This turned out a great discussion guys and I appreciate the input!
It's funny that one of you guys brought up "cowboy", because when I asked the ranch hands if they could get up there they said, "we normally don't go up the mountains even in daytime when the weather is nice, if a cow goes up there it either can die or come down on it's own." They did it anyway, as a challenge. The more I'm out in the country, the more I can see how different things are from medical work in the city. Those guys in Reno always give us crap when we come in to the city because how out of the box we are. We can have 2 hour response times to 911 calls, we very rarely have extrication for vehicle crashes, and sometimes I find myself having to help handcuff 6' 6" 350 lb drunk, combative Indians on the reservation because there is only one police officer.
I've had the "risks vs benefits" thing drilled into my head all through the fire academy, paramedic school, being a member of the royal air force training corps in England, my fire job and my current medic job. I was asked in a fire dept interview what i would do if i came upon a burning house off duty and a woman said her child was still inside. Of course I answer I would leave it to the on duty responders as to not create another victim, but what I was thinking was different. I can't change who I am inside.
My boss can tell me I was reckless, or people can remind me I am NOT a member of a trained SAR team, but what about the risks I take when starting an IV on a guy that tells me he has HIV and Hep C. Or when I drive the 60 miles to reno in a white out snowstorm because some guy has a cut on his thumb (this happened not long ago). I risked myself, partner, and this guys life for his thumb? My boss and colleagues actually were very supportive of what I did, lucky for me.
I don't know If i mentioned it in the story, but it was a former colleague and friend standing there telling me it was his dad up there. My ambulance partner is 50, overweight and has bed knees, so I knew I was the only shred of hope the guy had. There were no other medically trained personnel within 2 hours of where we were.
I'm not looking to be a hero, if I was I would have stayed in the fire dept I worked for. I really don't mean to offend any fire guys, but I have to say there is an alarming majority that are in it for the glory, girls, or to stroke the ego.
I honestly believe that there has to be some purpose to my life, and if I didn't take the risks, what's the point.
there are a few causes of concern for me. Your comments/actions could possibly be viewed as cowboy tactics by your superiors and peers. A rescuer's #1 responsibility is to not become the rescued. SAR calls for level heads. 
