Reply #4: This subject has long been discussed in the Adirondacks where I hike

[mtnsnake]

and so far there seems to be no easy answer. Each year, there are numerous SAR missions for lost or injured hikers in the mountains. Most of the searching is done by volunteers. The biggest cost is usually the helicopter, if used to evacuate an injured hiker or to look for a lost one. The helicopters often come from military bases, though.

In almost every case where hikers got lost, it was because of something that could've been avoided, such as misjudging time to get to the top and not having a headlamp after getting stuck in the dark. Injuries are different. Shit happens. I really feel for those hikers on Mt Hood no matter what happened, and I know you do, too, from your previous posts. Just tragic.