High-Risk Activities May Have A Price: Rescue Insurance

So you want to climb Mount Rainier.

You've got state-of-the art boots, crampons, ice ax and other paraphernalia. Check.

Tent, rope, backpack, parka, sleeping bag; sunglasses, extra clothes and extra food in case of bad weather or other emergencies. Check.

Your climbing instructor gave you high marks for skill and common sense. You've done some smaller peaks, so you're ready for all 14,410 feet of Mount Rainier.

Whoa!

What about rescue insurance?

It's one of the hottest topics in mountaineering circles and national parks this week. That's because last week the National Park Service said it is considering requiring insurance, a bond, or a climber's fee to help foot rescue bills.

Denali National Park, home of 20,320-foot Mount McKinley in Alaska, will be part of a test project for climbers' insurance next year.

"Nothing has been set in concrete" yet for Mount Rainier, says Bill Larson, visitor management specialist at Mount Rainier National Park.

Larson and others in the Park Service emphasize that fees or insurance will not be required across the board, but for people who choose high-risk activities, such as climbing, hang gliding or river running.

Last year 22 search-and-rescue operations at Mount Rainier cost $62,000, not including assistance from military aircraft or efforts by volunteers. Larson said the norm for Mount Rainier rescues ranges from 20 to 30 rescues. About 8,000 people climb the mountain each year.

No company apparently offers such insurance in the continental United States at this time.

For the second year, the American Alpine Club is offering rescue insurance with its $65 annual membership fee. It covers $25,000 in evacuation for climbers at Mount McKinley and elsewhere in the world, but not in the continental United States.

Members who climb above 7,000 meters (approximately 22,960 feet) can obtain additional coverage by paying $50 a week. Carl Weil Insurance of Franktown, Colo., is the agent.

Weil believes if a group like The Mountaineers had all 14,000 of its members covered for a $5,000 rescue limit, the annual cost would be from $10 to $25 per person.

A short term, one-trip policy would cost from $25 to $50, Weil estimates. That's because The Mountaineers' members have developed outdoor skills.

The Mountaineers have not yet taken a position on the Park Service proposal to require insurance or a user's fee for climbers.

Rescue insurance policies are common in Europe.

George Dunn, a Seattleite and one of three partners in International Mountain Guides, which takes climbers on ascents in France, Switzerland and Italy, requires his clients to buy insurance from Carte-neige, a national program in France. The annual fee is 200 francs or about $40; or for 10 days, about 160 francs or about $29.

In Europe climbers are responsible for rescue bills. Dunn considers the Carte-neige policy a "great deal."

Tim O'Brien, chairman of the Seattle Mountain Rescue Council Inc., whose members spend a lot of time training for their volunteer help in rescues, says his group will oppose any required insurance or a climber's fee. His organization sees it as part of a constant attempt to tax climbers.

Charley Shimanski, executive director of the American Alpine Club and chair of the Rocky Mountain Region of the Mountain Rescue Association, sees the issue two ways.

While the Alpine Club offers its members insurance, Shimanski fears that some people who take family hikes and picnics in the mountains might delay asking for help in finding a lost child because they fear they couldn't pay the rescue bills.

He also wonders: "How about people who smoke in bed? Should they be charged for fire department services? After all, they created a risk."

Now there's another worry for smokers.

Shelby Gilje's Troubleshooter column appears Wednesday and Sunday in the Scene section of The Times. Do you have a consumer problem? Write to Times Troubleshooter, P.O. Box 70, Seattle, WA 98111. Include copies, not originals, of documents indicating payment, guarantees, contracts and other relevant materials.