Backcountry Rescue

Meet The Host

Jake Urban

The Snow Doctor

Snow and challenging weather influence every winter rescue, and Jake is the hands-on snowpack specialist assessing danger. He runs a snow science and backcountry survival training business when not serving as Deputy Director of TCSAR. This year, his wife and business partner Marilynn Davis is a new probationary member of the team. Jake’s energy and attitude spur the entire crew, and he leads the first-in “hasty teams” to emergency scenes deep in the mountains.

Jess King

The First Mate

Jess holds the entire team together. She fixes broken gear and comforts the families of victims. She rallies the troops and helps explain what’s at stake. We see her mobilize the response, then hold down the fort at incident command. This year, her personal life at home stands in stark contrast to her buttoned-down routine at the TCSAR hangar. For Jess, home life feels scattered while TCSAR remains a well-oiled machine. This year, Jess wants to sharpen her crisis leadership skills and get more involved with the hands-on work of rescues.

Marilynn Davis

Unproven Rookie

As the volunteer training director and resident snow science expert, it’s on Jake to keep everyone safe during winter missions. He runs an outdoor leadership school with his wife Marilynn Davis. This year, Marilynn is a new probationary member on the team. How will she perform and what will it mean for her marriage to Jake? Will they become the happy first couple of rescue?

Flip Tucker

Snowmobile Expert, Mentor to Rookies and “Biggest Hillbilly on the Team”

Another construction guy with a thing for horses and bow hunting, Flip looks forward to mentoring the rookies and leading the snowmobile team.

Dr. AJ Wheeler

Backcountry Sawbones and busy father of two

When he’s not working in the local emergency room, AJ likes to fly fish and bison hunt. Now as TCSAR’s volunteer medical director, he’s responsible for mentoring the rookie paramedics on the team. Will they deliver the kind of care AJ expects? And can one of the best backcountry docs in Wyoming continue to juggle it all?

Cody Lockhart

The Cattle Ranching Financial Advisor

We see Cody carry a side of beef into a restaurant kitchen, then sit down to offer financial advice to well-heeled clients. Cody embodies the old and new Jackson, the down-home and high-class sides of a town he serves as a volunteer on TCSAR’s heli team.

Jon Wiedie

The Fun Hog

Wiedie nearly died skiing. Twice. He lives on around $25,000 a year in a community where that kind of money is a routine mortgage payment. And he’s TCSAR’s whitewater expert. This year, Wiedie wants to spend less time playing and more time out front, leading rescues.

Chris Leigh

Small Town Attorney

Chris rescues his neighbors as a TCSAR volunteer and as an officer of the court. If you’re lost in the backcountry, Chris will save your life. If you’re arrested, he can save your hide.

Anthony Stevens

Eager Rookie and local boy done good

Anthony grew up idolizing TCSAR. But just 10 years ago he weighed nearly 300 pounds and suffered from diabetes. Now he’s lost more than 100 pounds and stands out as one of the fittest, most promising young guns on the team. But does he have what it takes to join Flip’s snowmobile crew and serve as medical lead on rescues?

Jamie Yount

Bomb Thrower

Jamie is both a volunteer and full-time explosives expert for the Wyoming Department of Transportation. This year he’s embracing a new generation of bomb tech to keep his team and community safe from avalanches.