The Search for a "Missing" Equestrian

The evening of Saturday, July 13, I received the call to assist in the search for a missing woman riding a horse in the Deep Creek area of Apple Valley/Victorville. Wrightwood SAR was working the search through the night, and they needed relief for managing the search the following day. We arrived Sunday morning to find the night shift in an organized command post, tired, a bit frustrated, and ready for a break. Also, we found a stack of plans written, and waiting for personnel assignments. HOORAY! All of you search managers out there take note. If your event is planned for an additional operational period, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE write plans for the next OP. Don't leave this to the relief management team. If plans are not written ahead of time, it delays getting teams into the field. Begin planning the next OP sooner rather than later. Once teams are deployed, it is time to begin assessing your deficiencies and thinking about the next OP.

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In our initial briefing, the source of much of the previous shift's frustration became quite apparent. They had a few "confirmed" sightings of the missing person in wildly different locations. This required them to devote limited resources all over the place. Compound this with the fact that the missing person was riding a horse, conflicting, and delayed, information from the reporting parties, and you have a search area half the size of Orange County.

During operational period 1, search managers were confident in their containment of the area north of the initial planning point with the exception of a couple of areas, so for operational period 2, our goals were to contain the PCT east and west from that location, search the remaining areas north of the IPP, and cover additional areas with sufficient POA. At our disposal were OHV, ground, technical, mounted, canine, and air resources

The IAP for OP 2 included a careful search of Hwy 173 in both directions, areas in the immediate vicinity of the IPP, the southern portion of the Las Flores Ranch area, the PCT to the west, areas to the south of the PCT and east of Silverwood Lake. Due to information that we received, we made the decision to not devote ground resources to the eastern portion of the PCT. Instead, we chose to search that drainage by helicopter.

We knew that the our missing person was with an unshod horse. The difficulty in identifying an unshod horse in loose sand, however, proved to be difficult in almost all track traps. This was further complicated by all of the equine traffic in the area. We had a team that was near the IPP that was on track, but the going was very slow. They obtained track about half-way through the day, but were not able to establish whether the track went east or west on the PCT (they eventually were able to establish the DOT on the PCT, but it was around the same time that our subject was located). 

Throughout the day there were few clues, and many unanswered questions. I still felt that our big hole was east on the PCT. This feeling was further intensified when we received information that our missing person wanted to be the first person to actually ride in the drainage of Deep Creek (east on the PCT). This was the opposite of our previous information that suggested that our missing person was uncomfortable with the steep and narrow trail along Deep Creek. Suddenly that hole widened, so we sent a team to the Devils Hole along Deep Creek to check the trail and drainage for sign. This would be a long drive and hike.

In the afternoon one of the field teams reported that somebody near the intersection of Hwys 138 and 173 reported seeing our missing person the previous day. Two deputies were sent to that location to further question the reporting parties and it was determined that the information was 2nd or 3rd hand, but it was still a clue.

Late in the day a team was re-tasked to extend the search area to the west by driving to every place where the PCT crossed 173 or 138. During this process this team picked up track, and started tracking. As the track improved, we began leap-frogging teams to re-establish the track. We knew that we were closing in when we began to find fresh horse droppings. When the team tracking was within approximately 0.5 miles of the missing person, the airship returned on scene, was able to land nearby, and confirm that we were tracking our missing person. It turned out that she was having the time of her life, on an extended ride along the PCT.

This search was interesting for a couple of reasons. First, there were multiple sightings of our missing person in wildly different areas. This created a huge search area, and proved challenging in the initial stages. Also, this search used nearly every type of resource that the sheriff's department has: ground, mounted, OHV, air, and canine. Given that this search was for an equestrian, the mounted participants were especially helpful in teaching teams about the subtleties of shod vs. unshod hoof prints. Finally, I think the use of the ICS Team was of textbook quality. The initial team (Wrightwood SAR) was completely capable of planning and executing the search. They maintained proper documentation, and provided the relief team with plans. As such, the ICS Team was providing relief for a properly prepared team. This is how it should be. Every team should be able to run at least one operational period. The hand-off was as smooth as these things go, and I hope that this becomes the model for the future.

Comments

[RodB]

I'm curious how you handle cases where the person was not actually missing, but as you said "having the time of her life on an extended trip". Do you suggest she return and help her do so, or simply confirm that she really is OK, and adequately prepared to take care of herself, and then send her on her merry way? I would think that at the very least a stiff talking to would be in order, to let her know she needs to be in better communication with folks at home about her intended route and time of return, so that your hundreds of man hours and tax dollars are not spent in vain. Good read, thanks Jeff. And thank you to all the SAR teams out there who train so diligently, because I suspect that the majority of the time the subject of the search is NOT having the time of their life.

[Jeff Lehman]

It's an interesting situation. You make sure that the person is OK, then send them on their way. The problem with holding the "missing" person accountable for the search is that they may have provided all of the information, but the reporting party, for whatever reason, misinterpreted it, chose to ignore it, or didn't get it. Fortunately this doesn't happen often. In fact, in my 16 years of SAR work, I can only remember this occurring 2 or 3 times.

Thanks for the kind words; they are much appreciated. I must say, however, that SAR members love to be outdoors, so any day in the wilderness is a good one, regardless of the circumstances. Even better when the mission is successful.