Volume 2, Issue 12
| Top of the Hill | by Mike Dugger |
When I took this job in December of 1995, I knew that one day I would have to deliver something in the way of a farewell from my post as President. At the time, I wondered exactly how I would reflect upon my time at the helm. Now I know.
We've come a long way in the past two years, due in large part to the efforts of many dedicated people on this team. CSAR hardly seems like the same team as we were back then. This is not because of some carefully executed master plan for evolution, but because of the desires of a majority of our members to belong to the kind of organization we have become, and an administration eager to realize this vision. This is exactly as it should be.
During my time in office, I gained a real appreciation for the inner workings of the team, both formal and informal, having a hand in developing the former and being "developed" by the latter. I've had an opportunity to get to know members of other teams with diverse specialties, as well as incident command staff at all levels. While I certainly did not do everything right, I did my best. This experience has done wonders to improve my management skills! The best part of serving as President was getting to know our members a little better than I did before becoming an officer. I really value the relationships I've developed in this position, and hope I can maintain them in the years to come. I encourage all members of CSAR to consider serving as an officer. Serving the team this way is undeniably a lot of work, but at the same time extremely rewarding.
Allow me to offer the following observation as something for us all to consider as we move into the future. I'm sure we have all been frustrated at one time or another about the amount of disagreement during discussion of major issues. However, I know that we are much more closely-knit than other organizations of this type. Our "majority rules" structure of team government, while cumbersome at times with so many type-A personalities, is one of the reasons we have been so successful. We all feel ownership for the direction of our organization. Of course this can be a source of disagreement, but it is also gratifying to know that people feel so passionate about CSAR. A bit of disagreement is infinitely preferable to apathy. Once the team has ruled on an issue, we must all contribute to make CSAR thrive in the direction we have decided to head as a team.
In closing, this has been an experience that I will value for the rest of my
life. We've shared some easy laughs, as well as some character-building
challenges. These kinds of shared experiences develop the sense of family
that I have come to feel with CSAR. Thanks for the memories. It is time for
some fresh new ideas, and I'm convinced that there is nothing that we can't
accomplish if we set our sights on it as a team.
| Boots and Blisters | by Larry Mervine |
Departing as you training officer I would like to list conditions and situations that keep us in business. Factors that contribute to SAR missions are:
Also, would like to thank the team for allowing me the opportunity to be your training officer. I enjoyed putting these trainings together. This does not mean I will no longer be active, but I will be more hidden in the background.
| Hike of the Month | Armijo Canyon and vicinity | 0800, Dec 27/28, 1997\01997 |
| Trailhead: Doc Long Picnic Area, 2 miles up Hwy. 536 from N. 14 | ||
| R.T. Distance: 8 miles | Elevation Min/Max: 7200/7800 | |
| Hiking Time 4.0 hours | Hazards: The usual | |
| Topo Maps: USFS Map of the Sandias | ||
Start on the Bill Spring trail, which begins at the Southeast end of
the Doc Long area. Follow it west to the Faulty trail, and go south on
the Faulty. You'll pass the junctions with the Oso Corredor trail, the
Sulphur Springs trail, the Cienega Horse Bypass trail, and the Cienega
trail.
About one hour and forty-five minutes out, you'll go down a steep hill
with a similar steep uphill on the other side. There is a large dead
standing "snag" tree on the right. (I got a reading on top of the
downhill - 373.3, 3891.2). This is the upper portion of Armijo Canyon.
The Armijo trail is on the left, north of the arroyo. Within fifty
meters, it passes by some pools of water that exist year-round.
The trail stays near the arroyo for about twenty-five minutes, where
it takes a turn left, uphill. (374.7, 3891.4). If you miss this, you
can follow the arroyo as it turns left. Or you can eventually meet the
Forest fence, and then turn left.
Fifteen minutes after the left turn, you'll come to a gravel road-like
portion of the trail, near the big "Private Property" signs. Follow
this to the left (West) and you'll soon be on the blacktop. Follow the
blacktop to the Stop sign, then turn right, following the blacktop up
the hill.
Six minutes past the stop sign, there will be a dirt road on the
right.
Here you can decide if you want the hike to continue for one-half hour
or for one-and-one-half hours. For the short return, follow the
blacktop back to Hwy. 536 and walk up it to Doc Long.
For the longer adventure, take the Cienega Horse Bypass trail that is
across from the dirt road.
This will lead to the Faulty trail and you can return via that and
Bill Springs.
| Business as Usual | by John Mindock |
| Mini Lesson | by John Mindock |
The Danger and the Killer
All year long, mountain weather can change from benign to life-threatening
in a very short time. While most missions do not challenge the searcher's
choice of apparel, it is imperative to carry proper clothing for the
worst-case scenario.
As SAR personnel, we have two antithetical situations to handle. In one case, we are moving along the trail, creating warmth and perspiration. We need to avoid overheating and also release our perspiration to the air. The opposing situation is when we are stopped for an extended time (e.g., waiting for a litter or for a rendezvous with another team). Now our perspiration-wet clothing is no longer heated by our exertion, and the evaporation can rob our bodies of life-preserving warmth. Failure to account for this via proper attire makes us prime candidates for the killer of the mountain - hypothermia.
An in-depth description of hypothermia is beyond the scope of this lesson. Let's just define it as a condition where the body loses heat faster than it can be regenerated, possibly ending in death.
The Three-tiered Clothing System
This system is the proven solution to wilderness clothing problems. The
standard definition depicts an inner layer which wicks moisture, a middle
layer which provides insulation even when wet, and an outer breathable
layer. The outer layer keeps wind and rain from penetrating to the
insulating layer, while allowing water vapor from perspiration to escape.
Representative fabrics for these layers are polypro, wool/fleece, and
Gore-Tex, respectively.
Rainwear
Typically, clothing designed solely to repel rain is not breathable, so it
does not allow perspiration to escape into the air. This can cause a
situation where clothing under the rainwear is almost as wet as if it had
been rained upon. One must keep this in mind when opting for standard
rainwear over the three-tiered system.
Footwear
In cold weather, avoid the temptation to add more socks while hiking,
because they can cut off circulation required to keep your feet warm. A
system that works well for most conditions is a thin liner sock covered by
a heavier insulating sock. Extra socks should be reserved for replacing
soaked ones. In addition, there are various outer sock coverings designed
to keep hike-generated heat near your feet.
For boots in cold weather, choose the Sorel-type if you are going to be snowshoeing, in deep snow, or in severe cold weather, However, for most missions, leather hiking boots (properly treated for water-resistance) handle the job well, weigh less, and provide more support.
Legwear
Shorts are not the best selection for SAR because they fail to provide
protection from hazards. CSAR veterans opt for a pair of cotton/poly blend
BDUs, which are quite comfortable in warm weather. If it's raining or
you're going through wet flora, slip a breathable outer layer over the
BDUs.
There are two situations in cold weather which are best handled by distinct legwear strategies.
When you are hiking, you'll generate a tremendous amount of heat and perspiration. Except in extreme cold weather, there is almost never a need to wear the three tiers of pants while moving. In fact, it is a prudent strategy to keep the insulating and windproofing bottoms inside your pack. For the minimum temperatures we generally encounter, polypro underwear covered by BDUs do the job quite well.
When you stop, add the wool/fleece insulating layer and the outer windproof layer early in the rest period, so you don't begin to shiver.
Torsowear
In general, the same concept about moving/stopping applies to torsowear.
However, because the vital organs require it, you need to be more vigilant
that the torso area is kept warm. Thus you'll want to don the insulating
layers for your torso in conditions where your legs can be comfortable with
less.
Headwear
A large portion of body heat escapes through your head. A hat can
therefore be used to regulate the temperature of your entire body. In warm
weather, baseball-type caps with mesh sidepanels or the longer-brimmed
outdoorsman equivalent are the apparel of choice. In cold weather, you
should don/doff your winter hat (many varieties exist) as required to avoid
perspiration but conserve desired heat.
Cotton and Down
During exertion in cold weather, 100% cotton garments get dangerously cold
when wet. Many deaths have occurred because of hypothermia which cotton
failed to prevent. The common portrait of the rugged outdoorsman in his
cotton long-underwear undershirt, flannel lumberjack shirt, and cotton
hooded sweatshirt is a picture of impending disaster.
Conversely, in hot weather, cotton is quite comfortable because it cools you as perspiration evaporates.
Garments containing down are excellent insulators per pound of material, but they lose most of their insulating value when wet. If you choose garments containing down, it's best to keep them safely dry in plastic inside your pack, and always prevent them from getting wet from perspiration or the elements.
Self-Quiz on Clothing - Part 2
| Who's Who and New | by Bob Ulibarri |
Dave Dixon has completed his perspective period and now able to vote on team policy. So lets all welcome Dave to the ranks of "voting member".
As the end of my term closes in I would like to thank the membership for a great and productive year. We have made a great deal of progress in the membership process. We now have in place a quantifiable measurement for new members to obtain "voting" status. We have passed a set of standards that will only make this team more professional and will continue to increase the amount of respect we get from other SAR teams throughout the state. We have maintained an active core of new members throughout the year that has maintained our membership level in the middle to upper 30s. We are currently updating the Member Guide to reflect current team policy and this document should be completed early next year. You, as a member of Cibola SAR, should be proud of the progress that this team has made. You have played an active role in creating a team that is now one of the most respected teams in the New Mexico SAR community. Every one of you has made CSAR what it is today and you should be very proud!
| Coming Attractions | by Tom Russo |
In the coming volume I hope we can continue to provide an informative resource for our teammates and the wider audience we've attracted through our website. Again, the newsletter is open to contributors of all interests; if you'd like to cast your pearls of wisdom before the team please let me know and I can hound you mercilessly to get your contributions in before the deadline at the first of the month.
The member spotlights for the coming months will be on the newly elected
officers, whoever they may be. Some of these will be reruns, but I hope we
can get some new prose written, too.
| Public Relations | by Mickey Jojola |
| On the Right Track | by Mickey Jojola |
| Web News | by Tom Russo |
I would like to remind everyone that if you are able to access the newsletter through the web, please do so instead of taking paper copies at the meeting. If you've "been meaning to check out the web site" and just can't remember where it is, it's at http://www.cibolasar.org/.
If you have no web access, but have a computer and a modem, come talk to me. I'll get you railroaded to an Internet Service Provider and get you into the 21st century right away.
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| Disclaimer | the Editors |