Be scared and stay off the rock if you can't be responsible for yourself.

When I started climbing there was no cell phones, walkie talkies or PLBs being carried by climbers;we were on our own.
The climbing community has always held a self rescue ethic that means you got yourself into the situation so get yourself out of it. It is an ethic that I hold very highly as a climber. Just because things go sour does not mean you are going to die and it does not mean you should put others in danger to come get you. Sometimes you have to suck it up and put up with a little misery.
I have climbed for years in Yosemite Valley and have watched a "new guard" of climbers who do not take responsibilty for themselves.
I have broken my hand leading a climb with a partner who was not skilled enough to lead the rest of the climb. Did I cry for help and a rescue? Hell no I carried on the best I could (pain) and finished the climb and descended under my own power.

Climbing is a risky and unpredictable undertaking even on the "easy" routes; you HAVE TO BE responsible for yourself.
The fact that you are upset by my attitude means you know nothing about climbing and should probably not comment on what climbers do. The potential "embarrasment" I expressed would be the same if I had to be rescued under almost any circumstances; the embarrasment in not being responsible for myself and causing others to get in harms way to bail me out.
I have work SAR and been involved in many rescues; most are people who had little experience and did not plan for the worst.
We volunteer to go into harms way but them who created the situation that put folks like me in harms way.

Vic and Sasha did exactly that; they caused others to get in harms way because they did not start early enough, moved slow, didn't turn back, used too long a rope, did't bring enough survival gear and kept moving when they should have stopped.
I WOULD BE EMBARRASED IF I DID ALL THOSE THINGS WRONG you would probably be too.

I am an experienced climber, mountaineer, SAR volunteer and outdoorsman who has NEVER needed a rescue because I am responsible for my own actions and with a little good luck have never been in such a situation to cause others to come get me. If for some reason someone was going to die I would certainly call for help but short of that I would extract myself from the situation under my own power.

The evidence that they were not up to the climb is in the story.
THEY NEEDED TO BE RESCUED ON ONE OF THE EASIEST CLIMBS IN THE VALLEY. It is a cakewalk.
Hell the elite climbers free solo Royal Arches at dusk and don't epic.
This guy had almost all day and screwed it up. Yea that's 30 years of experience for ya. Oh and climbing Everest means nothing; it is a trade route for rich elitists to get ferried up by high paid guides and has nothing to do with rock climbing.
Everest is 99% a snow slog and is no longer considered to be anything special by the climbing community these days.

This forum often critiques other peoples mishaps and sometimes the citique is harsh. This process helps others from making the same mistakes.

As far as "holier than thou" look at your post and try not to miss the hypocricy.


Oh and the first time I climbed Royal Arches I started before dawn, researched the climb and descent and was prepared to have difficulties finding North Dome Gully. Because of that I had no problem. Vic should have done a bit more preplanning and research.
North Dome Gully has a long history of epics. Vic should have known about it and planned for it. Obviously he didn't.