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EdwardT
Trad climber
Retired
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Topic Author's Original Post - Apr 6, 2016 - 06:15am PT
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When should the lost/injured party be given the bill?
WLOS — ASHEVILLE, N.C. -- After days of searching and multiple agencies' combined efforts, two missing hikers were found busking in Asheville.
Tesla Rackley and Anthony Logan were reported missing during a Pisgah National Forest camping trip with family on Saturday. Authorities in Henderson County sent out a press release to media on Monday asking the public be on the lookout for the pair.
On Tuesday afternoon, Logan and Rackley were found reportedly busking in front of Mast General Store downtown with their dog, unaware of the search efforts underway to find them.
"Two sheriffs approached us and asked us our names, and we were surprised and answered, 'Yeah'," Logan recalled. "And they explained to us they were from Transylvania [and] I want to say Brevard, and they were here to locate missing peoples."
Henderson County law enforcement says tens of thousands of dollars were spent to locate the pair.
"The amount of effort and expense that's gone into this recovery effort is tremendous," Maj. Frank Stout of the Henderson County Sheriff's Office said of the four-day search.
"We've had helicopters in the air for a couple of days," Stout said. "We've had multiple resources from Henderson and Transylvania County, the Upstate of South Carolina. People have given up their time. They've sacrificed their work."
The hikers told News 13 they got separated from family and couldn't backtrack and find them, so they ended up hitching a ride to Asheville. They didn't call family, Logan said, because it slipped his mind.
"I feel, like, obligated to feel sorry, and it's my fault that a whole bunch of people had to work for no reason," he said.
Stout says even though the hikers ultimately didn't need the expansive search, he would respond the same way in the future.
"When we've got lost hikers, we're going to respond with everything we've got in the toolbox, as you would fully expect," Stout said. "That's what the public expects, and that's the effort they will give each time we go out and look for hikers."
Stout says the couple will not face any charges.
These two just bailed on their group. Hitchhiked to a nearby city. And were surprised anyone was looking for them.
They didn't call family, Logan said, because it slipped his mind.
"I feel, like, obligated to feel sorry" WTF???
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HighDesertDJ
Trad climber
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Pretty stupid of them not to check in but what are you gonna do?
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WBraun
climber
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Stoopidest dumbsh!ts!!!
They should have fined em both 500 bucks each for being morons for not notifying their family.
These clueless fools have no sense of the amount of hassle and resources it is to mount these types of searches.
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Jon Beck
Trad climber
Oceanside
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It is not like SAR had to go out and buy a helicopter and hire crew. Those assets are standing by. Sure, there might be some overtime and crew called in and paid. But I question the figures quoted. Great training for them too. Hell, the rescued pair should charge the searchers for the great simulated disappearance.
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WBraun
climber
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That sure is an ignorant way of looking at it since you've never seen the logistics, manpower and resources involved and required in these searches.
There's mutual aid required from other agencies usually also.
Most actual ground searchers are volunteers missing work, driving 100's miles to the search area in their own vehicles, etc etc.
Go on a wild goose chase search sometime and report back here ...
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Happiegrrrl2
Trad climber
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I would have to think they would "pay for it" by having to face the family that must have thought they were dead after four days, but well.....that is the family that raised idiots so stupid it wouldn't occur to them there would be serious worry.
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Chaz
Trad climber
greater Boss Angeles area
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"If the phone doesn't ring, it's me"
-Jimmy Buffet
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Tom
Big Wall climber
San Luis Obispo CA
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My brother and I were going to climb up to Dinner Ledge. Roper's green book said A2, which seemed pretty tame. We were 13 and 14 years old. Nobody else was going with us.
We were told to be back by "sundown", which to my mind meant about one hour before dark, or about 8 pm.
We go up to Dinner, stare at the Kor Roof, find a big can of Dinty Moore beef stew, eat it and rap off. We walk down, cross the bridge at the walk-in campground, and wander around a bit, looking for little chicks who might be impressed with our well-displayed climbing ropes.
Meanwhile, to Mom "sundown" meant when the sun is no longer visible, which at Lower Pines campground is about 6 pm. She freaks out, calls the rangers, they rally the troops, deputize my uncle, and they all go up the Astroman talus trail.
Because we had used the footbridge at the walk-in camp, and the SAR posse had gone across the river at the road bridge, we didn't cross paths.
The SAR team spent so much time up there, wandering around, looking for bits of skull and bone and blood and brain, it got to be almost dark.
My uncle slips and falls on the talus trail, and smacks his head. The rangers then have to assist him off the trail and back to civilization.
My brother and I get back to the campsite right about 8 pm and get a major ration of sh#t, because we had "caused a tremendous uproar" by not adhering to the vague schedule. Later, the shitstorm hits again when my uncle staggers into camp under the load of a mild concussion: "Your uncle almost died rescuing you!"
My brother and I look at each other, and I think to myself, "Man, adults are WAY f*#ked up in the head. They are like, TRIPPIN' OUT, over nothing. We didn't need rescuing. My uncle needed rescuing. Tie him to the picnic table, and leave us alone. We're just fine."
I guess my point here is that if someone is quick to pull the SAR trigger, then they deserve some (all?) of the blame for a needless rescue. In this case, SAR was summoned about 7 or 7:30 pm to look for people not due back before "sundown".
The next day, with a new understanding of what "sundown" meant, outside its normal meaning, Mike and I went up and did about half of the Royal Arches, and then rapped off. The day after that we climbed to the right side of Bishop's Terrace, to the rap bolts, and then totally chickened out and didn't do the roof crack.
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HighTraverse
Trad climber
Bay Area
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Certainly a measure of ignorance/stupidity on the "lost" pair.
"We've had helicopters in the air for a couple of days," Stout said. "We've had multiple resources from Henderson and Transylvania County, the Upstate of South Carolina. People have given up their time. They've sacrificed their work." Looking for a little sliver of light in this: at least SAR got a good training exercise and some guys/gals got a pass from work.
I'll bet some of them got experience in new country. Now they know the choppers are in good nick.
I'll bet the dog had the best time.
And no one was the worse for wear.
ET phone home!!! You moron.
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Jon Beck
Trad climber
Oceanside
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I love the smell of trolled duck in the morning
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HighTraverse
Trad climber
Bay Area
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The next day, with a new understanding of what "sundown" meant, outside its normal meaning, Mike and I went up and did about half of the Royal Arches, and then rapped off. Uh oh......reminds me of one of my own "transgressions" on Royal Dangers.
More at 11......
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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Make 'em work it off on a trail crew. Then they'll learn what work is.
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drljefe
climber
El Presidio San Augustin del Tucson
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just let them busk, jeez
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Sula
Trad climber
Pennsylvania
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Jon Beck posted:
It is not like SAR had to go out and buy a helicopter and hire crew. Those assets are standing by. But they are seriously expensive to operate. And SAR operations are risky to those who do them - people are killed regularly.
(Full disclosure: My life was saved by a helicopter rescue.)
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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This country has too much SAR and not enough self reliance.
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HighTraverse
Trad climber
Bay Area
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Man and woman, not two men. Got separated from main party. Playing hooky for some nooky?
Nawwwww....I never did that....... ;-}
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Jon Beck
Trad climber
Oceanside
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We are going to see a lot more of these rescues as people seek out adventure. The advent of beacons and satellite messengers has not helped. People are now calling for aid when they are tired. Did you read these peoples story? They people were completely unprepared for the multi day hike they went on in preparation for the AT. Might have been a good thing they "got in trouble" when they did, nobody got hurt this time. I suspect they found the hiking to be more difficult than they expected and simply bailed.
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climbski2
Mountain climber
Anchorage AK, Reno NV
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For sure there comes a point where some sort of fine becomes appropriate although making someone foot the whole bill seems more like a financial form of execution than justice. I could definately support a good solid fine for this one.
and YES of course technology will allow for some pretty questionable callouts.. but it will also save lives..Most SAR callouts involve some sort of poor judgement. Most of these should never be fined. We all screw up sometime..and if we are not lucky..then we may be calling for SAR ourselves.
If ever there was a good use of our nations taxes and wealth it is in helping those in need, the lost the injured those in peril far from easy extraction. Regardless the usually avoidable circumstances. I am pretty sure this is the price of freedom for all of us.
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