Statistics, being statistics, can be built to fit just about any situation. For example, on Table 4, it is stated that "Rock climbing (all forms)" only accounts for 3.3% of all NPS rescues. Nowhere (and I will admit that I did not read the whole thing) did I see a figure showing what percent of all USERS of the NPS facilities are rock climbers. From my personal observations at Yosemite, climbers are a much smaller percentage of total visitors than 3.3%. I have seen hundreds of people on the valley floor watching two or three climbers on El Capitan, with thousands driving by at the same time. So I fail to see what that particular figure (and others) in the article has to do with much of anything.

As for requiring climbers heading higher than a certain altitude during certain months of the year, what does it hurt? Only costs $5, weights next to nothing. If needed and it doesn't work, what is lost. If needed and it does work, much can be gained. Many of us never really need our seat belts or auto insurance, but when you need it, you NEED it...