Steve,

Practicing with ice axe and crampons along the way to the MR is not sufficient. People need to take a class in basic mountaineering with a good climbing school and then practice. But having said that, people will do whatever they "think" keeps them safe.

With Inyo SAR, every year we "re-qualified" and practiced our winter mountaineering skills, because MOUNTAINEERING IS DANGEROUS.

May I suggest that on your welcome page you also include a "what to bring" and "What to expect" page, with a special emphasis on safety - especially on the MR. There is plenty of information in this forum, but not in one place, so that people keep asking the same questions over and over.

Far too many people are trying to bag Whitney without sufficient knowledge and experience. It is sometime resembles a crowd of lemmings rushing to the sea.