Comms: 155.160 offers good coverage. Cell service may be marginal in the canyon.

Water Evacuation: The Sheriff’s Office Dive Team has developed a raft capable of carrying one patient in a stokes litter. A minimum of four Swiftwater Rescuers are necessary to guide and control the raft. The raft package is best deployed from the west side of the river, directly across from the Hot Springs (see above).

Air Evacuation: It is possible to extract patients from the Hot Springs area with a hoist capable helicopter. This should be an option of last resort as the Wind River Canyon in this area is deep, with steep walls on both sides.

Carson Hot Springs Map

West side

Hot Springs Golf Course, stay right, follow edge of fairway past maintenance shed, past green house, switch back, follow road to parking area. From there, a trail heads north, downhill. A trail on the right goes south, down to the west bank directly across from the Hot Springs. Or continue north on original trail to the footbridge.

Once across the footbridge (on the east side), the trail goes around the top a cliff (significant fall hazard!), then drops to river level. When water level is low, shoreline may followed to hot springs. During high water, its best to go up-and-over a ridge to the springs.

East side

From Hwy 14, take Berge Rd. north to Indian Cabin Rd. (on left), follow down under powerlines to parking area.

A trail heads north, in a short distance a slide has cut the trail. When water is low, following the riverbank provides (rocky) access up the river. Following the trail across the slide is difficult, and presents significant challenges to patient evacuation. After the slide, the trail encounters a large fallen tree's root ball. Here the trail splits into (at least) three parts; the middle of which is marginally better.

Large boulders cover a 800’ section of the hillside. Immediately after the bolder field, a shoulder of rock blocks further access up the shoreline (approx. .5 mile from parking area). From that point, up to the Hot Springs, evacuation by raft (see Water Evac. below) should be considered. What is left of the trail goes over ridgelines and down through drainages – it often splits, is very rough, and extremely difficult for stokes evacuations.