The only other concern I have is the bears. I've read what I can on dealing with bears, but haven't seen much about aggressive bears at Whitney. Do people carry bear spray? What are the odds that I'll be eaten at any point on the trail? I would have to rank that as a highly undesirable outcome.
I carried bear mace the first time I went, but not the second time. If nothing else, it'll give you peace of mind and let you enjoy your hike more. Honestly, I'm more worried about deers. I pulled my mace out at Yosemite on a buck that looked like it wanted to charge me. Some people might laugh, but after that guy got gored to death by the goat in Washington, I'm not taking any chances.
