A CHP officer told me that many drivers on our highways are "passive and unaware." They exceed the speed limit and tail-gate, in spite of being tired and sleepy, not realizing the danger they are in. Many high altitude hikers go beyond their capabilites, but continue going up, passively ignoring or just unaware of the warnings they are receiving from their bodies.
The Inyo National Forest really needs to step up it's education regarding high altitude medical problems; so far, I've seen very little, if any, effort from them in this regard. I like the idea of having big warning signs at the trail heads of ALL high altitude hikes, not just Whitney. The Mt. Whitney trail head, in particular, needs to have a ranger or an official volunteer posted there, to pass out cautionary information and answer questions.
Last week, on the Bishop Pass trail, I was stopped by a middle-aged couple about 1/4 mile up the trail from South Lake. The lady was over-weight and beginning to struggle in the effort to walk up the trail. They asked me if I thought it was advisable for her to continue, and I said, "No! You should not continue." Thankfully, they did stop and return to their car, much happier than they would have been otherwise.
Experienced hikers can help others who appear to be over-their-heads. It doesn't take much effort to ask, "Hi, how are you doing?" Most people (except perhaps extreme type-A, macho-man personalities) will admit when they are struggling. Then, we can offer advice and/or assistance, for which most people will welcome and heed. In the mountains (and perhaps elsewhere) the answer to the question, "Am I my brother's keeper?" ought to be a resounding YES! To anyone who might answer NO to that question, or who has the "It's none of my business" attitude, I say, "Stay away from me in the mountains..."
In absence of more aggresive efforts on the part of our Forest Service, the rest of us need to keep our eyes open and help when help is needed...and maybe delay our own summit goals for another time.
