Bob, I note your concern, and hope everyone will read what you have written. For people going up the main trail, I feel that first timers with crampons and ice axe might be able to learn and practice their skills on the snow along the way.

On the other hand, the Mountaineers Route requires much more skill, both in route-finding as well as snow and ice climbing skills. I never hesitate to warn people talking about going up the MR who sound inexperienced. It annoys me that Inyo N.F. refers to the MR approach as the North Fork Lone Pine Creek Trail

It is coming to light that the recent fall and death on the ice on the traverse just west of "the notch" on the Mountaineers Route was due to the hiker's taking the wrong route down. He intended on going down the main trail, but apparently followed the tracks down the north side. He needed to head down to Consultation Lake where his overnight gear was waiting.