Too bad he had to leave his bag on the cliff

*quality

Boosting this quality contribution up in the Hot Listing - declared quality by kulpims.

Looks like he was just a tad off the beaten path!

I always wonder in this and other similar rescue operations how people manage to get themselves into such predicaments. Sure, bad things happen that can't be prevented, I understand that, and have the utmost respect and gratitude for rescue operators....buuuut.... I'd be willing to bet that the majority of the times someone has done something stupid. I wonder if that frustration gets to them...

and dude... fuck your bag.

Stupid Cougar.

Dude! I'm gonna go get that bag! Finders keepers!

All you will find is the crack he was smoking for going up there in the first place.

as a former naval helicopter rescue crewman - there was no real reason to leave his bag there other than the crewman being stupidly over-safe. He could have clipped it on any carbuncle and it would have been fine. What wasn't safe is that one crewman's ho chi min facial hair. THAT's just stupid.

"Carbuncle"? Are you sure you were a rescue crewman? A carbuncle is an abscess. The rescuers would use carabiners.

And I always wonder why people look at me funny when I try to buy climbing gear...

I always wonder what the person did to get them in that situation. Yes, a lot of times it is something beyond their control but I think that a lot of people also get into a situation due to their own stupidity and belief that hey I've got a cell phone and can just call to get rescued if I get in over my head.

I have always felt that if you are going to hike/climb/ski etc in a public park or facility that you should be required to buy "hikers/climbers/skiers" insurance. Put up $10,000 cash bond or buy a rescue insurance policy for x dollars and we will come rescue your butt off the side of a cliff/depths of a canyon/acres of forest or we can bill you for the rescue later. I understand that you have the right to go perform these things in the wild but I also think that you should take some financial responsibility for the cost of saving your butt if/when things go wrong.

No idea how that word got in my head.

whew! tenacious d will live on!

Almost always the reason is an overestimation of their skills. They realize mid way up that they lack the strength to make it to the top on their own, and since back down is even more dangerous they get stuck. Especially without ropes.

My wife and I found a father and son midway up Echo Point in Katoomba, NSW once. They attempted to climb the cliff for a daytrip, and were only 2/3 of the way up when nighttime fell, so they camped on a ledge and started screaming when the sun came up.
We were on a hike for sunrise and thats when we heard them. Called in rescue and they showed up with helicopter and a team that repelled down to them. Got them up safely after a few hours.

Rescue team was actually happy about this one. Said 9 out of 10 they are called in to scrape up the remains of suicide jumpers at that location.