Like most of you, my reason for getting involved with search and rescue in the first place was the field work. After all, Cibola’s reputation is built on action - showing up and getting the job done when we are called to do so. Initially, my motivation was simply to do something to help someone else. After training and searching with many of you for several years now, I enjoy spending time with my team members as much as I enjoy the satisfaction of contributing to a find. I truly value the friendships I have made as part of this team. But I have come to realize that being a member of this team means more than just showing up in the middle of the night to help someone you have never met before. I call this the "fun stuff." To keep this team running smoothly so we can continue to do the fun stuff, there is a lot of "other stuff" that must be done. For instance, reports to our funding sources and the state corporation commission, taxes, coordinating with the state SAR office, organizing training, bringing in new members, organizing our participation in events, etc. Cibola has developed a reputation for our dedication to the community, performing our duties in as professional a manner as possible, and being on the cutting edge of methods to improve the level of service we provide. A lot of time and work has been invested to get us where we are, and much work still goes on behind the scenes to maintain our reputation for excellence.

Our primary motivation will always be to provide search and rescue services to the community. This means training for and responding to missions. As active members, however, I think we all have a duty to contribute to the running of the team as well. Why should all the "other stuff" be done by a handful of people, while the rest of the team gets to do only the "fun stuff?" At the end of this calendar year, many of the current officers and committee members who have served this team well for the past year or two will be taking a break from administrative duties. I encourage all members to consider other ways they can serve our team, and volunteer for administrative assignments. Let others know what position you are interested in. Ask someone to nominate you for an office. We should share the tasks that keep this team running well, in addition to the rewards of participating in missions.

Boots and Blisters

by Larry Mervine

• ESCAPE
  I would like to thank the 28 CSAR members who participated in this year's ESCAPE. I know Melissa and I had 42 people attending our Search Techniques class. We had a number positive comments.
• June 12th 6:30 PM
  The pre-meeting training this week is peak indentification. With the use of your Topos and a compass, we will locate popular peaks (Sandia Crest quad topo).
• June 14th Summer Bivy Santa Fe
  The location is 0429.8 E and 3961.9 N (Aspen quad topo). Be at this location by 6:00 PM. Find the best way there and record the trail you chose indentifying points along the way. Mike will be giving a summer clothing talk and the rest of the night is up to you.
• July Training
  We will have a mock search so be ready and expect the unexpected.

Hike of the Month	Canyon Estates, South Crest, and CCC trails	0730, Jun 28/29, 1997
Trailhead: Canyon Estates parking lot - see member guide for directions.
R.T. Distance: @8 miles	Elevation Min/Max: 6600/9400
Hiking Time: @4.5 hours	Hazards: Unleashed dogs.
Topo Maps: FS map of the Sandias

The first portion of this hike takes you on the South Crest trail, past a waterfall which usually has some water. Cross the creek below the waterfall, and take the trail to the left up the hill. After that, it is a steady uphill westerly trek, with some great views of the Manzanitas. Two hours later, the trail turns to the north, and you'll soon see South Sandia spring. This spring is a reliable water source year-round, except for drought years like 1996. After 2.5 hours, you'll arrive at 'Deer Pass', the junction of the South Crest trail and the Embudito. (370.2, 3886.5). This is one of three places where one can cross the Sandias from East to West. There will be a signpost here, if it is not removed by vandals. Less than one minute further, on the right, there should be three rock cairns marking the top of the CCC trail. (If you miss this, you'll have to go down Bart's trail, adding at least three hours to the hike.) The CCC trail was constructed in the 1930's by CCC personnel for a shorter route to their work locations. In the past year, many rock cairns have been placed along the trail, so you should be able to follow it as it winds down the hill. It ends at the Upper Faulty trail, a few yards east of the South Crest trail, via which you'll return.

1. I see/hear you on the missions itself, or
2. I see/hear you on the road to/from the mission, or
3. Someone else on the mission tells me that you have deployed, or
4. The person handling the hotline tells me that you deployed. If a mission ends prior to your deployment, you do not get credit. As was mentioned in a previous newsletter, it's important to leave a deployment message on the hotline for a number of reasons - getting credit for attendance is only one of them.

The Member Guide committee met on May 27 to discuss final modification of our totally revamped Member Guide. A lot has changed since the revamped version was issued last October. The committee decided to move a lot of background information intended only for new members to a separate document, and keep the Member Guide specific to our policies and procedures. Writing assignments were made, and the new document will reflect our current procedures. Final issue will await decision on required standards and training, supplied by the Standards Committee, which is operating in parallel. The next meeting of the Member Guide Committee will be Monday, June 30 at 6:00 pm at the Dion's in Four Hills plaza, Central and Tramway.

Coming Attractions

by Chuck Girven

• July's member spotlight will feature Tom Russo.
• July's and August's feature article will be a two part series by Mickey Jojola on the danger of pathogens related to SAR and precautions we need to take when we are in the field.
• We are looking for good web sites that you have discovered pertaining to SAR topics. Please send us e-mail with any URLs that you'd like to share with the team and we will publish them in the newsletter.

Back at home, the canine unit has finished the K-9 mission-ready evaluation standards. The Canine Resource Committee will have a meeting on Thursday, June 19, at 6:30 pm at the IHOP at Central and Tramway. Anyone interested can attend. We are also planning a weekend training (Sat. overnight) for this summer, probably in July in the Jemez. Mickey Jojola is putting it together, so see him for details. As always, anyone interested in helping us train, please just let us know!

Member Spotlight: Bob Schwartz

I was born in Dover, Delaware in 1955; at least that's what they tell me. Dover is a small but fairly urban community, and growing up I really didn't do too much in the great outdoors. My older brother and only sibling was probably the biggest influence on me; whatever he did, I wanted to do too, which probably explains how I wound up in a technical field. Most of my family still resides on the east coast; my folks are still in Delaware, my brother is in New Jersey (it's not as bad as you've heard) and my aunts and uncles are in Pennsylvania.

Since graduating from high school, I lived in several different states depending upon where I was attending school or working. I spent seven years in North Carolina, while completing my BS and MS degrees, five years working in Ohio, five years completing my doctorate in Illinois and now almost eight in Albuquerque while working at Sandia. I became interested in the outdoors while in Illinois when I took a motorcycle trip to Yellowstone, a place I'd always wanted to visit. Spending more time in the outdoors, and doing more than just car camping has only started since I've come to New Mexico, and it occurred kind of by accident. One of my friends from work who had backpacked almost 1000 miles in the Grand Canyon had planned a trip to the north rim of the Grand Canyon and his partner had to cancel at the last minute. Although I had never done any backpacking I figured, heck, how many chances do I have to get a guided tour of the Grand Canyon. We did two back-to-back trips, one for four days (30 miles) and one for three days (22 miles), and the rest as they say is history. Since that first trip to the GC, I've returned for many others and have now hiked about 250 miles within the Canyon. I have way too many pictures of the place, but could probably tell you where and when each of them was taken. I've also been fortunate to visit many of the other national parks out here, including Yosemite and Glacier, which to say the least, are spectacular.

I became interested in Cibola Search and Rescue as a result of one of my Canyon trips. Mike Dugger, myself, and another friend of mine were hiking on a trail out near the eastern end of the Canyon known as the Beamer, which heads up to the confluence of the Colorado and Little Colorado rivers. It was probably about 1060F (in early May) and after lunch, about two miles from the nearest water source, my friend sits down on the trail and says "I can't take another step". Needless to say, this caused more than a bit of concern to Mike and myself. The heat and her consumption of purified water had conspired to screw up her electrolyte balance. By getting her to drink some Gatorade and with Mike and I carrying all her gear (with Mike getting more than his share) we were able to make it to the river and the camping spot. For me, this was the second most harrowing experience (if you don't count rattlesnake encounters) I've ever had backpacking. On the hike out Mike and I somehow got to discussing Cibola, which eventually led me to joining the team, which I have thoroughly enjoyed. It's been a great way for me to give something back to the community and I also feel I've become much more knowledgeable about surviving in the great outdoors.

As many of you know, I have recently decided to leave Albuquerque for employment in South Carolina at Clemson University. In leaving, I can honestly say I've enjoyed knowing and spending time with each of you in the field. I will long remember the dedication and professionalism of our team, as well as the expertise and caring (toward subjects and other team members) that you all have demonstrated. I also won't soon forget the summer monsoon on Capilla Peak (I no longer believe that Gortex is water-proof), seeing parts of New Mexico at 3 am, hiking through waist-deep snow, the humor and camaraderie we shared on many training exercises, and spending a night in a snow cave on Mt. Taylor. You have my best wishes for the continued success of CSAR and my admiration for its commendable contribution to the citizens of New Mexico. Keep up the great work!

Bronze Boot

I'd like to nominate Bob Ulibarri for the Bronze Boot award. I think he has done an outstanding job in the Membership Officer position: he tries to maintain the integrity of the team, makes sure new members start with a good basis and understanding of the team and it's goals, and basically shows that he cares.

NMESC Notes

by Mickey Jojola

This year's ESCAPE went quite well. We had great attendance with some of our own members teaching classes. I would like to thank all of the Cibola members who helped make this another successful ESCAPE. After the elections, the new board is in place. We have a few new faces (since John has left the board to pursue the PACE committee). Those currently on the board include:

Jon McCorcle, AMRC, Chair
Mickey Jojola, Cibola, Vice Chair
Ray Rogers, Mountian Canine Corps, Secretary
Kaye Sinclair, BCARES, Treasurer, Funds and Goals Chair
Charlie Hosford, Los Alamos FD, La Cueva FD, Training Chair
Bob Lathrop, Chaves County Off Road, Membership Chair
Alana Rushton, St. Johns, ESCAPE Chair
Jason Flesher, Zuni SAR
Jim Schwiner, CAP
Brian Holcomb, AMRC
Steve Andrus, Taos

Mountain Lions
Mountain lions are usually calm, quiet, and very elusive animals. They are usually found near adequate cover and an ample food supply. These conditions can often be found in mountain subdivisions near large open areas. With ever encroaching housing and more and more people using the open areas, it's only natural that these "close encounters" will happen. The following are some suggestions I found that you may wish to tuck away in case you ever find yourself in such a predicament with a mountain lion:

• Don't hike alone; go in groups and make plenty of noise.
• Do not run from a mountain lion. Instead, stand up and face it and make eye contact. Running could activate its natural instinct to chase.
• Keep children close to you. Studies of captured wild lions show that they are especially attracted to children. If you have children with you, pick them up to keep them from panicking and running. Though it would be difficult, pick them up without bending down or turning your back to the mountain lion.
• Don't bend over or crouch down. Humans are not usually the shape of their usual prey, but if you bend down, you might resemble something that is.
• Make yourself look BIG. The idea is to make the mountain lion think you could be a danger to him. If you have a coat on, open it up. Raise your arms over your head and slowly wave them. Speak firmly and loudly.
• Do not approach a mountain lion especially if it's feeding or with young. You're inviting trouble if you do.
• If attacked, fight back. Stay on your feet and face the cat. Use your coat, rocks, sticks, even your bare hands to defend yourself. Mountain lions usually kill their prey by biting the back of the neck or head and breaking the neck. Keep standing and you have a better chance!

Bears
In our area the most likely bear you might encounter would be a Black bear. It is important to note that the tips I gathered deal with Black bears, NOT Grizzly bears who behave very differently (if you're going into areas where Grizzly bears are known to be, study up on their behaviors and get advice on what to do and what not to do for that particular species). If you encounter a Black bear you can often chase it off if your actions overcome his desire for your food. Do not attempt aggression with a Grizzly or a mother with cubs, or if you don't know the species of the bear. If you see a bear in the distance and it does not seem to be aware of you, move away from it and don't make any sudden moves or loud noises. Try to be aware of the bear's direction of travel. If it's a mother with cubs, go in the opposite direction and get as far away as possible! Here's more advice for dealing with Black bears:

• Hike in groups and make noise. Be aware of what's going on around you. Loud noise will help decrease the chance of a surprise encounter.
• Don't run, remain calm, talk to the bear in a firm, monotone voice. Don't scream at it. Avoid sudden movements that could startle it. Leave a way out for the bear - don't let it feel cornered!
• Back away and give the bear space. If backing away seems to agitate it, stop and wait for it to calm down, and then start backing away again. If you back away and get out of sight, don't run but walk rapidly away from the bear. Try to pick the most open route with good views of the surrounding area.
• Bears will sometimes bluff charge to get you to drop your pack or throw food at it for a diversion. Don't reward the bear for this behavior.
• Look for climbable trees. Be aware that Black bears are excellent climbers. You will need to be at least 10 feet up the tree before the bear reaches it. Bears have been known to pull people from trees because they didn't climb up far enough. If you climb a tree, stay in it until you're sure the bear has lost interest (maybe hours). Be patient and smart!
• Try to be mildly aggressive to a black bear if it looks interested (not a mother with cubs). Throw rocks and/or sticks, blow whistles, bang on cooking equipment. Throw a hat, coat, camera, or anything but food down as a diversion. If you give it food, it won't lose interest.
• Don't make eye contact or mimic the bear's behavior or noises.
• Don't ever turn your back on a bear.
• Surprise encounters with a bear may result in a charge. If the bear approaches on all four legs with its ears laid back or is making woofing, barking, or moaning noises, or is clanking its teeth and jaws, it is demonstrating that it's nervous and agitated. Obviously by this time so are you but try to remain calm. In an actual attack, play dead but protect your vital areas (abdomen and neck). Keep your pack on for extra protection, drop to the ground, bring your legs up to your chest, bend forward so your forehead touches your knees. Protect your face with your forearms. Bring your arms close to your body and your elbows on the outside of your legs. Interlock your fingers behind your neck. Do not fight or struggle, but try to remain motionless and quiet. With a bear pawing and biting you, this would be extremely difficult advice to follow, but it could make the difference between whether or not you survive the attack. If the bear stops, don't move but wait for at least 20 minutes, then carefully peek through your arms, but stay in your fetal position. Listen very carefully for any noise. The bear could have simply moved away but still be watching you. Any movement could renew the attack. Be patient, a bear has been known to stay in the area for over an hour. In the worst case scenario, if the attack persists and you believe the bear is not going to stop, fight back using everything you've got. Bite, kick, hit all you can. This is where traveling in a group comes in handy. Other people can attack with rocks, sticks, noise, anything that can provide a distraction. Fighting has been known to turn away black bears.