David Roberts was air rescued in Alaska this past summer at a cost of over $90,000.
Though he had a lot of experience with arctic wilderness in Saskatchewan, the media is reporting that he was totally unprepared, and a “goofy guy”.
Roberts, a 54-year-old Australian, was trying to walk almost 100 miles across the Brooks Range wilderness when he set off a long-distance distress call on Friday. He’d been out there alone for two months.
…He hauled a 140-pound sled full of supplies behind him, he said. A persistent stomach bug left him dehydrated while frequent, stabbing pains pierced his cold feet.
He traveled fewer than 40 miles in two months — far less than he’d expected.
…
Alaskans have little patience for seemingly ill-prepared adventurers, and news of the rescue prompted comparisons to another explorer who trekked into the wilderness 16 years ago — Chris McCandless. McCandless starved to death after trying to survive on his own for more than three months near Denali National Park.
…Roberts didn’t know who would have to pay for his rescue when he made the decision to get help, he said. “I didn’t presume that somebody else was going to pick up the tab on that.” …
Anchorage Daily News – Adventurer’s wilderness trek ends with air rescue, free hotel
Roberts will not be billed for the rescue costs.
besthike.com 
Alaskans are a bit nuts about people who die on their turf. I can’t stand the way they piss and moan about McCandless. Although he was ill prepared, one cannot just say well he had no purpose in being here. They just aren’t romantics.
I know the Alaska State Troopers considered this a training mission and that justified the taxpayer expense for the rescue. The factor that I don’t think is discussed in the article is that by rescueing Roberts, the troopers put there own lives at risk.
Rescue helicopter crashes this year around the country have created a buzz about this issue. I can think of two off the top of my head, one outside of Flagstaff Arizona and one outside of Madison Wisconsin and I know there’s more.
It’s because of this that I feel there should be at least a review of each rescue situation and the person rescued should know that he or she could be footing the bill for rescue.