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#79484 08/20/10 10:15 PM
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 945
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Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 945
This AMS story is an example of right decisions made. So often, the wrong decisions are made, or are talked about here, so this is one for people who get the gold star.

I just finished Kearsarge to Whitney-Russell Col to Iceberg Lake, then back out to tarns above Guitar Lake for the night. Summitted via JMT on 8/18 on what I felt was a wonderfully cool, breezy day for hiking despite the comments I heard from others. Although I summitted at 7:43 am and had plenty of time left, I elected to hang around, then break up my descent by spending a night way far off to the side of the mass of mankind at Trail Camp. Next morning I continued my descent and met a problem at about 11,500 ft.

A Dad, his son, friend #1 and friend #2 (all the young men about 22 yo) had arrived after overnight drive from San Diego. I think they had stayed a day for acclimatization at WP. If so, that certainly would have been the most minimally reasonable amount of time at altitude, although more would have been better. Next day, the foursome started up. Friend #1 developed AMS symptoms of nausea, headache,fatigue, and Mountaineer's Foot (can't put one in front of the other) at about the 11,500 ft level. The young men had never been to this altitude. Dad was experienced. He appropriately called (or acknowledged) a halt. When I met them at about 7 am, they were filtering more water at Trailside Meadow.

The dad was escorting the AMS-sick friend back to WP.

His son and healthy friend continued on, but a turn-around time of 10am was set. My guess is that they would at least reach Trail Crest, itself a worthy and spectacular goal.

I leapfrogged with them on the way down. Although I carried Diamox and steroids, they were neither offered nor needed. The correct treatment of descent, descent, descent was underway. The fellow was better with 500 ft descent, and continued to improve all the way down. We had lunch at the Store.

Good job.

Harvey

PS: Doug Sr- it was wonderful to meet you face to face. Thanks for all you do, and thanks for sponsoring this forum.



Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 5
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Joined: Aug 2010
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If this was on the 19th, it had to be the same group we ran into. We leap frogged with the other two on their way up to the peak. Met them at Trail Crest at 815 and they peaked at about 945am. Saw them again refilling water on the switchbacks heading down

Harvey don't know if we passed you. I was with the tall guy, bushy long hair and a Laker hat.

Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 556
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Great story Harvey. My one and only true AMS episode was mostly relieved by less than 2000 feet of descent. Absolutely the best tonic. If things had been really bad for the young man, he would have been exceptionally fortunate to have you around.


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Mt. Whitney Weather Links


White Mountain/
Barcroft Station

Elev 12,410’

Upper Tyndall Creek
Elev 11,441’

Crabtree Meadows
Elev 10,700’

Cottonwood Lakes
Elev 10,196’

Lone Pine
Elev. 3,727’

Hunter Mountain
Elev. 6,880’

Death Valley/
Furnace Creek

Elev. -193’

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