This thread seems to be about hydration, AMS, a ditsy partner, and keeping your group together. I think the more important issue is realistic expectations and judgement. You were 8-9 hours into the hike at Trail Crest, and you already had mild AMS. How did you think the hike to the summit would go? What time did you think you would get back if you continued to the summit? What shape did you think you would be in when you got back? How often did you ask yourselves these questions? If you had turned around at Trail Crest, none of the other problems you described would have happened.

Far too many people attempt Whitney without sufficient conditioning and experience. Then they try to compensate by starting up early with little or no sleep. This guarantees a brutally long, exhausting, error-prone day. Were you accustomed to hiking 16, 20, or, in this case, 28 hours straight? If not, what made you think you would handle it well on August 10? Even if everything went well, you would be staggering out with your legs and your judgement barely functioning. Throw in a thunderstorm, a twisted ankle, or AMS, and you ensure a bad outcome.

Thanks for sharing your experience. I hope I haven’t been too hard on you. Admitting your mistakes publicly takes courage. Hopefully, a few people will learn from this discussion.