Mt. Washington Rescue

[VTskier]

Well, so it starts, Humm, 1 light between them?? I carry 2 myself and spare batteries, even in summer

http://www.wcax.com/story/33520020/rescuers-help-skiers-descending-mount-washington-trail

 

[sierra]

Is it to much to ask, for people to at least flirt with death, just a bit, before they call for help? Bill them full cost and prosecute if they don't pay. Time to get the word out, that the party is over. I mean, it's the Ammou Ravine, water goes downhill, leads to roads, follow it, you dummies. Yes, I'm sick of it.

 

[DayTrip]

Maybe they should tell them right on the phone that they will be billed for the rescue and do you still want us to respond? Maybe they'll be like the other kids on the Auto Road and decide they can get out of the woods on there own or just deal with an uncomfortable night and walk out at first light. Appealing to money seems to be one of the only ways to get through to people.

"Hi. This is Dan with 911. I can dispatch a SAR team to find you. It's my understanding you aren't properly prepared with the 10 essentials, is that correct? You're estimated rescue cost is $7,600. Should I have the team get started or are you capable of waiting until morning to walk out?". (Yah, I know that would never happen nowadays. If anything, SAR would get sued for having the audacity to tell someone it costs money to go get their negligent ass out of the woods.)

 

[peakbagger]

Remember, the volunteers who do the majority of rescues don't charge and don't get dime of the F&G bill. F&G can only charge their actual costs.

I note the irony in the prior statement, but I think F&G much prefers taking cost out of the equation on rescues until the actual rescue has occurred. I expect a major motivation for the press releases are just to hope they may dissuade another group from heading up unprepared. Despite the large number of rescues since the new policy I have seen only a rare few articles on folks contesting the charges. There could be couple of reasons; F&G is not charging very often, F&G has a heck of court backlog; folks just pay the bill and write it off as stupidity; folks don't pay it and vow they will never walk into NH again. Its a civil bill, no warrants are issued so I expect many visitors just don't pay. I do remember one case with a hiker that had new hips that needed to be rescued on Franconia Ridge contested the charge but think it was before the new policy went in place. I do remember a rescue off Chocorua where the rescuee had her Hike Safe card.

 

[RollingRock]

Yeah, they can ask to paid via credit using iPay before they get rescued.

 

[Jeff List]

I likely saw one of the guys while doing some trail work below Gem Pool on the Ammo on Sunday. (I'm a new co-adopter, helping Raven.)
A young guy came rapidly down the trail w/o any pack -- said he had dropped his pack somewhere above, and was heading down to the Cog hiker's lot to retrieve his ski boots, which he had forgotten. He soon came by again with his boots heading up. That was around 2:00 pm. I guess the boot thing put them behind schedule.

 

[skiguy]

"I guess the boot thing put them behind schedule"

I have not laughed so hard in so long. Well said!

 

[TJsName]

Maybe they should tell them right on the phone that they will be billed for the rescue and do you still want us to respond? Maybe they'll be like the other kids on the Auto Road and decide they can get out of the woods on there own or just deal with an uncomfortable night and walk out at first light. Appealing to money seems to be one of the only ways to get through to people.

"Hi. This is Dan with 911. I can dispatch a SAR team to find you. It's my understanding you aren't properly prepared with the 10 essentials, is that correct? You're estimated rescue cost is $7,600. Should I have the team get started or are you capable of waiting until morning to walk out?". (Yah, I know that would never happen nowadays. If anything, SAR would get sued for having the audacity to tell someone it costs money to go get their negligent ass out of the woods.)

So, should this standard be used for all emergency calls? You started a grease fire - we'll dispatch the fire department once you make a down payment?

 

[egilbe]

So, should this standard be used for all emergency calls? You started a grease fire - we'll dispatch the fire department once you make a down payment?

Property taxes pay for the fire department, no?

 

[ChrisB]

Well, so it starts, Humm, 1 light between them?? I carry 2 myself and spare batteries, even in summer

Skiing in Ammo in Oct? Seriously? Better off at Mad River Glen! (see alternate thread)

I assume they were doing the cleared slope next to the Cog tracks from below treeline down.

The dude from Utah should really know better. They have BIG mountains where he's from.

Back in pre-cell Paleocene these jokers would have stumbled around in the dark for a few hours and eventually found the way home. Ah, the good old days.

Too funny.

cb

 

[DayTrip]

So, should this standard be used for all emergency calls? You started a grease fire - we'll dispatch the fire department once you make a down payment?

My reply was heavily sarcastic. It wasn't meant as a serious solution to the problem. I realize it could not work this way in practice. And for what it's worth, choosing to undertake something like climbing a mountain is (or at least should be) a lot more substantial of an undertaking than frying some chicken. I don't think that is a good comparison for a variety of reasons but I get your point.

 

[David Metsky]

I assume they were doing the cleared slope next to the Cog tracks from below treeline down.

No point in going up Ammo if you're going to do that. They seem to have planned to ski the Ammo Ravine.

 

[peakbagger]

I expect it made perfect sense to them when they drove up. No sense letting reality spoil a good idea

 

[sierra]

So, should this standard be used for all emergency calls? You started a grease fire - we'll dispatch the fire department once you make a down payment?

Don't laugh, but when I lived in CO, one town adopted a "fee" system for the fire dept. When arriving at a burning house, they realized the owner had "opted out" of the system. They let it burn, while he waved his money at them.

 

[Breeze]

SSDD.

Apparently some folks don't know that it gets dark.

Not sure how you educate for that, but for sure a cursory visit to any Tractor Supply store can put a headlamp in your hands for 5 bucks. Buy extra batteries for 2 bucks. Might not be the greatest thing since Wonder Bread and the PBJ but if it saves you 5 grand in rescue costs, it's probably a deal.

Doesn't have to be a Petzel .

 

[TCD]

SSDD.

Apparently some folks don't know that it gets dark.

Not sure how you educate for that, but for sure a cursory visit to any Tractor Supply store can put a headlamp in your hands for 5 bucks. Buy extra batteries for 2 bucks. Might not be the greatest thing since Wonder Bread and the PBJ but if it saves you 5 grand in rescue costs, it's probably a deal.

Doesn't have to be a Petzel .

Exactly right. Headlamps today are light and cheap. People spend tons of time fretting about a change in the weather, which is hard to predict. My God, darkness is absolutely predictable every night. I think this ONE issue (hikers without lights caught by darkness and needing rescue) should be the thing the SAR services use to "make an example."

 

[bikehikeskifish]

Exactly right. Headlamps today are light and cheap. People spend tons of time fretting about a change in the weather, which is hard to predict. My God, darkness is absolutely predictable every night. I think this ONE issue (hikers without lights caught by darkness and needing rescue) should be the thing the SAR services use to "make an example."

The only gear that is required by Baxter State Park is "a flashlight". Or it was the only thing they asked us about last time I went (that and that we did not have out of state firewood.)

I have often wondered... if the national weather service predicted tonight would be dark, would the sun actually set?

Tim

 

[Wayne]

At one of the trailheads for Mt Monadnock there is actually a sign which reads: "BE AWARE OF SUNSET TIME. IT WILL BE DARK AFTER SUNSET." Another penetrating glimpse into the obvious. ��

 

[jniehof]

I have often wondered... if the national weather service predicted tonight would be dark, would the sun actually set?

To be fair, not NWS/NOAA's department, that's USNO.

 

[iAmKrzys]

At one of the trailheads for Mt Monadnock there is actually a sign which reads: "BE AWARE OF SUNSET TIME. IT WILL BE DARK AFTER SUNSET." Another penetrating glimpse into the obvious. ��

This sign must be meant for Alaskans...