Greetings fellow MRA Members, I hope all of you had a safe and enjoyable summer. As we head into the fall, the board has a few avenues that it is exploring. With the deployment of FEMA teams to recent disasters, the question has arisen as to whether the MRA might be able to create a
Crisis on Mount Hood: Stories from a Hundred Years of Mountain Rescue Ten years ago, when the Hood River Crag Rats turned 90 years old, we had a small celebration for the community. That spawned an idea in my brain. I was a writer before I was a doctor and a rescue mountaineer. I’d written
In Los Angeles County’s San Gabriel Mountains this past August, during a heat wave, a hiker who was out searching for a woman who has been missing since June 22 had to be rescued after falling ill on Mt. Waterman. L.A. County search teams, aided by other counties around the state, had already conducted more
Garmin Reports 2024 inReach Data Many SAR teams have noted the increasing frequency of satellite device activations precipitating callouts, and data from Garmin, which introduced the first inReach device in 2011, backs up that people who recreate in the outdoors are increasingly making use of the devices to call for help when they need it.
It’s been many years since I was in school, but fall has always brought me back to that feeling of starting a new journey. This year, I actually am returning to school for the first time in several decades, having enrolled in a writing program where I hope to marry my two passions – SAR
Fellow MRA Members, I want to thank the Marin County SAR members who made the Spring SAR Exercise such a successful event. It was a lovely venue with many different tracks of interest to all. I would have liked to clone myself to attend all the field and class sessions – which is why it
The 2025 Mountain Rescue Association (MRA) Annual Search and Rescue (SAR) Exercise took place June 12 – 15 in the headlands of Marin County, just a few miles from San Francisco’s iconic Golden Gate Bridge. Hosted by the Marin County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue team, this year’s event was held at NatureBridge Golden Gate, a
A simple call to transport a teen with severe depression turned into a pivotal moment early in my rescue career, during an ambulance ride-along that was required to get my EMT license. Most rescuers have moments that stand out, guiding future care decisions and even influencing shifts in life trajectory. This would be one of
In the mountains, we train for a lot—technical rope systems, backcountry trauma, avalanche rescue. But one of the most time-sensitive, high-stakes emergencies mountain rescuers face gets surprisingly little attention: drowning. It’s something SAR teams around the country have been dealing with a lot recently, from waterfall and lake drownings in the Lake Tahoe, California area,
Alpine Rescue Team’s Dramatic Mission on Torrey’s Peak after Lightning Strike Colorado’s Alpine Rescue Team had an audacious rescue in June on Torrey’s Peak when two hikers were caught in an unexpected storm and one was struck by lightning while on the phone with rescuers. “It was probably one of the more dramatic calls I’ve
As someone who enjoys learning new things and taking on new challenges, I have often taken classes or trainings or committed to a physical challenge to stretch my limits. I have been a journalist, a stay at home mom, a hospice volunteer, a retail employee, an EMT, and trained as a college counselor. I have
Greetings, I hope all of you were able to enjoy the winter season. We’ve had a very different winter in Alaska this year as our climate is definitely changing. At the winter business meeting we asked for suggestions on how the membership could become more engaged with the MRA. There were more than a dozen
Kate Patterson’s first SAR mission was the kind that search and rescue volunteers always hope for. A 71-year-old woman had been missing in remote Mendocino County, Calif., for several days. The terrain was steep and heavily vegetated. Overnight temperatures dipped down into the 40s for the two nights she was out. Patterson, a member of
There are missions and then there are missions. The former often get planned over late night beers, or early morning coffees. You and your friends toss out lines you want to ski, routes you want to climb, partners you can sandbag, and days you can take off work. The latter get planned…well…whenever they choose. Often
The MRA Annual SAR Exercise 2025 will be held June 13 through through June 15. This year’s event will be hosted by the Marin County SAR team and will be held at NatureBridge Golden Gate, located in the scenic headlands of Marin County. The annual MRA SAR Exercise aims to advance the field of search
SAR Teams Assist Los Angeles Fires The January fires in Los Angeles, particularly the Palisades and Eaton fires, had huge impacts on local Mountain Rescue Teams in the area. Altadena Mountain Rescue, Malibu Search and Rescue and Sierra Madre Search and Rescue all dealt with fires in their immediate area, and some had members’
I hope everyone has had an enjoyable holiday season. As we begin this new year, the MRA membership will have an opportunity to determine how they can be more engaged in the business of the organization. Previously, each member team had one vote on matters before the board. The Officers Committee dealt with any matters
On the evening of Dec. 23, California’s Malibu Search and Rescue received a call for a missing 78-year-old male with dementia who was last seen several hours earlier when he went out to retrieve his mail. The call came in at 7 p.m. when the temperature was 48 degrees and falling. The area around the
When I am on a mission with my team on Mt. Rainier, I often think of all those who have come before us. How many people stood where I was at that moment? I think of my journey to this place and how different it would have been if I was not Native American. I
If eyes could see. Vision. We take it for granted until we have eye problems or suddenly lose sight in one or both eyes. As mountain rescuers, eye injury or loss of vision during a mission could turn a rescuer into another victim needing assistance. Self protection is vital for eyes and critical in many
