White Meadow SAR

A 25 year-old male was reported missing five days after walking out of camp with minimal clothing and no shoes.
The day before, CHP h-20 flew over the area. On May 4, 2008, El Dorado Search and Rescue members were called out for a search. Initial ground and K9 teams were taken by Deputy Crawford to the campsite (place last seen) who then fanned out towards the South Fork of the American River.

This map shows starting point, a few hundred yards south of the PLS, as beaconed by a SPOT Satellite messenger, carried by a searcher

Spot-Google Map

Initial clues near campsite were found and some possible sightings were reported. Rattlesnakes and poison oak were in abundance as were reports of recent cougar sightings and fresh bear scat.

Early in the afternoon a ground search team located the subject, deceased; a possible suicide.

Calaveras SAR

EDSAR team members joined members from Calaveras SAR to assist in a multi-agency investigation. The process went smoothly and was well-executed.
Distances logged on foot did lead to some sore body parts.

As the exercise proceeded, Calaveras SO was advised about a missing 3 yr old and family dog, in another part of the county. Calaveras SAR members diverted to this SAR, joined by some of our EDSAR members.

Deputy Crawford reported that the child and dog were found 3-4 miles away from the PLS, good condition.

Wild Turkey Drive SAR

from: http://cbs13.com/local/amber.alert.boy.2.677902.html

Two-Year Old Boy Found Dead After Abduction

SHINGLE SPRINGS (CBS13) ― A two-year old boy was found dead in Amador County after being abducted by his father in Shingle Springs, according to the El Dorado County Sheriff's Office. Authorities had issued an Amber Alert after Andrew Bailey, 2, was reported missing early Saturday morning.

Charles A. Bailey, 50, allegedly attempted to kill his girlfriend in Shingle Springs. The El Dorado County Sheriff's Office says that Charles fled the area with Andrew, his son, in a 1995 white Honda Passport around 7:00 a.m. Saturday.

Charles Bailey was taken into custody in Tuolumne County later that morning, but his son was not with him. More than 70 volunteers are helping police and K-9 units performed search and rescue operations in the area between Shingle Springs and the southern county line, assisted by units from Amador, Calaveras, and Tuolumne counties.

The El Dorado County Sheriff's Office confirmed that the boy was found dead inside a dumpster behind a K-Mart in Martell, CA, in Amador County.

*****

Grid searches were performed by SAR members on the 5 acre property, followed by area/road searches. Further extensive efforts were conducted by Sheriff's departments from El Dorado to Tuolumne county.

Missing 4WD visitor

EDSO was notified on 3-11-08 about "Jeff" who went off in his black Jeep Rubicon with Texas license plates, in the south county, east of Somerset.
Deputy Morgan called out OHV teams to run the roads; no helicopter was available.

Search was resumed on 3-12-08 with the additional callout for management and ground. CHP H-20 was summoned for a flyover.

Jeff was found by a USFS Ranger at Pi Pi Campground. He was stuck in the snow there for awhile.

Placer County Mutual Aid

Two experienced skiers were reported missing after Saturday night, February 2, 2008, out of Alpine Meadows. Placer SAR, Placer EDSO, Alpine Meadows Ski Patrol and Placer Nordic (North Tahoe) searched for the missing skiers. On Sunday El Dorado SAR callout made for Nordic (West Slope) for an OES Placer county mutual aid request.
Skiers were found near Hell Hole Reservoir (over nine miles away per mapping software). In the meantime our team was dispatched:

Grant Nelson said: Gary Kring, Jim Cahill, and I responded on Monday, February 4 to the
callout. Two men in their 30's had been missing since Saturday,
February 2. Winds up to 140 mph were recorded on Saturday night.
Avalanche danger had been rated as high. Our response was delayed by
the extensive black ice present after an overnight rain squall in
Placerville was followed by a clear, cold night. We had to drive very
slowly to maintain control of Rescue 3. We were deployed to a search
area on the Pacific Crest south of Ward Peak. After taking the lift to
a point near the top of Ward Peak, we skinned up in high winds and
blowing snow. We were just about to start skiing up the ridge when
Gary heard on the radio that the subjects had been found! We removed
our climbing skins and got off that wind blown ridge as quickly as we
could! While in the parking lot at CP, we received many "Thank Yous"
and "Search and Rescue rules!" from customers and employees. It was a
really nice feeling! That is what being in SAR is all about!

Community Welfare Checks

A series of winter storms, high winds, rain and snow impacted a number of of El Dorado County communities. Power failures were widespread, also affecting phone switches, cell phone towers, and radio repeaters.
In the afternoon of January 5, 2008, EDSO activated the EOC and called out OHV and riders to check on areas and people who may be in need due to loss of power, heat and communications. In addition CERT members went to work. Radio traffic indicated that the Boy Scouts were on standby.
Areas surveyed included the Georgetown area, Pollock Pines/Sly Park, and Grizzly flats.

Seach Tales updated

Thanks to Ruth P. and the Web committee, the Search Tales narratives (2001-2007) are now installed on the ESARC website: http://www.comspark.com/esarc/searches/index.html

While there are a number of other searches NOT listed, for which we have date, place and other main points, from EDSO logs, we did not receive enough collateral information to post them.

EDSAR Search Notes will continue forward in 2008 by posting highlights of next new search ASAP, so that members can append to that while still "jacked up" and in possession of a good recall of their participation.

Thanks everyone who helped.