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It's always interesting to read these threads. You get the sense that if the world's views reflected those of many people on this thread, Columbus never would have sailed. Alan Shepard would never have taken his ride. Ernest Shackleton and Edmund Hillary would be unknowns. Chuck Yeager would have stuck to driving his car. And the list goes on.

Folks, society bears the time and cost of these recovery operations because it is this sort of risk taking and bold action that makes this nation great. While this particular expedition didn't turn out well, the net effect of all expeditions is a positive one for society.

Reagan said about people like these, "I know it's hard to understand, but sometimes painful things like this happen. It's all part of the process of exploration and discovery. It's all part of taking a chance and expanding man's horizons. The future doesn't belong to the fainthearted; it belongs to the brave." Here on FreeRepublic the best most people can muster is a variation of, "The taxpayers shouldn’t have to pay for the foolhardy thrill seekers who knew they were taking a big risk. The families of the climbers should pay for their own search teams; they shouldn’t expect the government to pay for the reckless chance the climbers took."

How sad.

Folks, society bears the time and cost of these recovery operations because it is this sort of risk taking and bold action that makes this nation great. While this particular expedition didn't turn out well, the net effect of all expeditions is a positive one for society.

As well as, when required, providing perfect training opportunities to National Guard Pilots and Pararescue Jumpers. Without using these events for training, they would not be able to do their job as effectively in places like Iraq.

"Folks, society bears the time and cost of these recovery operations because it is this sort of risk taking and bold action that makes this nation great. While this particular expedition didn't turn out well, the net effect of all expeditions is a positive one for society."

You also take it out of context...For you any daredevil action is fine, and you are willing to help pay for it.

There is a difference in flying to the moon, and being stupid. These guys would have my support if they had set up a ground crew, or carried proper communications equipment.
Usually a adventure like this has a caveat "At your own risk". This was NOT an expedition. It was a few guys that decided to hike up a mountain at a bad time.
Leaving a note at some unmanned ranger post, to be found only by accident, is hardly a plan.

Will you pay for my funeral if I drive a motorcycle into a brick wall?

Really, I expect them to be found alive, but with todays technology, they could have done a better job of preparation.

It's always interesting to read these threads. You get the sense that if the world's views reflected those of many people on this thread, Columbus never would have sailed. Alan Shepard would never have taken his ride. Ernest Shackleton and Edmund Hillary would be unknowns. Chuck Yeager would have stuck to driving his car. And the list goes on.

Well said. The Lewis and Clark Expedition also comes to mind -- never would have gotten off the ground.

"...Columbus never would have sailed. Alan Shepard would never have taken his ride..."

I don't get your analogy. What great benefit to humankind would come as a result of these guys successfully getting to the top of Mount Hood and back? Unlike Columbus, Shepard etc., we never would have even heard of the Mt. Hood climbers had their expedition not been a disaster. And we certainly wouldn't be hearing about them every fifteen minutes if it weren't a slow news week.

In a free society these guys have an absolute right to climb any mountain they choose, but they don't have the right to expect to be rescued from the consequences of their own choices, especially when such rescue could put the lives of others at risk. I'm for billing the families of these guys, if only to make others think twice before they do something foolhardy.

I wish the rescuers the best of luck and hope the climbers make it back safe. But to equate their wintertime escapade with exploring space or discovering new continents is specious. None of the explorers you mentioned had reason to expect rescue of any kind if their endeavors failed.