What about the dog?
The Internet is all abuzz about the rescue on Mt. Hood today, but it’s not just the hikers that were rescued. So was their black Lab! Most everyone has come out against them bringing their dog along for the climb. I would have to agree, leave the dog at home and not in a hot car. It brings to mind the video we had to watch before heading into the backcountry at Glacier National Park. Dogs are not allowed in the backcountry because of “unpleasant encounters with wildlife”. Mainly the grizzlies might eat them.
I’m not sure about requiring personal locator beacons for all climbers. Is it the same as requiring helmets for bike riders or wearing your seat belt in a car? It can’t hurt but they are not fool proof. Even if the climbers from last year had a PLB the rescuers might have not been able to reach them in time with the storm holding up the search.
I think the press overstates the risks in climbing and hiking by promoting the tragic without mentioning the hundreds of other uneventful climbs. Earlier this winter the local news’ coverage of a missing snowshoe’er off of I-90 made it seem like snowshoeing was a daredevil sport when in reality it can be quite tame. Only 3.5% of rescues in Oregon are climbing related. Vehicles, ATV, and Snowmobiles are 20.5% of the rescues. We don’t see TV footage of rescue crews out looking for drunk snowmobilers.