Jim, I gather she is from Minnasota. Now someone from there ought to know a LOT about snow! She probably had the misconception that a June Sierra snowstorm would be minor and kept walking when she should have hunkered down. I also think the PCT hikers let thier daily schedule get in the way of common sense sometimes.

I think she should have to at least partially pay for the rescue. Not because she pushed 911 on Spot, but because she failed to notify anyone when she was out. I would think that she would have had to pass by the Crabtree Ranger Station on the way out. If not the first thing she needed to do when she got out was call the Sherriff's office and let them know.

I was involved in a rescue years back in Inyo county. The county does not have the resources to foot the bill for rescues. They bill the county that the person lives in and that county then decides to pay the bill or charge the person - or share the cost or whatever. As a tax payer, I do not wish to subsidize rescues that are not needed. As a backpacker, I would hope for a bit of mercy if I made a mistake and at least split the bill half and half. Few backpackers really know the ins and outs of emergency protocol and rescues. I would like to see better informed backpackers. When you get your permit, the rangers make a big deal about no trace camping, but not a word about what to do in an emergency.