My friend and I summitted via the MMWT a little after noon on May 5. (See my trail conditions report here:
http://www.whitneyzone.com/wz/ubbthreads.php/topics/4904/1)
We were there for maybe a few minutes before two climbers came over from the MR. (The other 8-10 people had all come up the main trail.) I distinctly remember discussing the conditions with them, having previously done a guided trip up the MR in alpine conditions with ropes, etc. When we descended the final 400, it was literally like going down a ladder ie facing the snow and kick stepping down.
The pair I spoke to had just brought along their ice axes (ie no rope, carabiners, belay gear, etc), and while the ascent up the final 400 was ok, they had decided to descend via the walk-off. Where it gets eerie is I distinctly recall mentioning that the walk-off can become treacherously slippery if it is wet or snowy/icy. Their response was that they had seen boot tracks, so they figured someone had already made it through ok.
I've been thinking about this event for the last few days, and my conclusion based on the comments is while the climber wasn't from their party (I think they were just a duo - by the description the last climbers that day), I 'm pretty sure the boot tracks they saw were the fallen hiker's. They may also have been the hikers that spotted the accident site/body and notified SAR.
Bob West posted an opinion here
http://www.whitneyzone.com/wz/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/53080/gonew/1/Ice_Axes_and_Crampons that touches on some aspects of if/when it's OK to get involved in someone else's business. I don't want to sound like a nag, and even my casual comments about the walk-off (and raised eyebrow at the lack of rope) could be perceived as interference, and yet, you find out later that "things do happen" and wonder if/how they can be prevented/managed.
