Bob,

I have been involved in hiker safety in SoCal for many years. I consider Mt. Whitney to be Mt. Baldy North. Whatever foolishness you see on Mt. Baldy travels north to Mt. Whitney in the spring.

It seems most every year any more, I have been involve in either a rescue...not on Nixle or film at 11 or a major assist. Everyone of these events involved someone who is unprepared for what they wanted to accomplish.

On Mt. Whitney and Mt. Baldy, they die. They should not die but they do. They die because they unprepared with not only gear but they lack the requisite skills. Rarely, do they die if they are skilled. However, you hear all the time it does not make a difference people who are skilled die. The fact is 9 people have died the last 3 winters in SoCal, 8 had light traction devices on their feet and trekking poles in their hand. The one skilled person that died did something stupid...on a 50* F day he attempted to go across a cornice...I watched the recovery helicopter from a few miles away.

All you can do is offer advice. If the person wants to learn, he will talk to you for 10 to 15 minutes. If not, just keep moving and don't take it personally. We live in a era of I did this way and you can, too. Carnage to follow.