At 1628 hours the Team was called for an ELT activation reported by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center (AFRCC) near Bald Mountain. The AFRCC had received a signal from a 406 mHz Electronic Locator Transmitter (ELT), which communicates coordinates to a satellite constellation, and reported 8 hits on a location. An ELT activation is typically caused by an aircraft accident as the ELT is actived by an inertia switch. The AFRCC provided coordinates and advised that the accuracy should be 400 feet or better. The Team staged at the Deadman Summit recreation parking area, and assembled a field team of six snomobiles and riders.

Shortly after nightfall the field team departed base and navigated to a location within a quarter mile of the AFRCC provided cooordinates. At this point the terrain became too steep for the snow machines, and 5 of the field team members proceeded to the coordinate location via skis, splitboards, and snow shoes.

Near the summit of Bald Mountain where the field team left the snow machines to travel the final quarter-mile on human power. Image by Beck

Upon arrival at the coordinate location, there was no sign of aircraft wreckage or any other human activity. A search area was established with a 400 yard radius, and no wreckage was found. The AFRCC reported taht there had been no aircraft reported as overdue, so the search was terminated, and the field team members ascended the steep snow slope back to their snow machines.

The field team returned to base, debriefed, and the operation was terminated at 2012 hours.

IC: Pelichowski/Belcher Ops Leader: Bush Responders: Beck, Brownlee, Carlson, Haugh, Kaufman, Lipman, Patterson, Quiring, Roos-Collins, Senior