Another rescue on 2/16/08

[tkrn82]

Hello...I believe the man said that with a pack he weighs in excess of 250lbs.I watched the video of the interview and if you listen closely I believe that is what he says.I found it hard to believe that someone would carry 250lbs on their back over the pesidential range.

[Steve M]

Hello...I believe the man said that with a pack he weighs in excess of 250lbs.I watched the video of the interview and if you listen closely I believe that is what he says.I found it hard to believe that someone would carry 250lbs on their back over the pesidential range.

I find it hard to believe most people would be able to walk a mile with a pack weighing 250lbs., let alone over a mountain.

[KD Talbot]

I hope tkrn82 is right and I misheard, but the story quotes him as saying, "Traveling was tough," Obert said. "With a pack in excess of 250 pounds and with snowshoes going through 5-foot snow -- it was rigorous."

And now, the rest of the story:

http://www.wmur.com/news/15346173/detail.html

Of course this knee jerk reaction was inevitable.

Question: How are you going to pay for your rescue if you can't drive yourself to work?

Another question: Is getting caught in bad weather now going to be considered negligent?

KDT

[Bill O]

I think we can all rest assured that nobody was carrying a 250 pound pack. Somebody mis-spoke or mis-heard.

Its easy to forget why people sign up to be in the Air National Guard. Its not so they can sit around the hanger scrubbing the floor.

[Steve M]

How many people have 3,000 to 10,000 dollars hanging around to pay that bill? Even if you made 4,000 a month most of that is needed for living expenses. I would imagine it would take someone at least a year or more if they worked at it hard to pay that bill. Losing your drivers license would make it almost impossible to pay it back. Gotta love the gov. Why don't they seek the money to continue the rescues from the private sector from organizations that support outdoor activities as donations and fund raising???

[mtruman]

We were at Highland Center the last 5 days and saw some of the rescue play out although there was more on the news than could be seen in person. We saw the rescue crew talking to the family in the dining room on Tuesday morning (didn't know what it was about then). As we were walking back to the lobby the Blackhawk touched down out front.



We were out hiking all day so didn't hear the story till later. The word from folks who were there during the day pretty much matched the news article (except for the 250lb pack). The rain on Monday apparently caught them on the way down - couldn't make the stream crossings - and they stayed in the woods and rode out the night. Wasn't too cold either Sunday or Monday night so they were lucky in that respect. I can attest to the stream (more like torrent) conditions. Was going to take a short trip up Webster-Jackson on Monday afternoon after the rain ended. There was no way. Between the rain and the snow melt it was a flood.

Whatever the real story was it's good that these guys got out with no real damage. Much luckier than the guys on Franconia Ridge last week.