A critically injured hiker stranded on the rugged cliffs of Old Scraggy Peak was airlifted to safety in a high-stakes nighttime operation led by the Montana Army National Guard.
After a man fell from a steep cliff in the Little Rocky Mountains north of Zortman, local emergency teams were unable to reach him due to treacherous terrain and fading daylight. With time running out, the Montana National Guard’s 1-189th General Support Aviation Battalion was called in to assist.
A Black Hawk helicopter, piloted by Captain Otis Smith and Chief Warrant Officer Tom Kinyon, launched into action under cover of darkness. Equipped with night-vision goggles, the crew navigated mountainous terrain and arrived at the scene around 11 p.m. MST. Ground teams guided the aircraft to the hiker’s location using visual signals.
Flight medic Sgt. Randy Scales was lowered 130 feet into the rocky chute, where he stabilized the injured man and secured him for extraction. Despite the hazardous conditions, the crew successfully hoisted the patient aboard and transported him to Billings for urgent medical care. Emergency responders were on standby to receive and transfer the hiker to a hospital.
“This is exactly why we train,” said Capt. Smith. “Being able to support our fellow Montanans in moments like this is incredibly rewarding.”
The operation showcased seamless coordination between state agencies, volunteers, and military personnel—underscoring the Guard’s readiness to respond across Montana’s vast and challenging landscapes.