RE: [at-l] Billing for rescuing idiots. . . .

[Ronald Moak <ronm@fallingwater.com>]

Jack writes >>   All they're saying is that enough is enough---if you have
to be rescued from the wilderness in New Hampshire, and if it turns out that
the rescue was unnecessary, or that it became necessary due to negligence,
thoughtlessness, or recklessness, you MAY get billed for it.  And this is
perfectly just.  Back in the other world, people take responsibility for
themselves---if you make a mistake, it's exppected that one way or another,
you pay for it.  Why should the mountains be any different?  Life is tough,
but it's tougher if you're stupid.  At least one of Mt. Washington's many
(needless) fatalities involved a rescuer.  Enough is enough. <<

Well Jack, it's nice that you have been bestowed with the infinite wisdom to
judge who is and isn't morally acceptable of rescue.

I only wonder why those obviously moral, learned and otherwise outdoor savvy
folks in New Hampshire don't seem to be smart enough to close the road and
the cog railroad that whisk these idiots (and otherwise moral degenerates)
to the summit of Mt. Washington. (For only a modest fee, of course.)

Why not setup a checkpoint at the bottom of the mountain to make sure
everyone is competent and properly equipped for the venture?

What you fail to realize is that all the advertising coverage of the
mountains in the brochures and advertisements generally paint a pretty
glowing and false impression of the mountains. Sure there are the pictures
of Mt. Washington in full furry. But for every one of them, there are ten
that show the mountain in favorable conditions. 

By its very nature, advertising tends to gloss over the dangers to paint a
glowing picture of the mountains. After all how many people are going to
come up and spend money when the ad reads "Come up, Play and Freeze to
Death"? 

Why aren't the 10 essentials printed on every brochure printed about the
Whites? Along with detailed instructions on how to use them. 

You want people to come and play, yet you're unwilling to accept that you're
advertising is to some extent responsible they are there. Unfortunately, not
all of us have the time to become experts before taking a week off every few
years to go on vacation in the mountains.

There would be a lot less problems on Mt. Washington if everyone had to walk
up.

Just for the record. Personally I find it offensive when we call people
stupid or idiots because somehow they fail to measure up to our standards.
Before we go around making moral judgments of people, we should make sure
our own house is order.

Ron "Fallingwater" Moak
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PCT 2000 Journey - http://www.fallingwater.com/pct2000


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