2014 Missions

Many teams and incident base staff have participated in the following missions. In our area there are other great teams that regularly participate in missions. What we have reported here is what we saw and in no way do we intend to take full credit for any of these missions.

Mission #: 14-11-01
Date: March 10, 2011
Location: 15 miles west of Truth or Consequences, NM
Subject: Group of 6 Backpackers

A Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) activation was detected approximately 15 miles west of Truth or Consequences, NM for a group of 6 backpackers. The Air Force Rescue Coronation Center (AFRCC) provided the initial coordinates of the PLB and teams were callout. While teams were en-route to the area an updated set of coordinates was received and it was discovered the initial set of coordinates were incorrect. The actual coordinates placed the group in a very remote area of the Gila Wilderness over 50 miles from the initial coordinates. At that time the decision was made to turn around ground resources and allow the New Mexico National Guard Blackhawk handle the mission. Shortly after the updated coordinates were received the subjects discovered that the PLB was malfunctioning inside a backpack and called their group HQ to alert them of the situation. At that point the mission was ended while all teams were in route home

Mission #: 14-11-02
Date: March 24, 2014
Location: Westside of Ladron Peak, Socorro County, NM
Subject: Male Hiker

A 48 yo male hiker was reported missing by his girlfriend on the night of March 23 after he failed to return from a day trip to hike Ladron Peak. NMSP with the help of the Socorro County Sheriff Department located the subject's vehicle around 04:00 on March 24th and teams were called out. The decision was made to start the search at first light. At 07:00 teams met and drove into the subject's vehicle. By 09:30 the first teams were in the field. At 10:30 the decision was made to request the NMSP helicopter ABLE 6 due to the size of the search area and lack of ground resources. Ground resources concentrated on the west side of Ladron Peak and were able to pick up the subjects tracks going up the mountain. At 13:07 ABLE 6 arrived in the search area and was tasked to search from the Peak west. At 13:10 ABLE 6 spotted a person matching the description of the subject and then confirmed that they were the subject. The subject was found outside of the primary search area on a road. A vehicle was sent to pick the subject up. Mission was concluded at 14:45. The subject had minor dehydration and the soles of his boots had separated. After a quick medical evaluation at Incident Base the subject was release after refusing further medical care.

Mission #: 14-11-03
Date: April 6, 2014
Location: Box Canyon, Socorro County, NM
Subject: Male and Female Rock Climbers

On Saturday, April 5, there was a bouldering competition in the Box Canyon Area of Socorro County, NM. After the competition, a group of participants decided to camp overnight. Between 16:30 and 17:30 on Saturday April 5 a 23 yo male and 21 yo female from the group were seen walking away from the main group area with only a crash pad and the cloths on their backs. When the two subjects had not returned on the morning of Sunday, April 6 the remainder of their group contacted NMSP and a mission was initiated. Incident Base was established at 14:00 in the box canyon area near where the subjects had last been seen. Two hasty teams were put into the field in the area where the subjects were last seen. At 15:45, the subjects were located in a cave 300 yards from Incident Base by a team conducting sound sweeps. The subjects were in good health and were released from incident base to go home.

Mission #: 14-12-04
Date: May 16, 2014
Location: Lower Gallinas Campground
Subject: Female

Subject's vehicle was located campground. All tracks from vehicle had been degraded due to wind and time. Search teams did not locate subject or any clues. Mission reopened two weeks later with new evidence. Subject was possibly despondent. Human remains located near her favorite spot.

Mission #: 14-01-10
Date: July 30, 2014 to August 5, 2014
Location: Santa Fe Ski Basin
Subject: Female Gatherer

On Wednesday July 30 a 75 yo female went missing while mushroom hunting with her husband after she continued ahead while he took a break. When she did not return the husband called for search and rescue and a mission was initiated. Crews began searching during the evening of July 30. Socorro SAR sent two ground team members on Friday, August 1 and four ground team members on Sunday, August 3. On any given day of the search, there were in excess of eighty searchers from teams based all over New Mexico and Southern Colorado. The subject was found deceased 1.2 miles from the point last seen on Monday, August 4 and her body was recovered on Tuesday, August 5.

Mission #: 14-11-06
Date: October 26, 2014
Location: Ladron Peak, Socorro County, NM
Subject: Male Hikers

Party of seven hikers hiked 4 miles to summit of Ladron Peak. Two subjects became separated on hike back to vehicles. One called 911 to report he was on unknown road. Subject located before SAR teams deployed.