For the record: if I am ever in any kind of emergency or distress, I do not expect anyone to rescue me. Part of the joy of backpacking for me is knowing that my life and survival is entirely in my own hands.

If anyone does choose to help me, I will be grateful. But if a rescuer feels that I deserve a Darwin award or that my life is not worth taxpayer money, then I would rather take my chances on my own, and suggest that they find a different line of work. And if I ever get a bill for a rescue I didn't ask for, I will inform them where they can shove it.


I have volunteered as an EMT, worked with at-risk youth, helped people who were caught unprepared in the Alaskan wilderness, and currently I weatherize homes for extremely low-income people. I can think of numerous instances in which people make very bad decisions that caused or exacerbated their situations. Helping people isn't about pointing out someone's flaws or deciding whether they deserve help. It's about compassion. Thankfully I think there are more people who understand that than there are Susans and Benjamins in the world.