From the top of the hill, I could see for miles. The rugged mountain terrain was dotted with ponderosa pine and manzanita, and the pungent smell of sage was in the air. “Keep your
eyes open,” my host said. “We’ve got mule deer, bears, bobcats, turkeys, mountain lions, and coyotes up here?’
“Up here” was Calilbrnia’s San Bernardino National Forest, where at 8,500 feet I was getting a lesson in 4×4 driving tactics from Gary Steffens, a reserve deputy sheriff for the San Bernardino county Sheriff’s Department. For more than 25 years Steffens and his search-and- rescue team have been called upon to find hunters and fishermen who have gotten stranded in this huge expanse of desert and alpine forest. As a lifelong outdoorsman, Steffens knows all about the lure of remote hunting and fishing locations; as a trained offroad driving and survival expert, he is also well acquainted with what can go wrong when you venture deep into the wilderness. So pay attention; his tips have been honed by years of experience. They’ll help you get out there . . and back.
February 08, 2010
