Hikers who didn't want to wait for rescue may be fined

http://www.newhampshire.com/Outdoors/Hikers-who-didnt-want-to-wait-for-rescue-may-be-fined-08312016

This one will be interesting

Lots of details missing - I'm guessing it was late at night and the road was closed, otherwise they'd just hitch-hike?

Going from "unresponsive" to "let's walk to Pinkham Notch (3 miles to base of road, couple more miles to Pinkham) instead of waiting an hour for a ride" does sound a little suspicious.

In my opinion they should be charged. Regardless of them changing their mind, they made the call and help was sent, using resources that cost money. If they wanted to avoid paying, they should have planned a better route, ate more and drank more. Maybe if more people were charged and the word got out, people might think better of calling. I'm on board with calling for help if you need it, but man up and pay the piper or if that doesn't grab you, learn how to hike and be self sufficient. Just my 3 cents.

Interesting they could call when they needed help but could not call again when they didn't need it. Guess they forgot. Borderline reckless IMO.

skiguy said:

Borderline reckless IMO.

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That's what I was thinking. The article didn't say if they had Hike Safe cards, but I assume they didn't. Still waiting to see what it takes for someone with a card to be charged.

They didn't need rescue, they needed a taxi. What would the bill be for that ride? Does UBER service the autoroad?

Rainman said:

They didn't need rescue, they needed a taxi. What would the bill be for that ride? Does UBER service the autoroad?

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That was my thought exactly. They called in with some bullshit story and they realized they weren't going to get picked up right that second so they sucked it up and finished the walk they didn't want to deal with. Who goes from unresponsive to dehydrated and weak and then with no treatment walks three miles without issue? SAR should have told them there was a Pokemon at the end of the road and that would have solved everything. Send them a big fat bill. They earned it.

DayTrip said:

That was my thought exactly. They called in with some bullshit story and they realized they weren't going to get picked up right that second so they sucked it up and finished the walk they didn't want to deal with. Who goes from unresponsive to dehydrated and weak and then with no treatment walks three miles without issue? SAR should have told them there was a Pokemon at the end of the road and that would have solved everything. Send them a big fat bill. They earned it.

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LMAO...I think what really happened is that they dialed the wrong number. I bet they were really trying to call Dominos thinking they were going to get a pizza delivered for Dinner.

Where does the Old Jackson Road cross the Auto Road ?

Answer-- at 2 mile park.


What is the shortest distance from MWAR to PNVC ? Old Jackson Road. Oh, yeay, it is also part of the A T. Prominently signed.

How would anyone know that ?? Oh, a map would be helpful. The OJR is no more difficult to walk after dark than the MWAR.

It s just that time of year again...... kids have left their summer jobs to have a little fun before school. Experience actually requires a few consequences for faulty decision making. Sun goes down earlier and the east side of MW gets dark, fast.

If MWAR had dispatched a vehicle to fetch their beat and tired butts, the rate starts at 200 bucks for the vehicle and then another 50 bucks per person.

If they were at the summit @ 7 PM, they could have paid 50 bucks a piece for a ride on the last stage van down, or with Top side Road Sweep. They would have gotten a ride directly to PNVC, with a short stop at Great Glen to pay their " taxi " fare.

Yeah, it can be expensive to learn hard lessons. I think the Minimun F & G bill is 1500 bucks.

HMMM.

Woefully little information given. Most disturbing to me is how people on the internet fly off the handle making ill informed judgement (especially in the article on the link). How did he get to be unresponsive ? Trauma from a fall ? Preexisting health condition ? Acorn fall on his head ? Pass out for unknown reasons ? The answer to that would suggest whether it is reasonable that he went from unresponsive to able to walk 3 miles in a short time span. Next, as asked above, if they can call 911 why did they not call back and update the searchers on their condition and let them know they were on the move ? Without a legitimate reason (I can't think of one), they obviously need to stay put until they get in contact with the SAR again (whether they lost their signal or not). Have they been interviewed after the fact ? They may indeed deserve a bill for this, "hike safe" card or not. But not enough info given here so far IMHO.

jrbren said:

Woefully little information given. Most disturbing to me is how people on the internet fly off the handle making ill informed judgement (especially in the article on the link). How did he get to be unresponsive ? Trauma from a fall ? Preexisting health condition ? Acorn fall on his head ? Pass out for unknown reasons ? The answer to that would suggest whether it is reasonable that he went from unresponsive to able to walk 3 miles in a short time span. Next, as asked above, if they can call 911 why did they not call back and update the searchers on their condition and let them know they were on the move ? Without a legitimate reason (I can't think of one), they obviously need to stay put until they get in contact with the SAR again (whether they lost their signal or not). Have they been interviewed after the fact ? They may indeed deserve a bill for this, "hike safe" card or not. But not enough info given here so far IMHO.

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Just trying to help clear one of the unknowns, if I may. Last time I checked, there are no oak tree's on the Auto Road, so it's fair to say, he was not struck by an acorn.