Vote...Who cares about a vote of forum members. I did not realize there was an official vote by forum members. Everyone has area on this trail they feel to be dangerous...most believe it to be at the cables and windows based on questions asked at this and other forums, not this area.
The advocacy to protect people based on one experienced person making a mistake in this area. I do not understand. I cited the Michelle Yu walking off the back side of Mt. Baldy. If you are going to do it here...why not everywhere you perceive danger on any of out urbanized trails like the MMWT. Pave paradise and put up a parking lot.
I don't know if a this place is all that more dangerous than other spots on this trail. We do not know why Mr. Lively ended up at the bottom of that chute, and neither do you. Also, your solution offers not guarantees. It cannot. Just as putting a similar set of boulders on the north side of Mt. Baldy would have saved Ms Yu that December morning a few years ago when visibility was marginal.
I have never had a problem figuring out north/south from west at Lower Trail Crest. And always knew to get to Mt. Whitney from Trail Crest you had to get from 13,600' to 14,505'. That does not include long periods of descent. People will continue to visit Guitar Lake on their way to Mt. Whitney no matter what kind of sign you put up. Most figure it out rapidly and do not end up at Guitar Lake or the seasonal ranger station at Upper Crabtree Meadow.
