Mountain locator beacons and rescue costs

You probably know that my husband is a mountaineer and would rather be nowhere else than on a mountain or rock or trail somewhere. And he drags me along on moderate adventures.

You probably also know that a couple years ago, he and two friends were in a climbing accident on Mount Hood. They slipped in icy conditions and fell about 500 feet on the south side of the mountain. Everyone survived with varying degrees of injury. Brad is the only one of the three who still climbs.

So when I hear about accidents and missing climbers, it really hits home. And because of our first-hand experience, we often get into discussions about requiring mountain locator units and charging for rescue costs. Brad and I are against both. Portland Mountain Rescue (involved in most Mount Hood rescues - including Brad's) deals with those same questions and issued a response this weekend. If you've also wondered about those things, please read it - it's a great explanation.

:)