Torpified,
very nice TR! My wife, daughter and I chatted with the two of you for a while Thursday as you hit Trail Crest and had lunch (nice Flash 65
), and then we saw you again Friday as we were descending and you were on your way up to Outpost Camp to collect your partner's pack. We also spoke with the SAR team earlier that morning near Trailside Meadow, but knew zip about the situation and had no information to give them.
I'm sorry your adventure ended as it did, but at least it was at the tail end of such a challenging trip and not in the backcountry. That would have multiplied everyone's misery. Fortunately, things turned out reasonably right. I spoke with the two Inyo SAR guys again while they were on their way down. They said that about three-quarters of their calls result in the victim making their way out of the mountains before a SAR team can arrive. You are definitely not the first, and you won't be the last, so don't fret too much over it. You had a lot going on.
Loved the wag bag sidebar. My daughter was less than isnpired at the thought of carrying a couple of wag bags down the mountain, but she did it. I'll certainly relate to her your partner's determination to do the right thing, regardless!
