Whiteface Hiker Rescue

From the Adirondack Almanac.  People should be compelled to take a test before being allowed into the woods.

"Town of Wilmington
Wilderness Rescue: On May 19 at 4:19 pm, Essex County 911 transferred a call to DEC’s Ray Brook Dispatch reporting two hikers requesting assistance. The hikers had parked at Connery Pond and walked to Lake Placid. While at Lake Placid, they spoke with an unknown individual about hiking to the summit of Whiteface, which they were told would take about 45 minutes. After climbing through the ice and snow to the summit for several hours, the couple called for a taxi to return to their vehicle, which was six miles away. They were informed the Whiteface Mountain toll road was closed. Forest Ranger Robert Praczkajlo picked up the hikers at the Whiteface summit and gave them a courtesy transport back to their vehicle by 5:50 pm."

So you’re saying if I go hiking as long as I bring my phone I’ll be ok...

Peter Minde wrote

People should be compelled to take a test before being allowed into the woods.

And voting.  And about 5 exams for driving.

And having children

"Hey, my Uber app wont work up here!"

The Glen Onoko Falls Trail near Jim Thorpe was recently closed. This was due mainly to stupid people hiking the steep and often slippery trail totally unprepared and falling off of cliffs taking selfies. People would hike the trail in flip flops and dock siders. The local volunteer rescue squads were getting overloaded with rescues.
I think "at your own risk" means "at your own risk". People who are unprepared should be charged for any rescue. Now because of stupid people one of the nicest water falls and views in the area is inaccessible.
Glen Onoko Falls Trail to Close

trackbiker wrote

The Glen Onoko Falls Trail near Jim Thorpe was recently closed. This was due mainly to stupid people hiking the steep and often slippery trail totally unprepared and falling off of cliffs taking selfies. People would hike the trail in flip flops and dock siders. The local volunteer rescue squads were getting overloaded with rescues.
I think "at your own risk" means "at your own risk". People who are unprepared should be charged for any rescue. Now because of stupid people one of the nicest water falls and views in the area is inaccessible.
Glen Onoko Falls Trail to Close

I don't know if stupidity has caused any trail closures in the Adirondacks, but items published in the news lead one to believe that NY State forest rangers are being worked to death rescuing lost / injured hikers.  Some of them well prepared individuals who had a mishap, but many boneheads like in this story.  

Say what you want but when those rangers are getting their direct deposit, they are loving the OT. Calling a taxi from the top of whiteface is pretty funny.  They should have had to put their pictures' in the paper.

tjf1967 wrote

.  They should have had to put their pictures' in the paper.

This would be an effective deterrent. Let's do it.

They close back country access from the ski area here when they get overloaded with rescues in the easily accessible south side side country. It’s not actually policed so it’s pretty sweet and we get the place all to ourselves with heli skiing conditions.

So let’s say I go hike Noonmark with a water bottle and lunch. My plan is to do the loop.  I get confused on the way down and we instead of making a left to go towards Round I make a right and start heading towards Dix. Before long I’m in big trouble. Night is coming on fast and I’ve got nothing. Am I an idiot or just a day hiker who made 1 mistake. I’d like to meet that one person who has red lined the EHP map and not made one wrong turn. I know Ive made a few wrong turns and a few miscalculations in difficulty and time - I’m not going to throw stones.

I've made a few wrong turns.  I've turned back on a couple of spring trips where I hadn't brought snowshoes and started potholing. But calling a taxi?

Not about Whiteface, rather about a hiker rescue in Arizona that went wrong followed by, what else, a lawsuit:
https://www.fox10phoenix.com/news/notice-of-claim-filed-by-woman-at-the-center-of-piestewa-peak-rescue-gone-wrong