Mt Whitney Zone Forums Thread Like Summary - I am seeing concerning posts on here

I don't want to single anyone out so I am rather just going to post this here. I have seen numerous postings in the last week or two from folks who are asking questions that are making me concerned that there are going to be a lot of bad accidents and disappointments this year. It may make sense to post a 2023 summer season FAQ in an effort to properly set expectations of what folks are getting themselves into.

BFR - you are 100% right. I can imagine someone ascending the chute when it is soft, going up very slowly, and trying to come down the chute late when it is in shadows and hardpack or ice. Inexperienced people think having an ice axe and crampons means you can go anywhere safely as though possessing them was all you needed. Louie's comment about turning around is right on when applied to a person's physical limits, but inexperienced people have no idea how to evaluate the objective risks in an alpine environment and can go way past their safety limits with no idea how much risk they are exposing themselves to. Just look at the number of SoCal people who die on their local mountains from falls, exposure, and other easily avoidable tragedies.