STRANDED, CLIMBING ALONE AND UNROPED

New Hampshire, Cathedral Ledge

In January of 1989, a man (25) became stranded on Cathedral Ledge, feeling he could not go up or down. He yelled to someone on the ground to lower a rope, but he had no rope. So the climber asked him to go buy one, but the man had no money. So the climber threw $200 in twenty dollar bills to him. The wind did not cooperate, however. The person went to North Conway and got the rescue team, who retrieved the stranded climber. In the spring, the rescue team returned to retrieve the twenties. (Source: Rick Wilcox, New Hampshire Mountain Rescue Team)

(Editor’s Note: This is not the best way to finance a rescue team.)