Windsor Trail near Tesuque Village
November 13, 2025, 1:26 a.m.
The call came in just after 1:00 a.m.: an elderly local hiker, underprepared for the night, lost somewhere along the Windsor Trail.
November may have been running warm, but it was still November. The subject carried water, but no food, and only a light jacket.
At that hour, it’s no small feat to rouse the brigadiers. Still, one responder, Da Mule, answered the call and arrived at incident base.
Paired with Atalaya SAR, the team pushed up the lower stretches of Windsor trail under a cold, moonlit sky. The forest swallowed sound. Footing climbed steadily—moderately steep, winding through dark timber. Side trails branched off like quiet invitations, each one checked, cleared, and left behind.
Despite the chill, hypothermia stayed a distant concern—for now.
Miles stacked up. Radios crackled. The night stretched long.
By the time they looped back to incident base, 9.18 miles lay behind them. No sign of the subject.
Still missing.
Da Mule received a second assignment: support Jessi and her handler from Pajarito Canine SAR. Jessi—a compact, brown mutt with a good nose and great instincts—had picked up a moderately strong scent earlier. Strong enough to trust. Strong enough to try again.
They climbed.
A mile in, the trail steepened and the scent unraveled. Jessy searched, circled, worked the air—
Nothing. Cold.
Back at incident base, another call went out. Another brigadier answered. “Not A Thorium Bro” rolled in, ready for the next push.
Dawn edged closer. A second operational period loomed.
Then—the call everyone waits for. Subject found!
Alive. Cold, confused, but safe. Located by early morning hikers far up the trail—squarely in the terrain slated for the next search. After 7–8 hours, the mountains gave him back.
The brigadiers stood down, debriefed, and headed home—tired, chilled, and carrying the quiet satisfaction of a good ending. As always, it was a pleasure working alongside Atalaya SAR, Pajarito Canine SAR, and Skyline SAR.