[at-l] Unprepared hikers required rescue...

[gaudet@mediaone.net (Arthur Gaudet)]

Here's the news item, it's not about the incident over the weekend, 
but instead about a small, private adventure high school. Seems they 
would know better.


>March 14th, 2001 at 2:26:22 PM
>
>  CONCORD, N.H. (AP) - A Brownsville, Vt., school has agreed to pay 
>the cost of  searching for a group of teachers and students who got 
>lost in the White Mountains  in December.
>
>Fish and Game Col. Ron Alie said Adventure Quest, a private high 
>school that  teaches outdoor skills, volunteered to pay $5,000.
>
>Three teachers and two students spent a bone-chilling night on Mount 
>Lafayette after being caught in a snowstorm. Fish and Game said they 
>were not wearing proper clothing and did not have a detailed map or 
>sleeping bags.
>
>Fines or donations are given to the New Hampshire Outdoor Council, 
>an organization that gives grants to private volunteer rescue groups.



Also, The Boston Globe ran an editorial on Wednesday. It calls for 
the NH State Legislature to create a small hiking fine, $100 for 
small incidents. I'll post the entire editorial separately but he's a 
quote I find has a lot of attitude against those of us who enjoy 
winter hikes and backpacks:

>People make mistakes every day, but mountain-hiking in winter is 
>such a nonessential, extraordinary action that anyone who does it 
>without the proper attention to gear and conditions, and then 
>requires rescue, ought to face a financial penalty.



>At $40K a year in tuition for an Ivy League school, common sense is
>obviously to be avoided as a condition for admission.
>
>Bill.....
-- 
Arthur D. Gaudet         	"Is walking down called hiking, too?"
(RockDancer)  	                 -heard at the top of Mt Washington, NH