Pilots and crew of an HH60M Black Hawk helicopter from the Montana Army National Guard’s 1-189th General Support Aviation Battalion rescued three hikers last week from the Princess Lake area of the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness.
The National Guard was alerted on the morning of August 17 that the three hikers were suffering from hypothermia and illness. The National Guard pilots spun up and took off at 7:50 a.m.
"The entirety of the rescue operation was executed seamlessly due to the dedication and level of expertise of all personnel involved," said flight medic Patrick Northrup said. "It reflects a tremendous amount of credit and pride to not only the Montana National Guard, but also the flight crews of the 1-189th and Billings Fire Department."
The three hikers were soon rescued and flown to Columbus for further medical care. It was the 5th rescue conducted this year by the National Guard stationed in Billings, Montana. Earlier in the year, they rescued a hiker from Albino Lake in the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness back in July.