Please don't encourage the hikers

And why is that those of us who question the hikers are "couch potatoes"?

Think again.....but not all physical activity requires this MUCH danger.

Actually I think Robert E. Hodge may have the right idea - if not a bond then an insurance policy that will pay out if the "adventure sportsmen" have to be rescued. It's not just mountain climbers either. How about those guys who sail around the world solo? Or a guy like Steve Fossett or Richard Branson trying to go across the Atlantic in a balloon. I don't begrudge them the activity but they should bear at least some of the cost if something goes wrong.

"Why should rescuers put their lives at risk because you have an "exciting hobby." There's more on the line than money."

They chose that job. That's like saying firemen or soldiers can decide not to do a job they disapprove of. If there's a fire, you go put it out. If there's a war, go fight it. Guy is lost, then if your job description entails looking for idiots...do your job.

"I don't care what equipment they take or whether of not they have a GPS device. If they get hurt someone has to risk their life and go up there in horrible conditions to haul their ass down that damn mountain. Would they go if there were no rescuers?"

Most would, yes. Apparently you couch potatoes think that rescuers and helicopter pilots don't like thrills and challenges either. funny thing, they're just as much into helping people as mountain climbers are into scaling mountains. It's a nice symbiotic relationship.

I've yet to meet a SEAL who moans about having to skulk around enemy territory. They may not approve of the war, but they sure dig what they do. Ditto the kinda people who become firemen, cops, paramedics, forest rangers, etc.

I have an idea. If you want to climb/hike Mt. Hood in February, you have to sign a waiver that basically says you're on your own.

Why should rescuers put their lives at risk because you have an "exciting hobby." There's more on the line than money.

I don't care what equipment they take or whether of not they have a GPS device. If they get hurt someone has to risk their life and go up there in horrible conditions to haul their ass down that damn mountain. Would they go if there were no rescuers?

The weather wasn't inclement when they started.

When they fell they were on their way down the mountain having made the right call -- weather's getting bad so let's turn around and forget about summiting.

It's amazing to me that so many people, you included Joel, feel fine broadcasting your opinion on something without doing even the smallest bit of research.

These were well prepared, intelligent climbers who did all the right things and led rescuers to their location. I'm sorry if you don't like the media sensationalism, but that is not something that the climbers are responsible for.

I think the better question is would they still attempt this dangerout recreation, preprared or not, if they knew they would have to pick up the bill for their rescue? If so - have at it. If not...don't expect me to pay for it. I expect the government to provide basic protections but not unlimited individual protections. Part of the risk and challenge is financial. A line has to be drawn. At what point is the risk great enough that the general public should not be responsible for their safety? I think winter mountain climbing crosses that line.

those who "thrive on challenging their bodies and minds by confronting extreme conditions" are free to do that, but i think the author is also asking, should they do such "extreme" activities in inclement weather, shouldn't they be asked "why"?

and also it seems that conjoined twins and lost mountain climbers are the "man bite dog" of the news cycle here lately.

I don't know anything about your life, Joel, except that you write for a TV blog, which implies you watch your fair share of television.

I still think your question, the question Meredith failed to ask, is a pointless question. Why do some people surf? Why do some people become astronauts? Why do some people collect matchbooks? Why do some people write stupid meaningless comments like mine on a tv blog?

They're hikers/mountain climbers - that's why they were on that mountain. And as somebody else pointed out, winter climbing is good practice for bigger, more serious mountains. Besides, even in the dead of summer, if the mountain is big enough, at some point climbers cross that threshold where there is snow and cold year-round, so the inclement weather of winter is a moot point.

Finally, as I implied in my original post, some people thrive on challenging their bodies and minds by confronting extreme conditions.

Joel,

Why didn't James have a portable GPS system? Honestly, it seems really irresponsible for a successful man to take his family through a snowstorm and not have anything to guide them should they become lost. How responsible is it to neglect to let anyone know when they're leaving and expected home? Much of that tragedy could have been avoided with just a tiny bit of planning and precautions. He died mostly because he wasn't prepared.

Hell, my fiancee has the directional sense of a paper airplane - thus I've picked up a VZW phone with GPS for her. When we marry we've already talked about getting her a new car as I'm not enthusiastic about our prospective kids riding around in her dated corolla. I want them in something new, safe and reliable.

Oh, ha ha, I get it... because I get paid to write about TV means I don't do anything else. Didn't know you knew so much about my life, Michael.

Look, these climbers can do whatever they want, whenever they want. I just don't want to hear about it on the news whenever one of them gets lost.

Oh, and to Caliber: I wouldn't equate what happened to James Kim to what happened to these people, or the hikers that disappeared up there a few months ago. Kim was driving with his family, turned down a road that should have been closed, and got lost. He froze to death while trying to find help for his family. In the other two cases, the climbers went out there on purpose to do their climbing.