xkrysis

I was a part of a California search and rescue team for about 10 years. I participated is most major fires in our area helping with evacuations, etc. the "con crews" as they were referred to were always working their asses off when I saw them. Outside of fires, several times when we had major incidents way off of trails/roads they would have one come in and literally clear a swath through super harsh terrain and brush to support access. Usually it was a plane or glider crash. I would identify the con crews by the bars over the vehicle windows. For what it's worth, you guys were pretty badass every time I had the pleasure. Thanks for all the times you helped us out.

I was based out of Santa Barbara, and our county had a pretty big chunk of Los Padres National Forest. Were you ever in those parts and if so when/for what?

I worked for a SAR organization on California and occasionally worked with/around crews like yours. FWIW I've never seen a wildland crew that could clear an access through dense brush like you guys. In our case, it was usually when we needed access to a plane crash deep in the back country and needed to cut a real access from a nearby road once we had bushwhacked in.

Just came here you say you guys are a bunch of bad-ass hard workers. Much respect.

It was a ton of fun (and hard work) most of the time. I enjoyed the training and the chance to learn and get to use lots of equipment that I never would have had access to as a regular joe. The vast majority of our calls were successful in that we usually got to help people and get them out alive. It's one of the things I miss most having moved to another state where there isn't really anything similar.

What's the recipe for the barbacoa?