Getting back to the original topic/situation...

When people do things like Vic did, my first question is, 'What was the hurry?' Except for ego, was there some reason that I missed that they had to finish on that same day? Did one of them have an appointment the next day to donate a kidney or something? As far as I understood, it wasn't a rescue situation until he forced it to be one.

Aren't reasonable judgment calls one of the main weapons for survival situations? How many times have you read about people who refused to re-evaluate existing conditions and change their plans, no matter what? ONWARD, no matter if the weather goes bad. ONWARD, even if hypothermia is setting in. ONWARD, even if it's getting dark and you've lost the trail. ONWARD TO THE DEATH!

All this just seems kind of stupid to me.

Try it this way: Okay, son, it looks like we're not going to make it down tonight. The sun is setting, the weather is going bad. No big deal, we've got some survival gear with us. That looks like a good place to settle in over there. It's out of the wind and there's some overhead shelter if it starts to rain. Let's see what we can scrounge for firewood. Hey, did I ever tell you story about...

Oh, Aardvark:

"The fact that he last climbed in Yosemite three decades ago doesn't mean he hasn't climbed in three decades"
If he had been climbing recently, why would this be the first time he took his son?

"..what's your evidence that this guy wasn't up to the climb?"
Putting his son into a rescue situation, maybe?

"He sounds to me like an experienced climber with 30 years experience, not some yahoo trying to relive his glory days."
Actually, he didn't say he was experienced. He just said he had done that climb 30 yrs ago. He lives less than 150 mi from Half Dome. He's never taken his son, and he didn't know his limitations. Yeah, experienced.

"Granted, he made some mistakes."
Yes, I counted at least six or eight, and some of them could have been life-altering (or ending). Maybe you would want to send your kid with him next time?

"He also had the courage to post publicly about those mistakes, and he had no problem admitting to them."
Since he was able to fall back on having someone else rescue them, he didn't have to post "I killed my son with my bad judgment", did he? It's just as easy to admit doing stupid things on the web as it is to insult people on the web, as it's so anonymous.

You criticized BillyM because he disapproved of the guy putting the two of them into a position where they HAD to be rescued. It might be a good idea to remember that there is an unending supply of idiots, and places like Yosemite are Mecca. And if Keith Lober had words with him, well... maybe he was displeased with his antics, too. Think?

Sue