Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board 7 for 7

Quick update short daylight hours, cold nights and more seasoned hikers (older folks that don't like crowds) are visiting the mountain as normal for this time of the year. This factor leads to a late or not return on the same day as planned and groups not staying in contact , so the last 7 days someone has not returned to the Portals and has caused the start of a rescue for the next day if the hiker is still missing . So far A rescue has not been needed .IE He would not leave his son and go on to the top, She is in the motel in town, Oh she went down the backside must of been someone else in the room,I "helped" someone down to trailcamp and then I could not make it down so slept in a cave( do bears sleep in caves?).It will get colder and shorter hours so please plan for the winter conditions moving in and the short hours of daylight.Also less people on the trail so if you do have problems you may be by yourself for a long time, kinda like that wilderness thing they talk about.Thanks Doug

The sleeping in a cave was me, I had no choice. It was more of a four foot high triangle > that led to spot with about 2 feet of height for about four feet. I threw some rocks inside to check for any woodland creatures or snakes and when none were found I climbed in. I laid myself a bed of dry leaves and brought in a large branch of leaves for a blanket that I had found next to it. I also rolled a large boulder blocking the entrance which kept me semi safe feeling- I had no food, just water, always use unscented deodorant etc.

It wasnt my plan to sleep there but I had no choice- lethargic from helping someone from summit to trail camp (constant vomiting, stagggering), on my feet most of the day to the point I was slipping for no reason, and to top it off my headlight decided to stop working and batteries didnt fix it. I would have kept going but I didnt want to end up a statistic. Being that I had multiple layers, hats, gloves, hand and feet warmers, I was fine- except for no cellphone service. I set my alarm for first daylight and called as soon as I got coverage. My only thoughts are that my hiking buddy broke the first rule of the buddy system- going ahead and not looking back. Maybe she smelled your pancakes?

But yeah. Tragedies can easily be avoided by using the thing in top of your shoulders.

Im okay though. It was a beautiful Summit.

I will have to remember the unscented deodorant in my ten essentials.

Hi Damian Thank you for your update it is rare we get a post to the rest of the story and this is always the most useful part , The people at the Portal ALWAYS WANT TO START A RESCUE, but as your report shows you had every thing in control just a little late and made the right choice to rest and walk down in the morning.



Also THANK YOU FOR HELPING THE PERSON TO TRAILCAMP this also saved a rescue start and I think that person also walked out the next morning .


The bear cave is in the North Fork about 5 feet off the path everyone walks ,the bear is gone most of the time down in the Portals having snacks.

Again Thank you for the report this shows how staying in contact with your group is serious, your hiking buddy also did a fine job with the reporting and understanding what was going on and waited in the Portal for your return. Thank You Doug

Gotta say I'm heartened by this report too. Excellent job being prepared and indeed using that thing on your shoulders! Also, it's a real benefit when we know our bodies well enough to make sound decisions based on their strengths and limitations. Glad you're well, and made the summit, and more importantly, made the return! Thanks for the follow-up.

Well in her defense she's a marathon runner/Type A personnality type- get to the top, get to the bottom . Which is fine, but everyone hikes at different paces. I think her time was roughly 6.5 to the top and 4 even down- yeah shes a savage. She was worried that I didnt make it down- concerned that I'd be angry for her forging ahead- but in the end I was more upset that she had to be upset....that I WAS MISSING. I've never dealt with that myself seeing as every group I hike with sticks together. But it's gotta be be rough when someone doesnt return- guilt, blame, etc etc. Bottom line is that shes a great friend and from what I understand was genuinly concerned- with good reason. All in all it was a great Summit- couldnt ask for better weather. But I never did get your pancakes. GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

here's video from the top:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iU7SWpAY22I

They walk in , we left a lady at Mirror Lake she was "out of it" I don't think she can make it down , I am with a s&r group kinda and didn't want to stay with her, so someone should start a rescue , time lapse from first contact till town 5 hours?+/- Report made . I am sorry but this is very common. Thanks Doug

I never considered being left behind/leaving someone behind on a hike(organized partnerships) due to sickness or otherwise, as something that would edge up the list of things to "consider" as part of the logistics of a trip. I know that reading/posting on this thread is an invaluable learning experience, but this aspect of the story has impacted me in ways that I did not expect.

Will I have enough bases covered? Is my fitness program enough Or is today my day for AMS? Now add: Am I worthy enough for others to interrupt their hike for my unforseen health issue...?

(I know the obvious answer is OF COURSE , turn around at the first sign of trouble, but maybe the well partners wanted to push on....?)

Having experienced a terrible mishap on a mountain, (in four feet of snow, far far away from SAR and civilization) my partner used his shirt to make a trauma bandage and his coat to drag me two hours on the snow back to the truck..

Looking back, I don't think that I was appreciative enough.

Thank you, Froggie for making all the right decisions!

Bee

Helicopter heading up and down the mountain again this morning...

I'm hoping it wasn't in regard to the man we saw about 600' below the summit late-afternoon on the MR yesterday. A family memeber was asking questions last night. I said he was moving very slowly and had said he didn't want to head down the couloir and was planning on heading down the Main Trail. I wasn't too concerned because he said he had done the MR before.

Well a happier ending?/new chapter in my hiking buddies life is that within the group she ended up summiting with, was a man that stayed with her at the Portal Store.- waiting with her for me.

I ended up meeting him down by Hostel and thanked him for sticking around with my buddy. Point is, they're smitten over each other at this point, and besides that, we had made an attempt in late August but turned around short of the switchbacks.

Had this not all happened the way it did, they would not have met/be dating. I believe everything happens for a reason and this is fate taking it's course. I wish my hiking buddy luck with her new hiking buddy and wish everyone else luck with their travels.

This a lot better than reality TV. The things that come out of this MB never cease to amaze me.

CaT