(make it the pyramid of shame.)

http://news.bostonherald.com/news/regional/view.bg?articleid=1185652

does point out the contradiction:

"Maj. Tim Acerno, who oversees law enforcement for Fish and Game in the Granite State and headed Mason’s rescue in April, said Mason “was negligent” in attempting to hike an “aggressive” trail in wintry conditions, and then taking a “difficult route even after spraining his ankle.”.

The official response appears to contradict Acerno’s own earlier statements to the Patriot Ledger that Mason’s solo hike was“ambitious,” but “once he was lost, he did everything right.”

-----

The comments there point out:

"New Hampshire doesn't have an income tax or a sales tax, so this makes perfect sense. They can't afford not to charge this guy for a $25K rescue. Maybe the kid will make it up, and more with some sort of media deal."

and

"Besides the cost, the rescuers put there lives in danger. The bill, while unfortunate, is fair. And good point about the Kennedy recovery, but their reason will be that because of his lineage foul play needed to be ruled out. The Kennedy's should have ponied up when it turned out he died from his own stupidity. Every year hundreds of morons put good people at risk because of selfish thrill seeking."

and

"I posted on this issue in the first story about it and a few did not like what I had to say. Let me repeat myself and point out a few things about hiking the Presidentials, which I have been doing for 35 years. Someone mockingly asked me if I had never been a beginner, had always been an expert. No. I learned from my dad, starting at age 7. He learned from his dad. There are several rules to hiking the Presidentials and anywhere else for that matter. Rule # 1 is YOU NEVER HIKE ALONE!! the NH backcountry is a breathtakingly beautiful, wild and exceedingly dangerous place. One must never let that slip your mind when hiking. You MUST have a buddy. Your buddy can get you to a safe spot then go for help. You cannot rely on being able to contact rescue, cell phone abilities are non existent in a lot of areas up there. Parties of 4 are better, then if you are injured, your buddy stays with you, and the other 2 go for help. You need to register at the nearest ranger station, such as Pinkham Notch, let them know your intended route, and when you expect to be down.If you don't show, they go looking for you. Which leads to the next rule... STAY ON MARKED TRAILS!! Unless you have climbed Mt Adams, Mt Washington or any of them, it is difficult to understand/ picture the terrain. It is rugged and unforgiving. The paths are narrow, only as wide as a person with a pack. If you step 1 foot either way off the trail, you are in a forest so dense, you cannot walk with a pack on your back. If you try to take a shortcut thru this, you will most likely die. If a trained rescuer has to go there looking for you, it is equally as dangerous and life threatening for them. This kid injured himself and chose to keep going UP!! Mt. Washington has grades of up to 12%. Which means you gain 12 foot of elevation for every 100 ft. of trail you climb. The trails are not smooth and easy, but rock hopping thru mud, and uneven ground. It is a grueling and relentless climb. For him to continue upward having sprained his ankle, was foolish in the extreme and he should be fined for that stupidity alone. He broke all the rules I listed here. These rules are followed universally, by all true hikers. Folks have no right ask of others who are selfless enough to risk their own lives to save another, to do this simply because they are foolish. Driving past Mt Washington makes one wish to climb it, but, it is a serious endeavor, not to be done on a lark, wearing flip flops and carrying a bottle of water. One cannot take shortcuts in preparation, because it can easily become a life and death situation in the blink of an eye. You have to have the proper equipment, and follow the rules. They are simple. This young man broke several cardinal rules, and others had to spend 3 days looking for him at risk to their own lives. I have a problem with that. Do I think he should NOT have been rescued... NO, of course not. But his recklessness cost a fortune and drew resources away, that, thankfully, were not needed elsewhere for a real emergency that perhaps was as unavoidable as this rescue was avoidable. Yes, the young man should pay his rescue bill. The guy who hikes with 3 friends, Properly equipped, who stays on marked trails, and has a heart attack or perhaps trips and breaks his leg should not have to pay, and will never be asked or expected to. Because he will have followed the rules, and, accidents happen. I am 42, and I still hike with my dad. We have never had to be rescued, knock on wood."

and this:

A Beautiful Place to Die

(the perils of the White Mountains)

http://www.wildlife.state.nh.us/Outdoor_Recreation/BGlobeMag_Beautiful_place_to_die_081708.pdf

...discussing a stupid kid lost on a f"*=$!n mountainn!!!! This blog is about Walter Cronkite and the misrepresentations by the MSM.

Hell, who cares. Hey I live on a mountian with these really big eucalyptus trees all around me, I planted them years ago and now they threaten to fall on my house, who do I sue?

A group of us watched "New York" exactly that way - via an online subscription service.

The trail is somewhat overgrown and can be difficult to follow. After travelling through some neat boulder caves the trail gets steeper

Anyone at all know what the word in bold is doing in that sentence and what it could possibly mean?