Mt Whitney Zone
Posted By: wagga Boy Scouts Rescue Couple On Whitney - 08/14/14 06:42 PM
Report from the Fresno Bee.
Posted By: Steve C Re: Boy Scouts Rescue Couple On Whitney - 08/14/14 09:44 PM
Wagga, thanks for posting that. I read it this morning, and meant to post it.

Key line in the article:
"Aguilera was dehydrated -- she'd left her water at the base of the mountain -- and was suffering from altitude sickness."

Umm... Anyone leaving water behind on Whitney is suffering from something else. crazy
Posted By: saltydog Re: Boy Scouts Rescue Couple On Whitney - 08/15/14 01:33 AM
Wait: seriously? Boy Scouts? MORMON Boy Scouts?? Newly-weds? Scuba diving in Belize? Flashback: Cut to snow on Whitney, memorial mission with dried rose. End of the rainbow? Weeping Bishop? Saved our lives? Second memorial mission with rose petals? Happened to find a tent? And sleeping bags? Fainted, but the Eagle Scout caught her mid-fall?

Holy Story-Board, Batman! You cannot make this stuff up!

Has anybody called Pixar? Never mind, just thaw Walt out and wake him up. He'll know what to do.
Posted By: Steve C Re: Boy Scouts Rescue Couple On Whitney - 08/15/14 03:39 AM
grin

Calling Walt!!

This is the stuff they put on the Front Page of my morning newspaper. laugh
Posted By: saltydog Re: Boy Scouts Rescue Couple On Whitney - 08/15/14 04:29 AM
Originally Posted By: Steve C
grin

Calling Walt!!

This is the stuff they put on the Front Page of my morning newspaper. laugh


Well, sure, in the rare event a meth lab hasn't blown or been raided at a retirement home during the night!

crazy
Posted By: SierraNevada Re: Boy Scouts Rescue Couple On Whitney - 08/15/14 02:07 PM
I was waiting to read that one of the boys took the rose pedals back up to the summit for her.

Come on Salty, its a good story of people helping people, despite the embellishment by the reporter.

However, the story raised a question in my mind about why our hero was left on the mountain in bad weather without the rest of the group. Sure, he's a 23-yr old Eagle scout, but nonetheless, the back side of Whitney is not a good place to split up a group in a thunderstorm. Just saying, for others to consider.
Originally Posted By: SierraNevada

embellishment by the reporter.


AKA journalistic license

With that note of cynicism I leave Lone Pine today. Sigh.
Posted By: saltydog Re: Boy Scouts Rescue Couple On Whitney - 08/15/14 02:50 PM
I reread the article, looking at the issue of breaking up the group. Our hero was with another older Scout, descending behind the main group. Seems they were riding drag, and perfectly prudent.
Posted By: wbtravis Re: Boy Scouts Rescue Couple On Whitney - 08/15/14 02:51 PM
Great story and a cautionary tale.

To the noobs...read this and learn from it.
Posted By: SierraNevada Re: Boy Scouts Rescue Couple On Whitney - 08/15/14 10:16 PM
Originally Posted By: saltydog
I reread the article, looking at the issue of breaking up the group. Our hero was with another older Scout, descending behind the main group. Seems they were riding drag, and perfectly prudent.

Fair enough, the other "nearby" Scout was 21 yrs-old. He went on down the switchbacks to Trail Camp where the adults and teenagers were.

Personally, I would keep the group more together and do a head count at Trail Crest before heading down the switchbacks. So many of these stories happen out of sight on the back side above 13,000 ft - people going down the wrong trail, falls, etc. I wouldn't feel comfortable leaving anyone behind in a thunderstorm on the back side of the mountain, but that's just me.
Posted By: SM Trp 496 Re: Boy Scouts Rescue Couple On Whitney - 08/16/14 02:13 AM
Okay so there was no snow and the boys did not know about the rose petals until after the Fresno Bee spoke with Jessica otherwise they might have done it.
Posted By: SM Trp 496 Re: Boy Scouts Rescue Couple On Whitney - 08/16/14 02:18 AM
The two heroes were coming down from the top when they came across the couple. After assessing the situation, one went down to the trial head to get some emergency stuff and returned to the other one. After that, the same one went to the camp to sound the alarm so that everything was set up when the couple finally came into camp. Also, one of the boys and an adult went up to meet the couple and the other scout to assist them into camp where hot food and warm shelter was waiting.
Posted By: SM Trp 496 Re: Boy Scouts Rescue Couple On Whitney - 08/16/14 02:23 AM
Also there were six adults and eight young men. They formed into two groups with different responsibilities to ensure the safety of all. Also, there were multiple maps and all knew the trails that they were suppose to take and they stayed within their groups so everyone knew where everyone was at all times.

The story missed the part about marching in the torrential downpour for about four hours.

We learned a lot from that trip and will have a lot more respect for the mountain.

Thanks to those that share information to assist others.
Posted By: SierraNevada Re: Boy Scouts Rescue Couple On Whitney - 08/16/14 03:01 AM
The reporter mixed up a few details, not surprising. So who's the 15th person in the picture?

What a fantastic adventure and story for a lifetime. I was joking about taking the rose pedals back up to the summit, but that's how heroic these young men and boys were. They probably would have gone back up if they knew the story at that point in time. Maybe the 3rd time will be the charm for Jessica and her husband. I'm sure they will be more prepared next time.

Posted By: Steve C Re: Boy Scouts Rescue Couple On Whitney - 08/16/14 06:38 AM
SM 496: Thanks for weighing in with more information. It sure clears up more of the picture when you can do that. What a fantastic experience for your young men. It's something they can be proud of forever.
Posted By: saltydog Re: Boy Scouts Rescue Couple On Whitney - 08/16/14 06:14 PM
Ditto that, Steve. I am still wondering about the head count, though . . .
Posted By: SM Trp 496 Re: Boy Scouts Rescue Couple On Whitney - 08/17/14 01:13 AM
I was wondering if having the little brother to two of the scouts was going to raise a question. Top row on the left in strips is a future climber although he hiked with his dad to our lunch spot on Monday before they went back.

www.yourcentralvalley.com has a video with a couple of the leaders and a little more insight. search Hanford scouts.
Posted By: SierraNevada Re: Boy Scouts Rescue Couple On Whitney - 08/20/14 03:21 AM
I thought maybe one of newlyweds were in the shot. Or maybe you forgot to count yourself.

Great job up there!
Posted By: SM Trp 496 Re: Boy Scouts Rescue Couple On Whitney - 08/20/14 03:31 AM
Here is the article in the Fresno Bee. It has a separate photo of Brian and the couple.

George is one of the ones in front row. Yellow shirt with blue shoulder strips, arms folded and sunglasses.

In their defense, none of them had any idea they would have been in the news. lol

http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/08/13/4068989/hanford-boy-scouts-rescue-la-couple.html
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