Mono County Sheriff's Search and Rescue Team History Archive

I created the Mono County Sheriff Search and Rescue Team website in 2001. Several years later, using newspaper clippings, pictures, and other material saved by Dori Leyen's mother Nickie Leyen plus material I had collected, I put together the team history from 1981-82 through 2015. I printed that in black and white and put it in the Team Library in several notebooks along with DVD's containing the source material.

The SAR Board via Heidi Vetter printed it in color in four volumes which were presented to Webmaster Don Deck. There were indications that a second color set was going to be printed for the Team Library. I don't know if that actually happened. The pages here have been slightly edited from the original pages.

I retired as Webmaster in early 2018. Given the amount of time spent creating the 1981-2015 book, I didn't want it to get lost so I recreated it here on my own website. I have added information for 2016, 2017, 2018 and started 2019. There may be some information missing for 2018.

Dedicated to Pete Schoerner

Pete Schoerner - Dean Rosnau Photo
Click Picture For Information
Nasar Plaque
Click Picture For Information

The Mono County Sheriff Search and Rescue Team originated in June Lake in 1966, and was called the June Lake Mountain Rescue Team.

The Mammoth Lakes Search and Rescue Team originated in Mammoth Lakes in 1978.

The two teams cooperated in training, searches and rescues until October 1985 when then Sheriff Lloyd Wilson stipulated the June Lake Search and rescue Team as "the officially recognized search and rescue team in Mono County." Copy of letter. Most members of the Mammoth lakes SAR Team joined the June Lake SAR Team.

The name of the team was changed in 1994 to reflect the fact that it is the official search and rescue team for all of Mono County.

When needed, the team is called out by the Sheriff's Search And Rescue Coordinator.

All of the members are volunteers, and work without compensation of any kind, other than the great rewards from having helped to save a life.

Some contribute hundreds of hours per year and drive as much as 2,000 miles to attend training and team meetings.

The team operations leaders develop plans to accomplish each mission, and assign team members to specific tasks.

The Sheriff's department assists by providing support services such as dispatch and initial callout, investigation during searches, and acquiring outside resources such as helicopters and meals.


50th Anniversary
1966 - 2016

The team started construction of their new building in 2011 and moved in in 2013.

SAR Building - June 10, 2013

Check out the Team Website for information on joining the team, making donations to the team and recent Search and Rescue Missions (Operations).

The following articles describe the highlights of team activities.