Why not comparison to other hikes? The MMWT is a hiking trail which draws comparisons...how does it compare to Half Dome, San G's Vivian Creek Trail, Village to Mt. Baldy, etc? These questions are asked every year here and on other boards.
In a lot of ways all these highest something or other peak compare to in the same way to one another, that being, they get a lot of traffic. They get a lot of people who are not prepared to do them physically, the don't have proper gear, they don't take enough water because it is too heavy and the don't bring the right types of food or enough of it. If you are not prepared, problems occur at a higher rate than those that are prepared. The problems experience people have are different than those who are not, they take more risk. Then there are problems with groups...or should I say faux groups like Mr. Lively's, where you the numbers but there is no mutual support.
Lightning is not unique to this mountain, most summer monsoonal days clouds build to 30,000' to 40,000' at Mt. San Gorgonio...I see it from my house. As I pointed out, people walk in to storms here just like Mt. Whitney and they fight AMS here just like Mt. Whitney, there are exposed area just like Mt. Whitney and there are short cut routes along the trail system that can get people into trouble, just like Mt. Whitney.
If you hike solo, it is incumbent on you to recognize the problems with hiking as a solo...anywhere you hike solo. Yes, it is riskier but the risk is manageable. This is why list a bunch of caveats when suggesting to someone you can go up the MMWT solo. Many people find what I say is too restrictive, which may be true but they make for safer hiking and...it worked for me for many years.
