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A large amount of the hikers are day hikers, and there really is not that large of a window to arrive at the cables when everyone has to start at daybreak just to finish the hike in daylightThere they go again: "
We've never tried it, but I am sure it will not work"
I could scream!
Let me see.... I think I recall someone saying that, somewhere close by..... wait.... wait... Oh yeah, isn't it down there somewhere around Mt. Whitney? Oh yeah, that's it! Dayhikers down there sometimes start at midnight or 3 AM. And sometimes the day hikers finish late at night.
...but I am sure nobody would ever want to try that up here in Yosemite. It is a completely different situation.
You do have to wonder, though.
After all, there is nothing stopping people from doing an alpine start on HD right now, or ten years ago.
We all moan about the crowding problem on the cables, and yet, people don't do the alpine starts.
In contrast, on Whitney, people do the starts not because a gov't agency has mandated a rule, but because they have to if they are going to go the trip in a reasonable fashion, from the perspective of avoiding weather, arriving at a good time, getting back before dark. Their permit does not require it.
You are talking about something entirely different, that has NEVER been tried on Whitney, and is not neccessary to hike the trail in good fashion. In fact, you are talking about requiring people to walk the trail in poor conditions. Have you discussed this with an attorney? Does this open the PS to liability? Generally they avoid liability by not making choices for people. This is why the ranger at subdome will not prohibit you from going up, because then by letting someone else up, he has, in contrast made a judgement and given legal assurance that it is safe. If anything goes wrong.......
I think this is more complex than you are making it out to be.
