Thanks for pasting an entire article, who knew people like cell phones and iPods.

Originally Posted By: Ken

I loved the fire! As one of the Coast Guard SAR supervisors says:
"Take the search out of Search and Rescue

If you want to take the "Search" out of Search and Rescue, a SPOT or PLB will do it more effectively than a fire, without the risk of burning down the entire forest. Besides, a signal fire would violate your "maximum exposure" concept with "no possible chance of rescue."

I think most people would agree that electronics for entertainment can degrade the wilderness experience. And there's an ongoing debate about when to hit that SPOT button for a rescue. But to mock people for bringing an electronic rescue device like a SPOT on an 11-mile hike in the forest, that's just bad advice.