawn Creek Campground. (Scott Shindledecker/The Western News)
Flathead Search and Rescue's Darren Wise, second from left, celebrates a safe landing Sunday, June 29, 2025, with David Thompson Search and Rescue members Valerie Albert, Dick Balcom and Jon Obst during a training rendezvous at Fawn Creek Campground. (Scott Shindledecker/The Western News)
Flathead Search and Rescue's Darren Wise, right, and David Thompson Search and Rescue members Dick Balcom get ready to land Sunday, June 29, 2025, during a training rendezvous at Fawn Creek Campground. (Scott Shindledecker/The Western News)
Before they can get someone off a cliff face or find a missing person, search and rescue teams put countless hours in training to be ready for the real deal.
The weekend of June 28-29, David Thompson Search and Rescue hosted teams from the region at a rendezvous at Fawn Creek Campground outside of Libby. A Two Bear Air helicopter made a special visit Sunday before everyone went home and showed how its hoist is used to make special rescues in difficult places.
But Tuesday evening, while they were training, DTSAR had the real deal when a father and son hiking to Leigh Lake got off the main trail’s north side and ended up stuck on the side of the mountain in a cliffy area.
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