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Covering the Tetons since 1965

Covering the Tetons since 1965

Star Valley Search and Rescue Recovers Body of Idaho Woman After Tragic Fall into Snake River

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On Wednesday, Star Valley Search and Rescue (SAR) recovered the body of Joyce Balls, an 89-year-old woman from Rigby, Idaho, who died after falling 100 feet into the Snake River near Alpine, Wyoming. The incident occurred at a picnic area overlooking the Big Kahuna rapid along U.S. Highway 26, where Balls was with her sister and niece. “They were just sitting there having a nice little lunch, and when they got up to leave, she lost her footing,” Star Valley SAR Captain Clint Erickson told Cowboy State Daily. The fall, described as a tragic accident, involved a steep descent over cliffs into the river below.

The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office Dispatch received a call at 2:20 p.m., prompting a response from Star Valley SAR, Alpine Fire Department, Alpine EMS, and the U.S. Forest Service’s River Crew. SAR deployed jet skis, a boat with four crew members, and a drone operator who located Balls’ body near Red Creek, less than a mile downriver. The drone operator guided the team to a landing point for the recovery. Lincoln County Deputy Coroner Jay Hokanson confirmed Balls died from injuries sustained in the fall.

This marks the second body recovery for Star Valley SAR in two weeks, following the recovery of 93-year-old Ned Eddins from Swift Creek Canyon on June 12. The Big Kahuna and Lunch Counter rapids are well-known in the river rafting community but are notorious for frequent SAR and EMS responses. An automated external defibrillator (AED) is stationed nearby due to recurring incidents, though it could not have saved Balls, whose death was caused by the fall’s impact.

The response highlights the collaborative efforts of local agencies in the challenging terrain of the Snake River Canyon. “It was a very tragic death,” Erickson said, extending condolences to Balls’ family. For more details, visit cowboystatedaily.com

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