Regarding the calls for a "hiking license" to cover SAR costs...

As I recall Colorado has something called a CORSAR card. It isn't really "SAR insurance" per se, since the Colorado sherriffs' office can't bill for SAR, but the implication is that you will be looked upon in a better light if you have one. Considering the recent MISGUIDED calls from the general public about billing people for SAR costs this seems like a cheap way to demonstrate your sense of personal responability if such nonsense finds more proponents.

EDIT-
Yeah, I just Googled this thing. The money from the cards ($3/year, $12/5years) goes into a statewide fund that is used to reimburse the sherriffs' offices for their SAR expenses. (Otherwise it just comes out of their budget.) Any money left over at the end of the year is budgeted to equipment purchases and training courses for the SAR teams.
The fund also gets money from fishing and hunting licenses, ORV registrations, etc.
And, of course, you will still be billed for your medical care at the hospital they take you to.

Edited by acrosome on 04/29/2009 00:35:06 MDT.