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Los Angeles Times
13 hours ago
- Los Angeles Times
Should irresponsible hikers be forced to pay for their rescue? This sheriff says yes
The number of rescues in the wilderness areas around Mt. St. Helens keep going up — and the actions of some of those before they call for help have drawn criticism as reckless. One man, 21, kayaked over a waterfall, suffering a spinal injury. A 54-year-old woman glissaded down Mt. St. Helens — sliding down a snow-covered slope — and suffered a head injury when she struck a rock. Each of those rescues in May, in a remote, mountainous county, required six-hour efforts. And one West Coast sheriff is now pondering sending the most egregious victims a bill. The idea would involve a new county ordinance where a person could be cited 'if they are found to be reckless or negligent in their actions where search and rescue is requested to respond,' according to the Sheriff's Office in Skamania County, the remote, sparsely populated county in Washington that is home to Mt. St. Helens. 'I need to find a creative way to deter the current behavior we are witnessing while attempting to recoup the financial burden placed on our county,' Sheriff Summer Scheyer said in a statement. 'This ordinance is still in the planning phase, but I believe it would be an added deterrent for those who take exceptional risks.' The number of search-and-rescue missions soared in May in Skamania County compared to the same month last year, the Sheriff's Office said, with a number of missions taking four to nine hours to complete the rescue. Skamania County isn't alone. In southern Utah, the Garfield County Sheriff's Office on Tuesday announced it was requiring permits for some of the most remote and challenging slot canyons, noting 'a significant increase in search and rescue operations.' Nationwide, the number of national park search-and-rescue operations is in the thousands — 3,308 in 2023 — which can entail anything from a child who is separated from their parents to a hiker who is lost in the backcountry. The idea of forcing irresponsible hikers to pay for their rescue has come up before. In New Hampshire, the state says people may be required to pay back the costs to rescue them. One way to avoid such charges is buying 'Hike Safe Cards' — $25 per person and $35 per family — that supports the state's search-and-rescue efforts. One recent rescue that gained attention involved a pair of hikers who had to be rescued after they hiked despite a forecast of rain, sleet and snow in the middle of January, went off a marked trail and feared they were hypothermic. Rescuers had to break a trail — for three-quarters of a mile in steep terrain — to get to the hikers. 'The pair were found to be inadequately prepared for the conditions that were forecasted,' the Fish and Game Department said in a news release, and neither had Hike Safe Cards. In 2013 in California, a massive search-and-rescue operation was launched in Orange County for two hikers, Nicolas Cendoya, 19, and Kyndall Jack, 18. They called for help after going on an Easter Sunday hike in Trabuco Canyon and became lost. The cellphone they used to make the call stopped working before authorities could identify their location. Cendoya was found three days later, shoeless and disoriented half a mile from their car, and Jack, the day after, in shoulder-high brush. After authorities found methamphetamine in the vehicle, which the pair had parked before the hike, some government officials called for the $160,000 rescue bill to be paid back. Cendoya pleaded guilty to one felony count of drug possession but was eligible for a drug-diversion program, which if completed successfully would mean he could have the case against him dismissed. Court records indicated the case was dismissed in 2015. A judge, however, denied the Orange County Fire Authority's request that the agency get back the $55,000 it spent on the search for the pair, saying the fire agency was not a victim of a crime and couldn't seek restitution. In response, California lawmakers changed the law to allow government officials to seek reimbursement for future rescues, with certain conditions. Signed into law in 2015, the law allows a county or city to seek reimbursement for the costs of a rescue if it required 'the use of extraordinary methods,' and 'was caused by an intentional act in knowing violation' of any law 'that resulted in a criminal conviction of that person for that act.' But a county can't collect if the person rescued can't afford to pay. The county also can't collect more than $12,000 unless the person rescued was convicted of a felony. Although Orange County did not recoup its costs, the hikers did face other legal action to hold them financially accountable. Jack was sued by a volunteer rescuer who was injured during the search, falling more than 100 feet, according to the rescuer's attorneys. The volunteer, who accused Jack of negligently putting rescuers in danger, received $100,000 as part of a legal settlement, paid from a homeowner's insurance policy held by Jack's mother. The rescuer's attorney said Cendoya also settled with the rescuer for an undisclosed amount of money. Some search-and-rescue organizations don't support the idea of charging people needing rescue. 'No one should ever be made to feel they must delay in notifying the proper authorities of a search or rescue incident out of fear of possible charges,' the Mountain Rescue Assn. says. In a position paper in 2009, the association said that most services that rescue people in the mountains in the U.S. 'are provided by teams of unpaid professional rescue mountaineers who give up their own time to participate in search and rescue activities.' 'The typical search and rescue mission is over within a matter of a few hours, and with the vast majority of the work performed by unpaid professional volunteers, the costs are generally very low,' Charley Shimanski, then the president of the Mountain Rescue Assn., said in a statement. 'It's true that teams are sometimes over-taxed, and that newcomers to the backcountry call 911 in questionable circumstances,' the Colorado Search and Rescue Assn. said. 'Yet we still don't believe charging for services is the answer. We know from experience that when people think they're going to be charged, they often delay calling, or even intentionally evade, rescuers.' Times staff writer Alex Wigglesworth contributed to this report.
Yahoo
26-03-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Experts ask public for input after trail camera captures mysterious animal deep in the wild: 'Looks a little bit wrong and a little bit right'
A shiny-eyed creature lurking on public lands in southwest Florida was caught on a trail camera — and its origin is unknown. The mysterious animal has attracted the attention of experts at the nonprofit South Florida Wildlands Association. They posted it on the agency's Facebook page asking for public insight into the classification. "Looks a little bit wrong and a little bit right for a number of different species," the experts wrote. A friend sent this photo over for an ID. Captured on a trail cam on public lands in Southwest Florida. Looks a little... Posted by South Florida Wildlands Association on Friday 14 March 2025 It's an example of the valuable insight trail cameras can have in the forest, documenting creatures that would otherwise go unseen, and giving a clearer idea of population health. In Alaska, the government considers cameras to be a valuable tool, providing eyes where humans would be unwise to go, such as to document a pack of wolves devouring a meal, or to view bears on the prowl, according to the Fish and Game Department. "As a research tool, trail cameras provide researchers opportunities to catch glimpses into the lives of animals like never before," researcher Diana Raper, who is working with Alaskan wildlife officials to study carcass scavengers, said in a state report. In Poland, a trail camera caught two rare black wolves crossing a stream. The footage provided evidence — and hope — about the creature's survival in light of conservation efforts. Predators are part of healthy ecosystems, preventing prey from overrunning habitat, according to the University of Minnesota. Camera footage can also offer information about how human encroachment into animal territory is impacting wildlife, sometimes forcing the creatures into our domain. The World Wildlife Fund said that habitat loss is the main threat to species. It's the leading concern for 85% of threatened and endangered animals, per the report. And animal health is also an indicator of overall ecosystem well-being. The World Economic Forum reported that pollinator loss, deforestation, soil erosion, and climate changes are all contributing factors to our food supply. What's more, what we hear can be equally important. Bioacoustic technology is giving researchers better audio evidence about the health, number, and type of critters and insects in our forests — all by listening to their songs, calls, and other noises. Should the government be paying people to hunt invasive species? Definitely Depends on the animal No way Just let people do it for free Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. And while a clear ID of the apparent Florida feline is hard to make, cryptozoologists at least likely don't need to be contacted. Some even doubt it's a rare species at all. "That's an elusive house cat," viewer Ronnie Engelhard commented. The association responded that bobcats and panthers are other possibilities. "The benefit of a trail cam that can take photos like this without the animal knowing it's there and getting spooked. Hopefully we'll get a daytime shot of the same critter soon," the experts wrote in the comments. As for our food system's health, anyone can make an impact by growing fruits and vegetables in a garden. You can harvest hundreds of dollars worth of food in your backyard while reducing pollution each growing season. Further, by planting patches of native flowers for the benefit of bees, butterflies, and other species, you can add habitat for creatures that are crucial to our food supply. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Boston Globe
04-02-2025
- General
- Boston Globe
Two Massachusetts residents rescued overnight on Mt. Washington
GPS coordinates from 911 revealed the two were just 34 feet off the trail, officials said. A conservation officer directed them to the trail over the phone, and over the next two hours they 'fought their way through chest-deep snow and 'spruce traps' (holes created in the snow underneath trees) in an attempt to regain the trail,' officials said. Advertisement While the hikers ended up on the trail several times, they couldn't follow it for long due to 'wind and blowing snow,' officials said. Get N.H. Morning Report A weekday newsletter delivering the N.H. news you need to know right to your inbox. Enter Email Sign Up After multiple attempts and calls to Fish and Game, they opted to huddle in the snow together and await assistance, officials said. By 8:30 p.m., summit temperatures had plunged to 2 degrees below zero, with winds 'often gusting significantly higher' than 60 miles per hour. Volunteers from the Mountain Rescue Service group and members of the Fish and Game Department's advanced search and rescue team were called in to reach the hikers, officials said. 'The State Park's snow cat started up the mountain at 11:00 p.m. with 9 skilled rescuers, arriving at the summit just before midnight,' officials said. 'The crews ventured into whiteout conditions and snowshoed through deep, wind-blown snow toward the top end of the Jewell Trail below the summit of Mt. Clay.' By 1:20 a.m., rescuers were approaching the last known location of the two hikers but had yet to make contact. Rescuers found the hikers a half hour later. 'Both were alive and coherent, but suffering from cold-weather injuries,' officials said. Crew members immediately began warming the pair, a process that took an hour, officials said. The rescuers and hikers reached the base station of the Cog Railway around 4:15 a.m., and paramedics evaluated them, officials said. Advertisement One of the hikers was taken to a hospital for further evaluation and treatment, officials said. They didn't specify which hiker went to the hospital. Both hikers were prepared for a winter hike on the mountain, officials said. 'This incident exemplifies the need to prepare for the unexpected,' officials said. 'Both hikers were prepared and had winter hiking experience, but ultimately encountered unforeseen conditions. Had they not had the amount of gear that they had with them, it is unlikely that they would have survived until rescuers reached them.' Travis Andersen can be reached at
