Posted on 12/17/2006 5:20:45 AM PST by Nasty McPhilthy
A trio of climbers, ascended Mount Hood, under adverse winter conditions — to test their survival skills. The intrepid climbers took gear such as food, fuel, bivvy sacks, a shovel and ropes. These men knew they were taking a big risk – or they would not have taken survival gear with them.
Mountain climbing is a sport for the wealthy who can afford to take weeks off from work to indulge in their expensive hobby.
These clowns have been missing for over a week, and the state is expending tens of thousands of dollars in search and resuce operations.
Why is the sheriff’s department and the U.S Forest Service rangers looking for these men who are addicted to danger?
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.
From USA Today:
“Deputy Gerry Tiffany, spokesman for the Hood River County sheriff’s office, said its office does not charge for its searches.”
I think it’s about time the government starts charging for rescue operations – when it’s a case of adventurers who place themselves in danger.
I’m sick of hearing about the missing climbers; I’m sick of watching the relatives of the missing men on TV praise the courage of the climbers, and I’m sick at the thought that taxpayers are paying for the rescue efforts.
I thought it was interesting that the family of the elderly couple missing last week had actually hired helicopters to search
Lol! I'm not quite as courageous as you are. I want nothing to do with ice or snow, unless it's in my own back yard! I love these mountains, but only in the summertime! :)
One of the talking heads commented that some vehicles that are lost in similar circumstances aren't found for years.
I agree. People who will knowingly put themselves into that kind of well known danger and then expect the taxpayers to bail them out when the smelly stuff hits the fan should have to pay the cost of bailing them out of the bad situation they got themselves into.
Of course I hope and pray that the men are found alive and rescued, but I also want them to pay the cost for the search and rescue. Maybe that would cause some 2nd thoughts in the reckless few who deliberately put themselves in extreme danger without a good reason, knowing full well that the government will move heaven and earth to bail them out at no charge except to the poor taxpayers. Whether the men are found alive or not, this huge rescue operation by both state and federal agencies will have cost taxpayers millions of dollars before it's over with.
Thanks for the Cascade Climbers link. It is helpful to get their perspective.
Don't be ridiculous..
Tell that to the Kim family. Better yet, tell that to the Hugh Glass', Joseph Walkers, 'Broken Hand' Tom Fitzpatricks, Jedediah Smiths, or any of the other Mountain Men who opened the West to American expansion. Doggone, tell it to Lewis & Clark, or President Thomas Jefferson, who sent their expedition. In their era what they did was considered stupid and hazardous. With your logic we'd all be better off had they not heeded their call. What they did was ridiculous.
If I want to climb a high mountain in mid December without a support team at the base, and without adequate communications, should I expect the tax payers to save my sorry ass?
This fits all those I mentioned above. And no, the government didn't 'save their sorry ass'. But without them America arguably wouldn't be the same. No, those today who adventure into the mountains, test themselves in inclement weather, and, perhaps, commit unsaveable error don't do it for the same reasons, or with the same historical outcome, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't 'save their sorry ass'. It's called caring for our human family. Some day someone may 'save your sorry ass'. I pray they're successful.
Nonsense. Those are the kinds of things that many ordinary people have to do to make a living and lead their everyday lives. No one has to climb Mt. Hood in winter to make a living or to lead a normal life.
Of course the climbers were free to put themselves in as much danger as they wanted to, but don't try to tell me they were just doing what was necessary in order to travel on a highway or earn a living. They were simply playing a game, a very dangerous game which they seem to have lost.
Tell that to the Kim family. Were they making a living or living ordinary lives when their tragedy happened?
Where do we draw the line? Where do we say 'This you can do, but this you can't'? Aren't we judging others as our socialist friends do every day when we make these judgments?
No, what I wrote wasn't nonsense. Disaster can happen to anyone, at any time. If you wish to be the one who determines who lives or dies, or who must reimburse society for their rescue as opposed to who doesn't, then be my guest. I'll just remain thankful should these people survive, regardless of their stupidity. I guess that's the Christian in me.
just reported ...one found dead
Oh man, terrible.
"Climbers know the risk. I believe, they have to sign an agreement to pay rescue cost if something should happen."
____________________________________
PROBLEM SOLVED!! Wealthy mountain-climbers pay for any unforeseen rescues AND rescue folks get good practice!
No money....no funnie.
I just saw that on Fox. Thanks for the heads up. Tragic, and I pray for the deceased and the family.
More nonsense. Lewis and Clark were doing a necessary job for the nation. The mountain men were out there to make money by trapping beaver, and they neither expected nor received any help from government.
OTOH, the lost climbers were playing a dangerous game for the sport involved. No one's property would have been injured and the nation would not have lost any benefits if the climbers had not gone up that mountain. That isn't even close to being the same thing as a vital military expedition in the service of the national interest such as Lewis and Clark's Voyage of Discovery.
Nowhere. No line necessary. Everyone gets rescued or can be assured that someone will be making the attempt.
But be warned. If you choose to put yourself at risk in a foolhardy fashion...be prepared to pay the bill for the rescue. Should you survive.
The Kims weren't being foolish. They made a mistake in choosing the proper path through the mountains on established roads.
These climbers are a different story.
One of them is dead, sort of makes paying for the rescue unnecessarily punitive don't you think?
I assume the Kim's were the couple whose car ran off the road in NC last week. If so, you're making another nonsensical comparison. There is nothing at all unusual or abnormally dangerous about driving from one location to another to visit family or friends, to conduct business, or for any other common reason. Millions of people do it every day, and in almost all cases they pay for insurance to cover the cost of any damage they may incur to life, limb, or property while traveling.
OTOH, very few people take their lives in their hands by attempting to climb an 11,000 ft mountain in winter when conditions are unusually hazardous to life and limb. No matter how many nonsensical examples you come up with you can't compare what is happening on Mt. Hood to the rational actions of 99.999% of the people who value their lives enough not to do something stupid just for the sake of daring to risk the very high odds against survival. If some people want to do that and take the risks on their own shoulders I don't object in the slightest. I just don't want to help pay for rescuing them from the inevitable results of their reckless behavior any more than I want to help pay for the cost of recuing drunk drivers from the inevitable results of their own stupid behavior.
In hindsight, yes. But at the time it was considered 'nonsense' by many. The Louisiana Purchased was highly contested. So was the funding for, and whole idea of, the expedition. It became popular only after they returned (belatedly and after much concern back in Washington) with only one fatality.
If you believe the Mountain Men traveled West solely for monetary reasons then you don't know your history. There were more lucrative and less demanding jobs in the States. And if it weren't for them, England and France could possibly have claimed large portions of the territory. No, there was far more at play with them than self-interest.
Now there is one confirmed dead among the climbers. I suppose by some logic on this forum we should be celebrating the cleansing of the gene pool once again. Well, have at it. But pardon me if I don't attend the party.
My point was that one can climb many mountains, at least from a base here in the U.S. on a much smaller budget than Everest requires. You can climb Mt. Washington, in New Hampshire, and that mountain has climbed many lives over the years as well. Some mountains have a high casualty list. I think of Mt. Hood on those terms.</p>
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