Beacon poll?

[dmuja]

Just for tha record - I OPPOSE any further regulating of climbers in general - but I also recognize that we are about to be hit by a tsunami of idiocy in that regard.

 

Seems like Europe has come to accept something of a compromise in that climbing "tragedies" are not such a surprising "media/tax payer" shit storm as here - but then, they also don't call climbers "dirt bags" while standing in line to get Messner's autograph. There are some admirable things about the European mind set after all.

 

A final thought..

 

Why Hood?

 

Hood = Big Alpine Crag (who can resist?)

 

1) quick approach slog with no highcamp necessary

 

2) Much steep technical terrain

 

In other words it's a serious mountain with a "not-so" serious approach

[Drederek]

Do "beacons" even work 20 or 50 feet down into a crevasse?

[ScaredSilly]

Some random thoughts,

 

A-Fox I do not agree with PMR statement on charging for rescues. I favor the Euro system. It would level the playing field - everyone pays and you carry insurance for it. And though there is law on the books it is rarely if ever been used - especially if there is a death that was for really stupid reasons.

 

I agree that beacons should not be mandated as it is knee jerk reaction to climbing being dangerous (like atving is not). The risk homeostasis is a valid point as that has been seen with avy beacons. The MLU beacons are no longer the right technology anyways. EPLB are the better technology (but still not perfect).

 

EPLB are now down around $300. Here is a thought, it used to be that stores would sell avy beacons basically at cost so that people would get them and use them because they were affective. I wonder if that could happen with EPLB. When I first bought my avy beacon I bought one for myself but it did little good as my girlfriend did not have one. Then I did a group buy on about 5 of them so that I could get a second one and my friends could also get one at a reduced price.

 

EPLB are kinda like avy beacons to be most useful everyone should have one. The current accident on Hood and the one three years ago are good examples - this is not meant to be any disrespect to either the group as I find no fault. Both involved falls/injuries of some sort with initial survival of either part or all of the group. In both cases, one EPLB could have been activated. However, both groups became separated - a second signal would be helpful if it could be activated. The other reason I believe multiple would be prudent besides separation is that the batteries are good for 24-48. As we all know weather can prevent any rescue from happening. However, ponying up for multiple units is expensive ...

 

 

As said, currently there is no on-star technology. Spot is interesting but I am not sure it is truly there. So short of carrying a sat phone what are else are going to do to call home??

 

 

 

 

 

[couloir98]

It's a question of form or style our trips in the mountains. The lamest way of course is using a guide more than once. Earn your experience and keep upping the bar as you see fit. Not using a guide, gps, blog reports, etc. is a different, yes bolder style , than relying on someone or something else for your mountain trips. Dane, are you saying that ski patrollers in other areas are not professional?

[Maine-iac]

If you legislate it for Hood you sure as hell better legislate it for the entire US.

I took it upon myself to be medically trained and rescue trained, my friends did the same thing. Climbers and hikers going into the larger ranges tend to have similar views on it, e.g. be as self-sufficient as one can. Hood is a different story all together. It is 50 minutes outside of Portland, over a half-million people can see it from their windows and it has a 4 hour gradual walk up. Rainier does not, and thus can not be categorized in the same way Hood can.

 

Before I am legally forced to carry something I want to see the climbers hut at Hood kept up better. Keep it stocked with bluebags and registration forms. Have a forest service personal checking on the #s every day, have published route conditions and avalanche forecasts. Make it safer for people who don't know what to look for while preping and climbing.

Why not have forest service people up there occasionally to check up on things?

 

Fact of the matter is people will die in the mountains due to either controllable or uncontrollable events. The greater public needs to understand this. In the last few deaths the climbers have generally been experienced and an accident has occurred.

I chose to climb Hood on friday morning as well. The weather window was large enough for me not to be overly concerned. I knew roughly when that window would be closing and I chose my route accordingly.

 

[ZimZam]

and surfers should be required to carry shark repellent in case "fluffy" comes along.

[G-spotter]

So with OnStar you at least have a call centre where someone answering knows what a car is.

 

Just imagine the call centre staffers, hanging out in Manila or Hyderabad or wherever dealing with mountaineering accident calls

 

[video:youtube]

[RokIzGud]

Ok so heres my view. If i were on Hood, of course i would have a beacon and want my partner to have one. Do i think they should be required? Hells no! Plues... Beacons aint cheap and having them be mandatory would bring there prices way up.

[ivan]

shouldn't this be in the douple-plus good n' new columbia river gorge forum?

 

for the record, i'm voting for lasagna