Comments on: Backcountry heroes always try to bring us back https://writersontherange.org/backcountry-heroes-always-try-to-bring-us-back/ Syndicated Opinion for the American West Wed, 09 Aug 2023 18:23:27 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0 By: Woolie https://writersontherange.org/backcountry-heroes-always-try-to-bring-us-back/#comment-356 Tue, 01 Aug 2023 18:54:16 +0000 https://writersontherange.org/?p=6265#comment-356 An often overlooked component of Freedom of the Hills (or water, sky, underground cave, etc.) is being responsible for oneself and anyone you are leading or guiding. It’s #1 a hazard and #2 a waste of tax money to rescue folks every time a person gets scared, overwhelmed or decides to quit. If you head into little or big “w” wilderness, you need to be self-reliant, self-sufficient and capable of self-rescue. Accidents do happen and they do deserve support akin to police/fire/EMT services. The author refers to overworked SAR folks: no one is compelled/forced to to be SAR, they volunteered for that job for the excitement/experience and often a bit of pay where there is paid SAR. Voluntary SAR card is nifty but will probably lead to mandatory licensing theory and good luck with enforcing that. Diverting taxes to SAR is a flawed concept. There’s no good reason to squander more tax money on enlarging the already outrageous number of marginally useful people on the government dole simply because more people are making more stupid decisions. If a community thinks it needs more SAR help i’d recommend first using private donations (there’s usually some rich dude looking to attach his/her name to something, especially in the crowded, noisy, dirty, egotistical hive of opulence and hypocrisy that is Molly’s JH)…….or simply add to the professionally trained, staffed and led police, fire or EMT organizations already in place rather than creating a completely superfluous new branch of local government that will of course demand it’s own heirarchy, facilities, vehicles and ever expanding staff.

]]> By: Your Weekend Reader for July 22-23 | Mike McInally https://writersontherange.org/backcountry-heroes-always-try-to-bring-us-back/#comment-349 Sat, 22 Jul 2023 15:37:48 +0000 https://writersontherange.org/?p=6265#comment-349 […] Regardless of what steps are taken at Blue Pool, people who are unprepared for an outdoors excursion — or people who just make foolish choices along the way — always will require rescuing. Here’s a recent piece by Idaho writer Molly Absolon from the website Writers on the Range abou… […]

]]> By: Backcountry heroes always try to bring us back — Writers on the Range – Coyote Gulch https://writersontherange.org/backcountry-heroes-always-try-to-bring-us-back/#comment-342 Sun, 16 Jul 2023 13:58:00 +0000 https://writersontherange.org/?p=6265#comment-342 […] the link to read the article on the Writers on the Range website (Molly […]

]]> By: Backcountry heroes always try to bring us back, but our wilderness adventures are wearing them thin - Washington State Standard https://writersontherange.org/backcountry-heroes-always-try-to-bring-us-back/#comment-338 Thu, 29 Jun 2023 01:51:42 +0000 https://writersontherange.org/?p=6265#comment-338 […] Editor’s note: This commentary was first published at Writers on the Range. […]

]]> By: Backcountry heroes always try to bring us back, but our wilderness … – Idaho Capital Sun https://writersontherange.org/backcountry-heroes-always-try-to-bring-us-back/#comment-336 Mon, 26 Jun 2023 11:52:14 +0000 https://writersontherange.org/?p=6265#comment-336 […] Editor’s note: This commentary was first published June 19, 2023, at Writers on the Range. […]

]]> By: Fred https://writersontherange.org/backcountry-heroes-always-try-to-bring-us-back/#comment-327 Tue, 20 Jun 2023 01:06:24 +0000 https://writersontherange.org/?p=6265#comment-327 In reply to Fred.

That’s “…things I shouldn’t do…”

]]> By: Fred https://writersontherange.org/backcountry-heroes-always-try-to-bring-us-back/#comment-326 Tue, 20 Jun 2023 01:04:53 +0000 https://writersontherange.org/?p=6265#comment-326 I carry a SPoT communicator into the wilds when I go hiking. It doesn’t cause me to do things I should do because I’ll be rescued if I screw up. Compared to other hikers I am way overprepped and not inclined to push my limits. It is just a little peace of mind for my wife and I.

Today’s culture would not accept “no rescue” wilderness. Some localities might have you pay through the nose if they thought you behaved foolishly. A couple of hours of helicopter time isn’t cheap.

]]> By: Gregg Bruff https://writersontherange.org/backcountry-heroes-always-try-to-bring-us-back/#comment-325 Mon, 19 Jun 2023 22:04:53 +0000 https://writersontherange.org/?p=6265#comment-325 You may have read Dan Dustin and Leo McAvoy’s papers decades ago advocating for no rescue wilderness. See Dustin’s book “The Wilderness Within.”

]]> By: Search and Rescue? – “Summer is the season of inferior sledding” – Inuit proverb https://writersontherange.org/backcountry-heroes-always-try-to-bring-us-back/#comment-324 Mon, 19 Jun 2023 18:51:17 +0000 https://writersontherange.org/?p=6265#comment-324 […] Backcountry heroes always try to bring us back […]

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