I think the real problem here is the reason all these folks are even going up the mountain - the paved highway to the top. If it wasn't so easy you could Segway up the main trail, perhaps the volume would drop, and the quality of climber would improve on average - hopefully with matching higher quality behavior.
I find that someone suffering a little more for a goal tends to have more respect for that goal and the area they are in.
That being said, I honestly don't give 4 mule turds about the main trail. The other routes are too crowded for me as it is...the main trail can be left to the sodomites, etc. I'd imagine after I try for the east face/buttress route this summer, I won't head up Whitney again - too many other beautiful and less-traveled mountains nearby.
