2008 Woodie Awards
Climbing restrictions cause chaos
Michael Plaza
Issue date: 3/7/07 Section: Opinion
- Page 1 of 1
After the recent string of rescue missions to Mt. Hood, some say there should be climbing restrictions enforced on the 11,239 foot mountain.
Recently a dog and three climbers were rescued from the mountain after falling from a ledge and being separated from their group.
The group was able to be rescued because they carried with them an electronic beacon that helped lead rescuers to them.
Others that took on Mt. Hood this winter have not been as lucky, ending up dead and missing.
Oregon lawmaker, John Lim, is proposing that climbers should be forced to wear electronic beacons so they can be more easily tracked when they get stranded. Others are looking for a more extreme measure.
Some say that climbers should have to obtain a license to even attempt to climb the peak.
The fact is, beacons are readily available to anyone that would like to use them. You can hire guides and professionals whose sole jobs are to help people climb. You can make the attempt very safe, and almost ensure success.
Many hikers do not want this.
The whole point of climbing a mountain is because it is dangerous. Because it is a challenge. They want to be able to stand at the top and look down and say that they did something not everyone else has.
No one should be able to decide if these people are qualified enough to climb.
Someone that wants to climb the mountain, who is not in good enough shape, has little experience, and refuses to use the safeguards that are so easily available, lacks common sense.
If they are honestly that ignorant, they probably would have killed themselves some other way sooner or later.
That is not the case with many of these people.
Most of the climbers that fell to tragedy on Mt. Hood this winter were climbing within their means, and in groups with other qualified people.
They fell victim to unexpected conditions which are normal at that altitude and area of the country. Some made simple missteps, or lost their way, or fell from slippery slopes.
But that is the reason they want to climb in the first place.
People race because they can crash or they can win. They fight because they can get knocked out or they can knock someone out.
Losing is bad and winning is good, but if there wasn't a chance to lose or fail, winning wouldn't be that big of a deal.
Recently a dog and three climbers were rescued from the mountain after falling from a ledge and being separated from their group.
The group was able to be rescued because they carried with them an electronic beacon that helped lead rescuers to them.
Others that took on Mt. Hood this winter have not been as lucky, ending up dead and missing.
Oregon lawmaker, John Lim, is proposing that climbers should be forced to wear electronic beacons so they can be more easily tracked when they get stranded. Others are looking for a more extreme measure.
Some say that climbers should have to obtain a license to even attempt to climb the peak.
The fact is, beacons are readily available to anyone that would like to use them. You can hire guides and professionals whose sole jobs are to help people climb. You can make the attempt very safe, and almost ensure success.
Many hikers do not want this.
The whole point of climbing a mountain is because it is dangerous. Because it is a challenge. They want to be able to stand at the top and look down and say that they did something not everyone else has.
No one should be able to decide if these people are qualified enough to climb.
Someone that wants to climb the mountain, who is not in good enough shape, has little experience, and refuses to use the safeguards that are so easily available, lacks common sense.
If they are honestly that ignorant, they probably would have killed themselves some other way sooner or later.
That is not the case with many of these people.
Most of the climbers that fell to tragedy on Mt. Hood this winter were climbing within their means, and in groups with other qualified people.
They fell victim to unexpected conditions which are normal at that altitude and area of the country. Some made simple missteps, or lost their way, or fell from slippery slopes.
But that is the reason they want to climb in the first place.
People race because they can crash or they can win. They fight because they can get knocked out or they can knock someone out.
Losing is bad and winning is good, but if there wasn't a chance to lose or fail, winning wouldn't be that big of a deal.
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