Date: January 21, 2026
Location: NW of Las Vegas, NM (FR 156)
The call came in at the dark hour of 5:18 AM. A woman, out hunting for firewood the previous evening with her group, had become separated while attempting to head back to her vehicle with her dog. Due to a series of unfortunate events waylaying the rest of her party, she wasn’t reported missing until 3:00 AM the following morning.
By 9:00 AM, four of our Brigadiers—Fearless Leader, Da Mule, Romulus, and Remus—had navigated the winding roads northwest of Las Vegas to reach the incident base. A fifth Brigadier was en route shortly after.
The search area was particularly challenging: the old burn scar of the Hermit’s Peak/Calf Canyon fire. This terrain is notorious for being deceptively disorienting, with downed trees and altered landmarks making even a short walk back to a car a difficult task after sunset.
As the incident base hummed with activity, our team split for multiple assignments:
- Three Brigadiers joined forces with members from Skyline SAR to form a concentrated ground search team.
- One Brigadier remained at base to provide navigation and communication support for an incoming K9 team—handler and their dog, Jesse.
SAR missions are often a test of endurance and patience, but sometimes, timing is everything. Just as our ground teams were preparing to step off for their assignments, the mission reached a sudden and joyful conclusion.
While driving toward the incident base, the K9 team encountered the subject and her dog walking along the side of the road!
After spending a long, cold night in the burn scar, the subject had managed to find a structure to take shelter in until daybreak. Once light hit the canyon, she continued moving until she struck the forest road—right as her rescuers were arriving.
Though cold and exhausted, the subject and her dog were safe and relieved. Our Brigadiers gathered for a final debrief, fueled by the “wonderful vibes” that come with a successful recovery. By mid-morning, everyone was cleared to return home.
We are grateful for the coordination with Skyline SAR and the quick mobilization of our team. It’s a stark reminder of how quickly a familiar task like gathering firewood can turn into an overnight ordeal, and we are so glad this story ended with everyone heading home safe.