In Colorado, search and rescue operations generally come free of charge for the subject with the exception of missions that include medical transport. While this practice tends to be something Facebook commenters and Reddit users frequently debate, Colorado Search and Rescue Association has adopted this approach to prevent barriers of cost from being a factor when someone is making the decision of whether or not a call for help – after all, waiting to call for help tends to make a situation worse.

The same can’t be said for all places around the country, with some states opting to charge for search and rescue efforts – particularly in situations where some sort of negligence is allegedly involved. That’s likely to be the case in a recent rescue that took place on New Hampshire’s 3,166-foot Mount Monadnoc involved a drunk 18-year-old.

According to the official report on the matter, a call about the situation was received on December 19 around 10 p.m. Authorities determined that the situation involved a hiker who was attempting to provide aid to two hikers who were in distress after falling into a brook. The hikers in need of help were in soaking wet clothes and freezing amid high winds and dropping temperatures. The low for that day in the state park that’s home to the peak was about 30 degrees, though that’s not taking wind chill into account, nor decreased temperatures higher up on the mountain.

As a rescue was launched and additional details related to the situation emerged, it was determined that the two hikers were 18-years-old and without food, water, warm clothes, a change of clothes, or any cold weather gear. It was also discovered that the pair had started their hike around 5:30 p.m. – after dark.

Rescuers reached the hikers about an hour after the call for help was received, with one hiker being able to walk down from the mountain under his own power with assistance, making it back to a vehicle to warm up. The other hiker, however, was unable to move and was suffering from cold-weather injuries. This hiker was also determined to be heavily intoxicated.

Rescuers crews got this immobilized hiker out of his wet cloths and started to warm him up. This worked, and eventually, he was able to be assisted to an awaiting ambulance by about 2 a.m. on December 20.

The second hiker is set to be charged with minor in possession of alcohol, and on top of that, New Hampshire Fish and Game Department will be recommending that the hiking pair is billed for the rescue mission. It wasn’t noted in the press release on the matter exactly why that recommendation will be made, though it’s presumably due to a failure to adhere to responsible hiking practices that were key factors in the need of rescue – the late start, the lack of food and water, the lack of proper gear, and the one hiker’s intoxication.

New Hampshire Fish and Game also make sure to encourage others to follow the hiker’s code of responsibility in their report, which covers proper preparation, planning, safe behavior, and more.

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