I say mushroom collectors should have to carry beacons.----



"Just to put this into perspective:
Mount Hood climbing accidents are mountain climbing- or hiking-related incidents on Oregon's Mount Hood. As of 2007, about 10,000 people attempt to climb Mount Hood each year.[1] More than 130 people have died climbing Mount Hood since records have been kept.[citation needed] One of the worst climbing accidents occurred in 1986, when seven teenagers and two school teachers froze to death while attempting to retreat from a storm.[2]

Despite a quadrupling of forest visitors since 1990, the number of people requiring rescue remains steady at around 25 to 50 per year, largely because of the increased use of cell phones and GPS devices.[3] 3.4 percent of 2006's search and rescue missions were for mountain climbers. In comparison, 20% were for vehicles (including ATVs and snowmobiles), 3% were for mushroom collectors, the remaining 73.6 percent were for skiers, boaters, and participants in other mountain activities.

NOTE: only 3.4% of all 2006 rescue missions were for mountain climbers in this area. 10,000 people attempt Mount Hood each year. There will be an accident with so many climbers, statistics alone say there will be an accident. Out of 10,000 cars on the road how many people were hurt in crashes???? This is one of the most climbed peaks in the United States. I live in Oregon and there are SAR missions everyday, only rarely are they for climbers. Lets step back and look at the big picture here."