To Some, Beacon Signals End to Outdoor Spirit
The old-school mountaineers of the Pacific Northwest, among them craggy men who refuse to wear Gore-Tex out of principle, have a new high-tech gizmo to grouse about.
It is the personal locator beacon, a device that promises to take the search out of “search and rescue” and, for some, the wild out of wilderness. Flip it on, and it sends a signal by satellite that allows you to be found anywhere on the planet.
“They’re miraculous,” concedes Bob Burns, who’s been climbing the peaks of the Northwest for more than 30 years. But he says he won’t buy one. “Electronic gadgets can’t replace map and compass -- and the skill of knowing how to use them.”
Besides that, he says, such a device takes away “from the spirit of outdoor adventure.”
Anyone who’s ever been lost in the woods might respectfully disagree. In Washington last year, there were 658 search-and-rescue operations conducted, a large number involving lost hikers or mountain climbers. A locator beacon might have helped many of them.
It’s roughly the size of a thick paperback book, and weighs just more than a pound. Northwest-based Recreational Equipment Inc., the first nationwide retailer to carry the product, sells two models: One is $599, and the other runs $699.
The technology has been around for a couple of decades, and is routinely used by aviators and mariners. But a ruling by the Federal Communications Commission on July 1 opened the door for the personal locator beacons to be sold to the general public. The Northwest has been especially targeted by REI.
The beacons are being marketed to hikers, campers and every other kind of outdoor enthusiast who ventures into the wilderness, of whom there are many in this part of the country. Because the gadgets are new and relatively expensive, they haven’t exactly been flying off the shelves. A spokesman for REI said that in the first 13 days after the FCC ruling, the chain sold only four units.
But many search-and-rescue experts predict that as word spreads, the product may become as commonplace as walkie-talkies or cellphones. Especially as technology makes the devices smaller and cheaper.
When activated, the beacon emits a signal that can be tracked by a worldwide satellite system operated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
The alert is then routed to the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center, which contacts the appropriate local search-and-rescue agency.
Anyone who buys a personal beacon is required by law to register it with NOAA. Because of the cost of search and rescues, those who activate intentional false alerts are subject to a six-month jail sentence and a fine of up to $250,000.
Officials say locator beacons have led to the rescue of thousands of people over the last two decades. Besides being used by pilots and boaters, the devices also have been used by the state of Alaska for travelers who journey to the Arctic region.
Conrad Lautenbacher, NOAA administrator, says the new personal beacons present “a significant public safety benefit for millions of people.”
Nevertheless, some remain stubbornly skeptical -- or simply contrary.
Harvey Manning, a self-described recluse and one of the patriarchs of the local mountaineering community, calls the marketing of such a device “preposterous.”
Some, like veteran climber John Wick, worry that the new high-tech gadget may encourage amateurs to venture into places they shouldn’t go. He says he knows the feeling.
“It’s a very seductive thing,” Wick says. “It’s like, ‘I’ve got these really great new hiking shoes so now I can climb this difficult mountain face.’ Or, ‘I’ve got this great new Gore-Tex jacket so now I can go into that remote area.’ ”
Having a personal locator beacon also might make some folks lax in preparing for a trek, Wick says. Instead of learning true navigation skills and being meticulous in planning, some might go haphazardly into an outdoor adventure, knowing they have the safety net of a beacon in case they get lost or injured.
The problem is, the beacons could fail.
“It’s an electronic device. Have you ever known an electronic device to fail?” Burns says. “Does your cellphone work flawlessly every time you use it?”
Beyond encouraging a false sense of security, the main objection to the beacons for purists like Manning and Burns is its seeming violation of the spirit of adventure. They say that by taking all the danger out of hiking or climbing, you’re also taking away the sense of self-reliance.
“It takes away from the challenge,” Burns says. “The idea when you go into the wilderness is that you deal with the wilderness on its terms. You match wits. You make mistakes and recover. That’s the idea behind outdoor adventure.”
