No Subject

["Jack Tarlin" <baltjack@hotmail.com>]

    Re. Sloetoe's question:

       No, Mt. Cardigan isn't even in the White Mountains, it's well south 
of them, in Mt. Cardigan State Park.  The summit is 3,121 feet above sea 
level---1700' lower than Moosilauke and 3500' fewer than Washinton.
       The weather over the past few days has been fairly mild, but it's 
changing by the hour; it'll probably be zero or below on Cardigan this 
evening, and much colder in the Whites, especially with the wind.
       If these guys had been higher up, in worse weather, things could've 
been very different, and if they get fined for this nonsense, they got off 
lucky.


      *                 *                  *                  *

    I know that someone is going to comment about the $ and loss of 
wages/lost work time issue by saying something along the lines of "Hey, 
these guys are volunteers; time off from work and other expenses come with 
the territory."  Wrong attitude, folks.  The time and money that rescuers, 
both volunteer and official, expend is an incidental issue.  They repeatedly 
put their lives at risk, for little or no pay, and frequently, for no 
thanks; they expect no rewards, public recognition, acclaim.  They do it 
because it's the right thing to do, and frequently, they do it for people 
who quite frankly, aren't worth the trouble.  To put yourself needlessly and 
foolishly at risk is merely stupid.  To put others at risk, and to take 
advantage of a system where you know someone is willing to baill your silly 
ass out of a problem entirely of your own devising---well, that's 
unconscionable.  Rescue personnel deserve better.  The people that perform 
these rescues deserve more respect; the communities and citizens that pay 
for these services deserve to be compensated for the money that is 
needlessly spent.  Anyone who feels differently should either stay out of 
the high country, or should refuse rescue service when it's offerred.  Right 
now, the system that's in place is being taken advantage of by reckless, 
selfish, inconsiderate fools, and it's high time the system was changed.  
Charging these dolts for their behavior, and publicizing the charging, is a 
great place to start.
______________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com

* From the AT-L |  Need help? http://www.backcountry.net/faq.html  *

==============================================================================