If you plan Hawaii hiking on your vacation, enjoy our many trails with these tips.
15 thoughts on “Hawaii Hiking Safety After Three Air Rescues In One Day”
Comments are closed.
If you plan Hawaii hiking on your vacation, enjoy our many trails with these tips.
Comments are closed.
Arizona (where I live) has a “stupid motorist law” that applies to drivers who venture beyond barricades in potential or actual high water situations. It means that anyone who does this and has to be rescued, pays every penny of the cost of that rescue. I think it makes sense to charge someone for the cost of rescue when that person has disregarded safety signs/barricades or otherwise acted recklessly. I don’t think my tax dollars should go towards such rescues. But accidents happen, and I think it’s a great idea for a state to have some option to collect funds like the Colorado safety card mentioned here. My husband and I would be happy to purchase that kind of card in Hawaii. Thanks for the helpful conversation about this issue.
Hi Glenna.
Thanks for your feedback on this issue. We appreciate it.
Aloha.
Who pays for all of these helicopter rescues?
Thanks for the great tips! I hope hikers take heed. 5 years ago we were 1 mile in on the Pihea Trail, with our goal being the Kilohana Outlook. Although the morning started off beautifully at 7 am with abundant sunshine (we were able to get some epic pics looking down on Napali Coast State Wilderness Park), by 9 am it began to rain and facing some very slick, red-mud uphill climbs and knowing we’d need to reverse course in a few hours, we called it a day and returned to our car. While at the museum a bit later, the ranger told us we were smart to turn back as they do a LOT of rescues from Pihea/Alaka’i. We’re in our 50s and although experienced hikers, breaking an ankle and having to be airlifted out isn’t on our bucket list.Everyone needs to plan well ahead and respect the terrain.
Hi Laura.
Thank you. We are both very familiar with where you were hiking on Kauai. Yes, it can be treacherous there, especially when muddy!
Aloha.
Saw the announcement in yesterday’s Honolulu paper from the Governor. It’s both good and exciting.
Search and Rescue crews never charge for rescue in my home province of British Columbia, Canada. Am I at risk of being charged if I call for rescue in Hawaii?
A great list and reminders! Thanks.
It’s essential these costs are presented to those rescued. Particularly the ones who refuse medical services on arrival. Do they think this is a taxi service?!
Thanks! good tips! Have hiked on Maui, Oahu, Kauai and the Big Island. Wanted to add a couple more – the terrain on many trails is slick as red mud can become a slip and slide. Take a hiking pole or two to steady your balance and slow you down on steep declines. Also take a good hiking app w/GPS so you can stay on the trail and not get lost.
Hi Bill.
Thanks for your first-time comment and the nice additions. Much appreciated.
Aloha.
Who pays for these costly rescues? Do the folks being rescued have to pay anything??
Three more reasons visitors should pay a “rescue fee”
I totally agree. It’s so easy to be careless on someone else’s dime.
As a traveler, I agree with Paul S. We live in Arizona, which does not have such a fee, but travel often to Colorado, where we have purchased their 5-year Colorado Outdoor Recreation Search and Rescue (CORSAR) Card. Arizona is also a major tourist destination, with dangerous climate and geological features for the unaware, so such rescues happen too often.
We are conservative, and do our best to be well informed of local dangers and considerations, but we are also older and you just never know. Such a program seems well within reason, especially for communities who have limited resources compared to the high demands of tourism.