Wow..now this is a crazy story and the hair on our backs is standing up! Why? Well when we arrived on the Whitney summit on Thursday - at 5PM! - we were really shocked to find another hiker STILL there. Yes it was Stephan. We chatted with him for most of our time there. We all agreed we were tired and all chuckled a little about how we had all left a trailhead at about the same time and he was just at the summit...and we had come from Horseshoe Meadows summiting Langley along the way. He was playful about this and simply stated that he hikes really slowly and was tired and knew he would return to the portal well after dark.
He left the summit about ten minutes before us in good spirits...but not having great luck getting ON the trail. We directed him appropriately and off he went. He did not appear to be having any pain at that time. We caught Stephan quickly and stalled...we stopped and asked "do you have absolutely EVERYTHING you need for a safe return?" and he assured us that he had everything and was totally fine. Reluctantly we pulled ahead, discussed whether we had heard his trailhead departure time correctly, hoped he was okay, looked back to see if we could see him, looked back and felt worried after getting across the totally glazed rock and snow at the cable, looked back for the light of a headlamp, wondered and hoped repeatedly into the next day that he had made it back safely.
Then we read your account...
We are SO glad that Stephan is okay now, and wish we had known that he was in distress!!!!!! We were suspicious at the time, but he was adamant about being fine.
I am so glad you were willing and able to help, as we would have done the same!
