Mt Whitney Zone Forums General Discussion Lost Whitney hiker

Hi Kevin, I agree with you and hope I didn't sound insensitive. I saw several hikers on my September hike on the main trail that just didn't look like they should have been on the trail. I decided on the switchbacks to stop when I felt exhausted, that the mountain wasn't going anywhere and I could come back. When I summited in October, we told a couple of people coming up at Trail Crest that in "our opinion", they were heading up to the summit a bit too late in the afternoon. I think a lot of people don't understand that Mt Whitney can be a very dangerous place to be, especially if you are unprepared for the altitude and the amount of energy it takes to summit. As the sign at the weigh stations says, the summit is only half way. I'm just a lot more like Bulldog as I did exactly the same things he did before I hiked the main trail. I read Doug's book as well as Richin's book, checked maps and also sat and watched the videos. I asked anybody I knew for info on the hike. I never took hiking Mt Whitney as a stroll in the park and since I have had some experience in the Sierras from my first visit to Bishop when I was 6, I have a built in respect for large granite mountains.

I guess my point was that if it would help, then I think a sign would be appropriate, especially if it can help keep SARS ready for real emergencies.