Mounted search and rescue

["Laurie Adams" <ladams@mtngroup.net>]

I am resubmitting this with a better Subject line:

This is a very timely subject. This last month we had a call out for a
missing 23 yr old. The initial time of the call out was 9:30 pm. The mounted
SAR team was called out as was the tracking team. The tracking team had
found some tracks (we had a good picture of the print from the campsite) and
were trying to determine the direction of travel. Our assignment was to go
ahead of them on a road and then do a grid search of a high probability of
tracks area. The tracking team had some tracks but there were many and it
was proving difficult to find direction of travel. Our mounted team went
around them off the trail about 100 yards and then continued our assignment.
After we rejoined the trail for about another 100 yards we noticed tracks.
We got off our horse and assessed them, took a picture and sent it to IC. It
was the track of the subject. We marked them and then were assigned to
continue on with our assignment the tracking team would pick up the tracks
from there. 
        The tracking team showed up established that the tracks were the
subjects but were rather indigent that we had ridden over some of the
tracks! No mention that we could have saved them a significant amount of
time if they had used a leap "frog approach" and allowed us to follow the
direction of travel then if the sign was lost their talents could used. 
        We tried to do our grid search but in a very rocky area with cliffs,
we decided to tell IC it was too dangerous to do a grid search in that
terrain at 2:30 am. The tracking team was putting up a stink that we were in
their way. So a very savvy IC who had some horse experience redirected us to
a containment, assignment traveling on a perimeter trail. We started the
containment assignment at about 3:00 am (weather was of and on freezing
rain) and went about trying our different scanning techniques and
formations. 
        At about 5:30 am we had noted it was not getting light yet and then
both of us picked up some very fresh tracks! I was in the lead and saw them
ahead and my partner was behind, scanning close to the trail. We got off and
took a closer look at the tracks. They were just like the ones we had a
picture of. We sent another picture to IC and then got back on the horses to
follow the direction of travel. 
        IC sent a set of trackers on ATVs to check out the sign. They agreed
they were the subjects and then blew by us following the track on ATVs. We
went a slightly slower pace and discovered a change in direction of travel
from horseback. ( the subject looked like he was back tracking for a while)
There was a junction in the trail the tracks went to the left and so did the
ATVs we again followed and again found a change in direction of travel from
the saddle. (the ATV trackers had missed both) 
        This time the direction was in the opposite direction was the most
current. (the subject had turned around and come back to the intersection
and went to the right. We called in to IC that we were going to follow this
direction of travel. We were able to follow it at a trot and did sound
sweeps at every high point. The ground had been soft and easy to see prints.
It became a much more heavily traveled, and compacted hard surface trail and
more difficult to distinguish his tracks from the others at our speed. We
slowed down but still could not pick up his tracks. We called in to IC and
asked to have another team come in from the trail head and we were going
back to where we had good tracks and follow them. IC approved our
suggestion. We turned around and followed any side trails to make sure we
had not missed his tracks on them. Within 15 minutes we had located the
subject @ 7:30. We think we had passed him because he had gone off the trail
to when he heard our sound sweep to see if he could see any one. He was
cold, tired, and hungry but besides that just fine. We did an assessment and
asked if he wanted to have a ride out on the horse but he said he walked in
and wanted to walk out. We walked him to the trail head were IC met us. 
        I have had 12 years experience with SAR and 6 years as Mounted SAR.
My partner was a new recruit. With a little instruction he was able from
horse back to follow and determine the subjects sign. The trackers were a
little timid but had to admit that we had been able to track him much more
effectively and efficiently than they were. Mounted Man tracking is
definitely a SAR applicable resource! If there are any skeptics send them to
us!
Laurie Adams SAR Mounted SAR Jefferson and Deschutes County.