On Monday, May 30, 2011, 20-year-old Cate McCabe from Paulden was reported missing to the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office. Deputies were told that Cate had gone out with her boyfriend on Friday, May 27, 2011, and had not been seen or heard from since. On Saturday, Cate’s boyfriend returned to the area but was unclear to her family where Cate could be found. Over the weekend, Cate’s family contacted various hospitals in the area thinking she could have been injured in an accident. Cate was not located.
After Monday’s 8:30 AM call to YCSO, deputies initiated interviews of Cate’s family and boyfriend. Deputies learned that Cate and her boyfriend had driven out to the Perkinsville area from Chino Valley on Friday night. They were driving her red 2005 Toyota pick-up. At some point the vehicle became disabled. Apparently an argument ensued and her boyfriend left the area on Saturday morning, eventually hitching a ride back to town. Cate had walked away toward Mingus Mountain and was presumed lost in the wilderness.
Based on this information, deputies and search team members focused their search on areas adjacent to Forest Road 318 and 318A. Just after 1:30 PM, the red Toyota was located by a YCSO Forest Patrol deputy who then spotted Cate some distance away up on the face of Mingus Mountain. The deputy called out to her and was able to get a verbal response. The deputy climbed to Cate and found that she was extremely dehydrated, sunburned and suffering from numerous leg abrasions. She had no water and was wearing shorts. Due to her condition, an airlift rescue was arranged.
The Yavapai County Sheriff’s Response Team, Back Country Unit, arrived and with assistance of a DPS Ranger Helicopter, a long line rescue was performed. Once airlifted to safety, Cate was transferred to a Native Air helicopter and transported to the Yavapai Regional Medical Center, East Campus.
Cate was very appreciative of the efforts by rescue personnel to save her from another night alone in the wild. She is expected to fully recover.