Having victims travel when lost GREATLY increases the search area
and makes it much more difficult for SAR folks to do their job.
If the lost know they will be on the hook for 1000's of $, they may
travel much farther trying to self rescue. Not good.

In the book, "The Perfect Storm" there was a similar scenario - three people on board a yacht; two of them wanted to be rescued, the owner wanted to stay with his yacht and ride out the storm, believing he would be safer doing that. The CG ordered him to leave the yacht or face criminal charges (I think) so he did. As he predicted, the yacht rode out the storm and he was able to go back and "salvage" it later on.

My feeling is that my life is worth a helluva lot more than 15k. I wouldn't be thrilled, but if that is the price tag for keeping on breathing, I'd rather live to make the payments than be dead and debt free. It is unfortunate that we have this kind of stuff going on, rescue should be free, but I can understand completely if it is a private property unnecessary risk type situation. I just hope that my 15k goes towards rescuing the next sorry SOB that gets his butt in a pickle

Sue, if I wasn't already married...