You can't blame them too much. I mean the hike is what ... maybe half an inch on the old Rand-McNally road map. The scale that tells you that an inch is 50 miles, and the fact that it is all up hill, was missed. Not knowing any better they figured it wasn't going to be much more involved than a trip to the local grocery a couple of blocks away.

Odds are they felt a bit nippy starting, possibly just getting to the car, but figured they would 'warm up once they got going'. Clearly more gumption than brains. But humans do stupid things as a matter of course, and such rescues are teachable moments and good training for the rescue services.

I've done my share, possibly more than my share, of stupid things and, for the most part, got lucky and avoided calamity. I see no point to celebrating stupidity. But I'm not one to begrudge anyone rescue or do too much condemning.