Preventive Search and Rescue (PSAR)

Preventive Search & Rescue (PSAR)

What Is PSAR & What Do We Do?

The Catskills Preventive Search and Rescue Committee focuses on education, preparation, and mobile on-trail prevention to reduce hiking incidents. The committee operates within the Catskill 3500 Club.

Mobile Engagement Team

Conducts on-trail preventive outreach through Mobile Engagement Team (MET) / trail patrol activities

Classes & Seminars

Offers educational classes and seminars related to hiking preparation, leave no trace and decision-making

Trail Safety

Supports trail safety and preventive efforts in coordination with the club

Learn more about these below.

MET Team (Mobile Engagement Team / Trail Patrol)

The PSAR MET Team conducts on-trail patrols on popular routes to speak with hikers, observe conditions, and share preparation guidance. MET activities focus on preparation, awareness, and early intervention rather than emergency response.

General Preparation & Trail Safety

Effective hiking preparation includes:

Planning routes, timing, and turnaround points
Accounting for weather and changing conditions
Using complete gear systems rather than individual items
Making conservative decisions, especially on descents

Volunteers Wanted

The Catskills Preventive Search and Rescue Committee works with volunteers in a range of roles, including:

Administrative support and coordination
Education volunteers and instructors for classes and seminars
Mobile Engagement Team (MET) / trail patrol volunteers
Event coordination and logistics support
Data, tracking, and reporting support, including assistance with activity summaries and external reporting

Volunteer roles vary by availability, interest, and skill set. Contact PSAR@catskill3500club.org for more information or to let us know you're interested.

Upcoming Classes & Seminars

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PSAR Articles

It was late afternoon in the Catskills. The light had gone flat, and the cold was settling fast. Near the trailhead, a group of hikers clustered around a woman sitting on a log. She looked pale, her movements sluggish, her hands trembling uncontrollably. Someone nearby mentioned that her clothes were cotton. I was not one of the people helping her. I was just there, close enough to see how quickly comfort had turned into danger. She survived, but the image of her sitting there on level ground stayed with me ever since.

Cotton Kills

It was late afternoon in the Catskills. The light had gone flat, and the cold was settling fast. Near the trailhead, a group of hikers clustered around a woman sitting on a log. She looked pale, her movements sluggish, her hands trembling uncontrollably. Someone nearby mentioned that her clothes were cotton. I was not one of the people helping her. I was just there, close enough to see how quickly comfort had turned into danger. She survived, but the image of her sitting there on level ground stayed with me ever since.

The Victorinox Fieldmaster

Some gear needs to be replaced every season; the Victorinox Fieldmaster does not. I have carried mine through years of countless hikes, winter treks, and low-altitude winter mountaineering, and not once has it failed me. It has never cracked, never dulled, never quit. The blade still opens with that clean, satisfying click that makes you want to flick it open again just to hear it.

Trekking Poles Matter More Than You Think

Trekking poles are lightweight hiking poles that help hikers maintain balance, stability, pacing, and endurance on uneven trails. In the Catskills, they become especially useful during steep descents, wet rock sections, muddy trails, stream crossings, and long elevation-gain hikes.

How Summer Hiking in the Catskills Can Get People Hurt

Now that winter and spring are over, hikers are turning toward summer in the Catskills. Summer hiking carries a certain image: green mountains, dry trails, long daylight, and lighter gear. After months of snow, mud, ice, and short days, hikers move faster, carry less, and approach the trail with a different, more relaxed mindset.

The Worst Thing to Wear in Shoulder Season

Every year in the Catskills, during shoulder season and winter, a predictable chain of events unfolds. A mild parking lot. A reasonable forecast. A short route. Ordinary clothing. Two hours later, someone is shivering above 3,000 feet with wet legs, numb feet, and diminishing control. The trail did not change suddenly. The weather did not shift dramatically. The mountains behaved exactly as mountains behave. The clothing failed.

The Catskills Preventive Search and Rescue Committee is a committee within the Catskill 3500 Club. The committee focuses on prevention, education, and MET / trail patrol activities and does not provide emergency response services.