So here's some details from the story -- about people who were in the Adirondack high peaks during winter:
*******************
"The first rescue occurred Saturday evening when DEC rangers plucked Jones, 42, off Algonquin Peak. He had tried climbing the mountain Friday but got pushed off course by a snowstorm. He bushwhacked down and rode out the single-digit night in a snow cave.
On Saturday, he continued downhill but, unable to find a trail out, called 911 at about 5 p.m. A dispatcher pinpointed the location and rangers on snowmobiles and skis reached him at about 6:45 p.m. Jones, who was suffering from hypothermia, was taken to a hospital where he was still being treated Monday.
Bradley, 36, was found Sunday morning off the trails a mile downhill from the summit of Mount Marcy, the state's highest peak at 5,344 feet. He had planned to snowshoe to the peak but got lost. His girlfriend called rangers at about 11:30 p.m. Saturday, about the same time Bradley was trying to call, but he was unable to tell rangers where he was because his GPS had temporarily stopped working.
At about 5 a.m., after hunkering down in a snow cave, Bradley was able to call and, with his GPS working again, give rescuers better coordinates. They located him at about 9:30 a.m. He was treated at a hospital and released Sunday.
Sullivan, 62, was cross-country skiing nearing the region's Olympic facilities and was reported overdue by his wife at about 7:30 p.m. Saturday. Rangers started from each end of his route and worked toward the middle. He was found at about 9 p.m. after a ranger heard him shouting.
The rescues come less than a week after a Saratoga Springs snowshoer, Steve Mastaitis, spent a night in a snow cave he dug near the Marcy summit. Forest rangers rescued Mastaitis on Tuesday morning."
********************************
Four individuals: Jones, Bradley, Sullivan, and Mastaitis.
The older individual, Sullivan, seems to have left an itinerary, and to have stayed on known trails. The others were climbing Adirondack high peaks....in winter. And tho' the story doesn't say it, apparently alone.
Your thoughts?
My thoughts:
Jones got caught by bad weather and retreated. He dug in for the night. The next day he attempted to self rescue (commendable, in my opinion). Facing a second night out he finally called in about 5 pm, and was reached at about 6:45pm. About one hour and 45 minutes of ranger time (not counting evacuating him).
Bradley was reported lost at about 11:30 pm. He did the smart thing and dug a snow cave to spend the night in. He was able to call with his location at about 5 am, and was rescued by 9:30 am. Assuming the rangers launched at 5 am when he called, it took about four hours and 30 minutes of ranger time (again, not counting evacuation).
Sullivan was reported missing at 7:30 pm, and was located at 9 pm. About one and a half hours of time (again, not counting transport out).
As I noted, we don't know exactly when the searches were launched, or how much time was spent in evacuation, but all in all it doesn't strike me as a big expenditure of ranger time. No helicopters involved. Perhaps a few gallons of fuel for snow machines. Doesn't sound like particularly hazardous searches. The folks at 911 dispatch are paid whether it is a quiet night with nothing going on, or people lost in the woods calling in.
Note that in urban life, people do dumb things all the time, and police, fire, and ems come help them. For example, if you are careless with your cigarette butt and your house catches fire, you probably won't be directly billed for the fireman's time. If your stupidly leave your car unlocked and the keys in it, and someone steals it, the police will do what they can to help, and not send you a bill for their time.
Regarding
"... climbing Adirondack high peaks....in winter. And tho' the story doesn't say it, apparently alone." I don't see being out in the mountains in winter as a great crime. It is called adventure. Many of us have done such things. Alone is a bit more dubious, but many of us have also done that from time to time. The main advantage of a partner is to help if you get injured. In all the cases described, the main problem seems to have been getting lost. A partner may or may not be of help in that case. I've gotten just as thoroughly lost with partners as without.
Previous Topic
Index
