Congratulations getting back to the summit, RangersRest!
And good for you hauling out the trash. Your service is appreciated by everyone here. Unfortunately, there are a bunch of hikers who make Mt. Whitney their one and only trip into the mountains, and since they will probably never go back, they don't care how they leave it.
Regarding the cell phones and wilderness: Mt Whitney is about the worst place to go if you want wilderness. I can suggest hundreds of other places you could go in the Sierra to have a better wilderness experience. But then they aren't the highest point in the "Lower 48". Highest point and Wilderness are mutually exclusive.
Did you bring back any pictures?
