I'm all for winter hiking but come on, with a forecast like that that should be considered reckless hiking. Just what the fish& game needs right now. Time to step up and hand over the bill to the rescued to make an example for others to keep in mind. Glad he made it but he's still a dumbass.

Do the F&G have a dedicated Rescue Team or does the local Fire Departments do it?

charge them just like they do for kids that run away

Absolutely charge them!!! I mean how dumb can you be!!!

Absolutely agree.....but if they want him to write a check for the fine they better do it quick, I hear he may be short a couple of digits pretty quick courtesy of good ol' Jack Frost!

I agree, send him the bill.

Send him the bill, next time he will think twice. He's probably writing a book as we speak, and will make some money with it. They should have left him in the woods, they would have found him in the spring hugging a tree.

send him the bill, why should the rest of us pay for his stupidity!

Yes he should pay. I've often thought the state should require hikers to have some type of insurance to cover rescue costs, but i don't know how they would enforce it.

Probably only on long straight sections of the hiking trail system! :laugh:

In that wonderfull hiking trip . He should be responsible for all rescue fees never mind his freinds that left him behind they should be billed as well. Our hunting and fishing dollars have been bailing these so called extreme hikers for way too long. I'm glad he's ok but things can go very bad when looking for a lost person. He needs to get his ass out in public and thank all that looked for him and step up to the plate and make a huge donation. If he has no assets he ought to spend the next ten years educating children in schools about the dangers of hiking in winter and how to choose better companions, ones that don't leave you behind. BILL HIM $$$$$$$$$

He must be in need of mental help, who hikes in those conditions?
F&G could have a remote credit card terminal, they swip your card BEFORE they carry you out.
IF you don't have your card on you they could enter your account # in manually, like when you buy over the phone...
THEY could even offer "group rescue discounts"
"MASTERCARD... it's everywhereyou want to be, and even someplaces you don't want to be.."

He should not need to pay.

Don't fool your self they don't carry them guys, they run the show, volunteers do the carry out. I have done some carry outs over the years.

Charge the shit out of him why should anyone else pay?

8 Conservation officers, 2 multi million dollar choppers, Fuel??? 4 man crew each. 20 some odd volunteers all missing work.

Will that be cash or credit sir?

Wardens where on the clock anyway. They may have made some OT. Choppers were N Guard and would have burned the fuel on training if they were not flying rescue. And the volunteers are mostly winter climbers and many love the extreem, they did not need to go. The money would be spent anyway.

Understood, But wardens are being paid for by WHO???
Good thing I registered my sleds last week.

To bill the hiker in this case really is not about recouping the total costs of the operation, but instead should serve as a deterrent to such stupid behavior in the future.

Just like the fines handed out by Fish & Game officers (and all other law enforcement agencies in the State, for that matter) never cover the true cost of the actual enforcement, but are put in place and based on the hope to minimize future infractions.

By continually being involved in these types of rescues and never holding the negligent responsible, the State only encourages the foolish behavior to continue.

Fish & Game cannot continue to cry poverty because of these type of operations while continually looking the other way when it comes to holding these individuals responsible.

Finally, let me make it clear that I do not blame or hold responsible the Conservation Officer out in the field for these types of decisions. These officers are put in impossible situations on a daily basis with little recognition or understanding of the perils they face. Rather these political decisions are being made by career political appointees in Concord that, quite frankly, are out of touch with what is actually going on out in the field.

Just my $.02

So an ad should be put out TO ALL MORONs go get lost there are people standing by to look for you when you fuck up at no cost to you. Thats part of the problem in todays world people arent responsible for there action enough because they know others will do it for them.

Exactly.

Could not agree more. The concept of charging him is not to recoup costs, but to prevent future fatal accidents. As a winter climber myself, you have to have COMPLETE awareness of the situations around you. If you don't, climb the f* down. It took me 3 tries to summit Washington in December for example. I have heard and seen firsthand hikers who rely on F + G and the AMC search and rescue team as "an out" should they get in a bind.
This has to stop or someone will end up dying out there.

How about a $99 GPS????? They said he was in contact with F&G through a cell phone on Sunday so why couldn't he carry a GPS to tell them EXACTLY where he was?? I am all for rescue when people are in trouble, accidents happen but you need to take reasonable precautions yourself.

Maybe HE should be the one who goes ot on the next rescue.

So on one of your trys if you had fallen, caught a crampon, blown up a knee and someone had to come get you this board would be calling for you to pay too.
shit goes wrong many have died out there all ready some that were every well prepaired and experianced

If I am on a winter hike and need to be rescued for ANY reason I expect to have to foot the bill. (It's the LAW by the way.) It's my decision to be out there not anybody elses.
That being said I would never go on a trek such as happened last weekend on Mt. Lafayette. Common sense tells me not to.

that was a good one

The most experienced hiker got separated from the other 2 while descending in whiteout conditions.
You would think they would rope each other together to keep from separating and possibly falling. In another article I read that he did'nt know what side of the ridge he was at. That article is no longer on line but the link below is a good detailed story for those of you who are still interested.

http://www.concordmonitor.com/apps/pbcs.dl...0363/0/SPORTS01

It was plain dumb and stupid to go climbing in those weather forecasts! I think thats the real point here and sure why not give him a fine? He should of at least had a cell, which alot do now that has GPS on it! He endangered the lives of all that went looking for him! AS for his friends chemical castration!
They have no Balls anyway's

I would also ad, fish and game have a very dangerous job! not only do they go into rescue modes, but think about this they are in the woods noone around looking for guys breaking the laws pouching, I dont spell very well so what lol! Now think like me! These guy's are armed with high powered rilfes, who's to say why not kill him not to get caught? I will say any dealings with any state officers has alway been very polite, not like the City cops of Manchester! so those who say ,anyone is an asshole come speed in Manchester get caught and see how you are treated bye the rookies!

If he should pay then it should be more across the board. How is that different from crossing water on a sled and going in the drink? Who the hell wants to fall in the water during the middle of winter trying to pull some dumbass out? They should pay too! My friends were ice fishing last year on Francis and pulled two guys out of the water by the East Inlet. I would think F&G would have a rope in their saddle bags...nope...thankfully my friend had a 30 ft rope and pulled them out. Francis better be ready this weekend...it sucks Cedar Stream is closed!

They will arrest you for skimming if caught.