By Journal Staff

    SODA SPRINGS — The LifeFlight emergency helicopter landed in a remote area of Big Basin near Soda Springs Saturday afternoon to take an injured snowmobile rider to Portneuf Medical Center.

    Josh Goddard, 40, of Idaho Falls, was the rider in the 2:30 p.m. crash, according to Caribou County Sheriff Ric Anderson.

    PMC officials said they expected Goddard to be released from the hospital on Saturday night. He suffered a back injury in the crash.

    Sheriff Anderson said he had no details about how the actual wreck occurred.

    Goddard was one of dozens of snowmobile riders taking part in the poker run in Big Basin as part of the annual Soda Springs Winter Carnival. Big Basin is east of Soda Springs.

    The Winter Carnival’s events included the snowmobile ride and fishing derby activities. Fishermen braved below zero temperatures to dip their lines.

    “The weather was great and we didn’t have any other problems,” Anderson said.