Getting back to the original question...
If you're getting in over your head but have the ability to self-extricate, I'd do so. Once you're pretty sure you are going to need some help to get out alive and largely intact, even if you think you can make some progress, the advice I've always heard from SAR folks (including in my WFR training) is to pull the ripcord. I have seen nearly unanimous agreement that they'd rather get the call at 1pm to find somebody unhappy but intact, rather than get the callout at 5pm after four hours of deeper trouble and wasted daylight. Think about if the PLB activation last weekend had come at 1:30 instead of 3:30...
Once you send up the flare, nobody's going to complain if you move into a better situation (trees, snow cave), but otherwise you should try to stay put unless you are able to get reliable cell coverage out and state your plan--SAR is likely to still respond and try to meet you. ("I'm at Madison Hut and I'm going to try struggling down Valley Way as best I can.") Once they've arrived, communicate your resources and, if that changes, keep communicating! Don't be the dude who rode the litter all the way down with a "busted" ankle, then jumped off and walked to the ambulance.
When I leave a plan with my girlfriend (usually when I'm solo), I let her know approximately what I'm carrying and, in summer, that I'm equipped to spend an unexpected night out. The idea is that if she feels she has to make a call (which is a whole complicated protocol, overdue is different than known distress), the responders have some idea of how urgent the response may have to be. It's worth giving this information to the person who would be answering the "we have an activation, are they okay" call.
On a related note, Text-to-911 went live in NH last month. Sprint, AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile only (all other carriers are required to handle by June 30). It's SMS not MMS, so no pictures, and no "cc'ing" anybody else! And finally, it's not E-911, so location information (GPS or tower) is not likely to be attached. But in areas of spotty service, it may be more reliable.
