[Ron Smith]

Fred,

I've spent a good part of my life, including my early childhood exploring the Cascade Mountains. I learned very early to never challenge Mother Nature. I've involuntarily spent a couple of nights freezing in the cold rain hunkered next to a tree. She can kill you in a blink, but I've never purposely dared her to. As I said, it's just plain stupid.

I believe that they do charge rescued survivors now. A close friend's brother-in-law was a team leader in Mountain Rescue. They were on Hood a few years ago, during a heavily televised rescue. Bryant Gumbel showed up with a news crew and interupted a briefing that they were having at base camp. He told Gumbel to back-off or he would throw his ass off the mountain. Believe me when I say, he would have. He's one tough guy...

Ron