Ignorance in the backcountry

I am flabbergasted that this inexperienced backcountry hut user has the audacity to sue the doctor that treated him and Western Adventures because he lied and said he was experienced at snowmobile operation, when he wasn’t (“Aspen backcountry snowmobile mishap sparks federal complaint,” May 1, 2017, The Aspen Times.

Any experienced operator of a snowmobile knows that you pack a trail without the sled, then take the sled in. He obviously did not know where he was going or he wouldn’t have dropped into Bowman Creek, which is south of the Goodwin-Greene hut. Bowman Creek drains into the Taylor River, not the Roaring Fork drainage. They mistakenly went over the Bowman Creek saddle instead of to the Goodwin-Greene. This is what the famous “miracle in the mountains” idiot, Torp, did in 1993, after he left two weak women and one weak man in the Gold Hill area. Another act of negligence on Mr. Panczner’s part was his lack of snow gaiters, which would keep the snow out of his boots. I think we need to implement a backcountry user’s test of anyone renting a backcountry hut so this will not happen in the future.

And Mr. Panczner, why don’t you take a baby sitter next time you go to a hut.

James Wingers

Aspen