Actually, it sounds like a good idea to me.

If the fools go hiking in the Olympic National Park, maybe it should be insisted upon that they take a backpack of things that might keep them alive long enough to rescue.

For instance:

6x8' tarp
50' nylon cord
Two forms of firestarter (i.e., matches in container, Bic lighter)
Tinder (packaged)
1-gallon Ziplock plastic bag
Knife
First Aid kit (bandaids, gauze bandages, antibiotic ointment,
Ace-type bandage, triangular bandage, etc)
Metal cup
Signal mirror
Pencil & paper
Compass
Map of the area
Water and granola bars (etc)

The only things here that aren't self-explanatory are the compass and signal mirror.

A small book of survival tips would be nice, too. The park could make it location-specific and require a refundable deposit.

None of this would take up a phenomenal amount of space and it wouldn't weigh much.

Wouldn't insisting on something like this be cheaper than dragging out the Air National Guard every time some yahoo finds himself in the wrong place?

And no matter what you do, you will never escape the 'Sue 'em' philosophy of a population of irresponsible people. Esp since the park could be sued for letting them in, letting them go, not starting a search quickly enough, not finding them fast enough, etc.

Sue