Risk of Counting Goats

[gundog2]

If someone asked me to help count mountain goats from a helicopter I would have jumped at the opportunity until I watched a news clip this evening of people being hoisted off a snowy cliff by a helicopter, after a helicopter reportedly crashed trying to count mountain goats on the La Sal mountians for UDWR. I’d take a hard pass on that adventure. Yikes.

 

[coloradoman]

Must be this one

Helicopter crash in eastern Utah mountains

The sheriff’s office says the three people on board the helicopter weren’t injured, but because of the steep terrain in the area, they haven’t been able to get to them yet.

www.nbc11news.com

 

[gundog2]

Yeah, that’s the same incident. I think they got everyone off the mountain, but it looked like a harrowing experience for everyone involved including the rescue crew.

 

[gundog2]

https://www.ksl.com/article/5053624...icopter-crew-that-crashed-in-la-sal-mountains

Here is another report, confirming that everyone got off the mountain. The local news had video of one person being hoisted up to the rescue chopper by a long rope and one very brave wrangler

 

[littlebighorn]

I'm pretty sure those guys were a company of "hired guns" tasked with collaring mt. goats, not just count them.
I've watched them in action on sheep transplants. They have "muggers" jump out of those whirly birds in crazy terrain and do all sorts of suicidal stuff. The crew I watched also had a blue chopper. (maybe the same one on the mountain)
Yes, what they do is very dangerous, but stuff like that is what they signed up for.
Glad nobody got hurt.

 

[elkhuntn247]

I’m supposed to go to NZ in May, and chopper in… still gonna send it ?

 

[notdonhunting]

You know they say they're is only two types of helicopters
Ones that have crashed and ones that are going to crash.

 

[gundog2]

I'm pretty sure those guys were a company of "hired guns" tasked with collaring mt. goats, not just count them.
I've watched them in action on sheep transplants. They have "muggers" jump out of those whirly birds in crazy terrain and do all sorts of suicidal stuff. The crew I watched also had a blue chopper. (maybe the same one on the mountain)
Yes, what they do is very dangerous, but stuff like that is what they signed up for.
Glad nobody got hurt.

The first news story I saw did not mention anything about collaring the mountain goats, but other news stories have indicated that this was in fact the case. So yes, I can imagine this would be very dangerous.

 

[HikeHunt61]

You know they say they're is only two types of helicopters
Ones that have crashed and ones that are going to crash.

In my unretired life I worked for an Aerospace company. I had a counterpart that ran the division associated with accident investigations (our company was huge, and we had 1000s of systems and components). I told him I was taking a helo ride as part of vacation to NZ. He seriously stared me down and said EXACTLY that.

I took that ride to a glacier, no incident of course. ONE YEAR later I read an article about that Helo company crashing one on that same glacier, nobody made it alive.

No more helos for me...

 

[Bluehair]

Helicopters fly by scaring the ground away.

 

[littlebighorn]

Eight years ago I had a heart attack while climbing a mountain trying to get in shape for a sheep hunt.
My life was saved by my son being with me, cell coverage, an amazing paramedic and a life flight crew with a hoist chopper. I've dangled at the end of one of those cables with one of those guys tethered to me. An experience no one should ever hope for.

The sound of "Life Flight" choppers are embedded in my soul, and every time one flies over me, I look up, and say a thankful prayer for some very brave heroes!

 

[Blank]

Have flown in them in the service. Haven't needed life flight (yet). If you're in one that goes down, not only are you likely to die, but it's gonna hurt too. Will pass on rides for fun.