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#210121 - 10/22/10 04:23 PM Re: 3 rescued; 2 still lost on Mt Whitney [Re: billym]
bsmith Offline
day hiker
Addict

Registered: 02/15/07
Posts: 590
Loc: ventura county, ca
Originally Posted By: billym
The cable section is a very small portion of a very big hike....

but arguably the most dangerous portion of the main trail when complicated with snow and ice.

and at that point, there's no way around it.

see photo from july 2010 here.

see photo from october 1, 2010 from almost the same place here.

a slip and fall here would be catastrophic.

the downhill side just goes and goes and goes.

Originally Posted By: billym
They should have bailed after it was snowing for more than 30 minutes.

agreed.
_________________________
“Everyone should have a horse. It is a great way to store meat without refrigeration. Just don’t ever get on one.”
- ponder's dad

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#210133 - 10/22/10 10:16 PM Re: 3 rescued; 2 still lost on Mt Whitney [Re: billym]
MDinana Offline
Pooh-Bah

Registered: 03/08/07
Posts: 2208
Loc: Beer&Cheese country
Originally Posted By: billym


Sounds like crappy planning and lack of knowledge. In mid summer it can be hiked in a day but you should still carry gear for winter conditions (clothes etc) but you really never need snowshoes unless it is winter. If you check most folks go up Whitney from late June thru late September.

Most definetely agree!

Originally Posted By: billym
The cable section is a very small portion of a very big hike....

They should have bailed after it was snowing for more than 30 minutes.

There was a forecast for a storm front to hit California days ahead of their departure; they should have reconsidered.

yeah, that might have been their biggest mistake: underestimating the weather.

that comment about the east and west face differences is pretty impressive. As one gets to the crest of the snowpack (traveling east to west), you can literally feel the wind suddenly slam into you, in the space of about 5 steps (and maybe 10 feet altitude change). It's incredible.

Yes, winter on Whitney is much different than the summer. That's why I avoid winter wink

Sounds like they all showed up. Not much additional info, but that's one heck of a detour! Good on them for making a decision and being adaptable, instead of stubborn and dead.
http://www.modbee.com/2010/10/22/1395215/2-hikers-missing-on-mt-whitney.html

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#210165 - 10/23/10 01:57 PM Re: 3 rescued; 2 still lost on Mt Whitney [Re: MDinana]
billym Offline
Addict

Registered: 12/01/05
Posts: 616
Loc: Oakland, California
Good thing they got out because it is going to be one nasty weekend in the High Sierra; Winter has arrived.

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#210166 - 10/23/10 02:13 PM Re: 3 rescued; 2 still lost on Mt Whitney [Re: MDinana]
ponder Offline
Enthusiast

Registered: 12/18/06
Posts: 367
Loc: American Redoubt
Let me guess. They were too cheap to rent the PLB for the day. Send them the bill. Place their names in the FEDERAL REGISTER OF REPEAT RESCUE OFFENDERS. Why are we always paying for the rescue of the so-called-experienced-climbers. A differential GPS on backtrack would have an accuracy of at least 10'. The PLB would give the Air Taxi their exact location. No PAY, no PLAY.
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Cliff Harrison
PonderosaSports.com
Horseshoe Bend, ID
American Redoubt
N43.9668 W116.1888

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#210167 - 10/23/10 02:24 PM Re: 3 rescued; 2 still lost on Mt Whitney [Re: ponder]
Teslinhiker Offline
Veteran

Registered: 12/14/09
Posts: 1419
Loc: Nothern Ontario
Originally Posted By: ponder
Let me guess. They were too cheap to rent the PLB for the day. Send them the bill. Place their names in the FEDERAL REGISTER OF REPEAT RESCUE OFFENDERS. Why are we always paying for the rescue of the so-called-experienced-climbers. A differential GPS on backtrack would have an accuracy of at least 10'. The PLB would give the Air Taxi their exact location. No PAY, no PLAY.


I noticed that in your prior posts regarding Todd Hofflander, you did not go off on the same rant, why is that? The SAR bill must be a lot more for his search and yet you don't seem to have the same misguided opinion on why he did not carry a PLB...
_________________________
Earth and sky, woods and fields, lakes and rivers, the mountain and the sea, are excellent schoolmasters, and teach some of us more than we can ever learn from books.

John Lubbock

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#210172 - 10/23/10 04:31 PM Re: 3 rescued; 2 still lost on Mt Whitney [Re: ponder]
MDinana Offline
Pooh-Bah

Registered: 03/08/07
Posts: 2208
Loc: Beer&Cheese country
Originally Posted By: ponder
Why are we always paying for the rescue of the so-called-experienced-climbers.


Oh, I don't know. Probably the same reason we have cops, firefighters, EMS, and the Coast Guard.

It's probably worthy of its own thread, but that POV shows up a lot around high profile SAR cases.

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#210175 - 10/23/10 05:36 PM Re: 3 rescued; 2 still lost on Mt Whitney [Re: MDinana]
Teslinhiker Offline
Veteran

Registered: 12/14/09
Posts: 1419
Loc: Nothern Ontario
Originally Posted By: MDinana
Originally Posted By: ponder
Why are we always paying for the rescue of the so-called-experienced-climbers.


Oh, I don't know. Probably the same reason we have cops, firefighters, EMS, and the Coast Guard.

It's probably worthy of its own thread, but that POV shows up a lot around high profile SAR cases.


There was a contentious and lengthly thread from last year in regards to fees for SAR rescue.

_________________________
Earth and sky, woods and fields, lakes and rivers, the mountain and the sea, are excellent schoolmasters, and teach some of us more than we can ever learn from books.

John Lubbock

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#210177 - 10/23/10 07:15 PM Re: 3 rescued; 2 still lost on Mt Whitney [Re: Teslinhiker]
MDinana Offline
Pooh-Bah

Registered: 03/08/07
Posts: 2208
Loc: Beer&Cheese country
That's the one I was thinking of. Thanks for finding it.

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#210178 - 10/23/10 07:17 PM Re: 3 rescued; 2 still lost on Mt Whitney [Re: Teslinhiker]
hikermor Offline
Geezer in Chief
Geezer

Registered: 08/26/06
Posts: 7705
Loc: southern Cal
Excellent point. I doubt there is more we could say about this rescue that wasn't expressed in that thread.
_________________________
Geezer in Chief

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#210180 - 10/23/10 07:22 PM Re: 3 rescued; 2 still lost on Mt Whitney [Re: ponder]
bsmith Offline
day hiker
Addict

Registered: 02/15/07
Posts: 590
Loc: ventura county, ca
Originally Posted By: ponder
Why are we always paying for the rescue of the so-called-experienced-climbers.

because we can do the rescue?

and honestly, even if we didn't go and fetch them, their dead bodies left in place wouldn't serve as a warning anyway. there's over 100 dead bodies on everest. and people continue to go, year after year.
_________________________
“Everyone should have a horse. It is a great way to store meat without refrigeration. Just don’t ever get on one.”
- ponder's dad

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