An Arizona Republic columnist makes the case that rescue for hikers lost in the backcountry should continue to be provided for free, as it is in most states in the U.S. He points to a trail runner who hid from hikers so he wouldn’t have to pay a search-and-rescue surcharge, and the kid in New Hampshire who was handed a $25k tab for his rescue. His logic is that people don’t pay the firefighters when they drive to the scene of a car accident and cut you from the wreckage, and it should be the same with mountain rescue. Of course, those people still have to pay for the ambulance and medical bills, so I guess some lost hikers will have to pay for helicopter rides. Most of the searchers are volunteers, and government hasn’t gotten to the point yet that it’s privatized the National Park Service. He makes strong arguments, and I’d like to see it continue for free as long as possible. These guys setting off emergency beacons when their water tastes too salty isn’t helping.