Skill is far more important than good gear; it isn't even close. I recall one of victims, found going hypothermic on a cold dreary damp evening in the mountains. When we arrived, someone said, "Hi there, how about we get a fire going?"

"You can't," he replied, "It's too wet." Needless to say, we got a fire going quickly - we weren't interested in becoming hypothermic ourselves. This dude was carrying a fifty pound pack, filled with lightweight hiking gear no doubt. I don't think he had the slightest idea of what any of it was for.

The only thing I know for sure he carried was a pistol. As we got near the road, he became irritated at a light on a ridge about a quarter-mile away and threatened to shoot it out. It is just barely possible that he was not right in the head.

When I was a noobie, I had neither skill nor equipment. As I gained experience and knowledge, I also learned about the nuances of good gear -like nylon climbing rope is superior to 1/2 hemp rope from a spool condemned by the telephone company, which is what we used the very first time.....