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Beacons as Condoms?

By: DAVID MILLER | Wednesday: December 16th 2009

It was a striking metaphor from Moe that came in after today's Mt. Hood show:

I don't get the logic that requiring mountain locator beacons will encourage inexperienced people to flock to climbing Mt Hood, that it will give them an "out". MLU's are readily available now. I don't climb. I know that technology is available, but it doesn't make me more inclined to try to summit Hood. An MLU is not a guarantee of anything.

It won't take away from the "spiritual" experience. All of this resistance from the climbing community is just excuses.

I didn't hear one decent argument as to why not take an MLU on climbs summiting Mt Hood. It reminds me a lot of when HIV first hit the scene and people didn't want to use condoms. They would rather risk their life or their partners life, to keep the experience more "spiritual". Cause, ya know, it just didn't feel the same.

As if that MLU will somehow come between them and the mountain. Somehow just knowing they have a MLU in their gear will change the experience for them is just dumb. The climb will be just as technical, Mt Hood will be just as beautiful, the view of the other peaks will stay the same, the weather won't change, and if you fall or get hurt you will still be f%&^*! It will just be a tool for the rescue team to find you (that is if the weather conditions allow).

That was an interesting metaphor, I was using a similar one and didn't even realize it, because I was lazy and never read Moe's comment. 

scottmil —

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