August 13th 14:22 our Team Leader sends a text indicating we have a mission in Caballo Canyon just north of Los Alamos requesting 4×4’s and ground pounders. Six Brigade members meet shortly there after at CD-1 along with the Incident Commander. We learn the mission is for a hiker that is struggling with rough terrain and significant downed trees and is running out of water and food and not sure he can make it out before dark. The reason we know this much is the subject can call us on his cell phone. Therefore, we know exactly where he is. We also learn the Los Alamos Fire Department has gone part way up the canyon via UTV. Our mission is to take four wheel drives as far up the road behind the Guaje Pines Cemetery as possible then hike to the subject, treat and take him to the awaiting Fire Department UTV.
We started with two 4X4’s but the road was extreme and only our Team Leader’s Clifford, the big red truck, made it to within half a mile of where the Fire Department was. We ended up splitting into two teams. One team climbed a ridge where they could scan both Caballo and Guaje Canyon for signs of the subject while the rest of the team headed up Caballo Canyon. The team on the ridge soon spotted the subject and team two reached him a few minutes later.
After a short rest and some food and water, our subject was able to finish the hike to the Fire Department’s UTV. The Fire Department then drove the subject back to his vehicle and we reversed the rough ride in Clifford back to CD-1. All ended well.