Rescue Statistics: Let's outlaw hiking $ boating

[dbconlin]

I agree with most of what is being said. I think the media hypes climbing-related rescues way out of proportion. Part of the reason is because the average person can't conceive of why someone would 'waste' their time doing it and take such 'unnecessary risks'. On the other hand, hunting/fishing culture is much more established in our society and people don't see it as the same kind of futile self-absorbing activity for some reason. Same for tourism, nature-enjoying, hiking, etc. Not the same kind of perceived 'risk'.

 

That said, I wouldn't mind seeing a climbing rescue insurance kind of thing like they purportedly have in Europe. I know it probably wouldn't work here, though. But if it did, no one could say sh!t about us not covering our own @sses. It should not be mandatory though, lest we inadvertently set up an economic criteria for climbing on public lands or something. hmmm.