In our first blog spot, we are going to walk you through how we develop a specific set skills necessary to respond to highly technical missions as a professional organization. Before we can start a rescue we have to make sure we have the ability to get there. While our home mountain is right there in our backyard, the Sandias have rugged and wild terrain with steep gully’s and sheer rock faces. Assuring that we have the foundations to get anywhere in this range, it is essential that we do movement training in a vertical world.
Our objective is shrouded in dense, low-hanging clouds. The narrow fin of the Knife’s Edge disappears in the uncanny humid weather. Despite the less than ideal conditions, we still congregate in the lower parking lot, preparing to debrief our intentions for the day–establishing communications, expected roles, distribution of gear and lastly, detailing the risks ahead of us.
Even though it’s just a training, the risks are still as real as ever. This is our normal procession as a team. We practice at trainings so when the need is real, our skills are sharp and our cohesion as a team is seamless.
Through regular trainings in the Sandias we attempt to refine our skills and master the terrain, and while many of our missions take place outside of our
immediate backyard, our regular training and preparation leaves us more than ready.
Imaginably, our gear is used at high intervals and in rugged terrain. The Sandias are comprised of brittle granite with sneaky pockets of cacti ready to damage equipment.
Due to the variability of the landscape and nature of the mission, it’s no wonder our rescuers regularly carry packs of 40 to 50 pounds–at a minimum– in order to ensure we are thoroughly prepared. This year, we were able to shed some of the
weight and upgrade our gear thanks to Juan Tabo Animal Clinic, one of AMRC’s official sponsors.
Our training on the Knife’s edge was a wonderful opportunity to utilize some of our new gear. The narrow ridge line requires timid steps and cautious hand and gear placement. The perilous drops to either side are as unforgiving as ever–but it’s hard to tell how far down it goes with the clouds obscuring the forest floor.
Long days spent in the mountains merit a deeper, more profound trust in your teammates that is mandatory for successful, expeditious missions in the middle of the night. Thankfully, AMRC’s members will be able to move even faster and with more confidence in our gear due to generous community members.