Nightrider brings up some interesting points. I certainly agree that if you are rescued, you probably should incur the costs of that rescue. And the hiking pass or "pay to play" idea is intriguing and may need to be scrutinized more closely. Certainly, many may find the idea abhorrent. Just look the controversy with the pay-to-play plans in cash strapped school systems where families are expected to pay for their children's involvement in extracurricular sports. But having Fish & Game patrol hiking trails sounds like a logistical and bureaucratic nightmare (not to mention expensive). And who is to judge when conditions are dangerous and life threatening? Nightrider's legislative solution is probably unfeasible, or impossible to enforce. Pay-to-play seems to be the most viable option.
To add fodder for the discussion, here are some interesting stats:
-- For FY 2007, the search and rescue surcharge on boats, OHRV, and snowmobile registrations totaled $257,659.
-- Between 2002-2007, 822 rescue missions were conducted by Fish & Game;48.2% of those missions involved hikers. Hikers incurred 46.1% of the rescue mission costs.
The first stat is interesting because the surcharge collected for rescue missions account for about 1% of the entire Fish & Game budget. Not too big if you ask me.
The second set of stats is interesting because it shows that hikers are certainly assessed fees. Furthermore, the amount paid by hikers is roughly proportional to how often they are involved in a rescue. [I say this with the caveat that not all rescue missions are created equal. Some are more expensive than others.] Finally, can one assume that the remaining 51.8% of rescue missions involve non-hikers, such as boaters, snowmobilers, and the like? If so, then there is some justification for keeping some sort of surcharge on boats, OHRVs, and snowmobiles.
I think the reason nightrider doesn't hear about the monetary recovery is because it often occurs privately between Fish & Game and the entity that was rescued, often months after the event. Well after everyone has forgotten about the rescue, the collected fees are slipped into a budget or a line item buried deep within some report. And like any budget or year-end report, it makes for boring journalism. Certainly not as sensationalistic as the original rescue!
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