I also disagree with Yury that hydration is over-rated. He may be the only person I've ever heard make that comment. It's essential to hydrate, and most beginners will never drink too much. I've been hiking for many years, and don't know anyone, nor do any of my hiking friends, of someone who overhydrated. Mostly it's a myth - drink more fluid than your body needs and you'll simply pee more often.
Kevin, hyponatremia is not a myth, though I've never heard of a hiker having the problem. I have seen write-ups describing novice marathon participants suffering from it. The most famous one, though, is the Sacramento, Ca, radio station that held a "Hold your wee for a Wii" contest. One woman (who lost) went home and died due to the problem. (Her survivors won much more than a Wii.)
Hyponatremia (low blood sodium concentration)
has been reported in wilderness journals in hikers,
not just marathoners, etc. Over hydration can and does happen. Yury is correct.
Diamox is way over-rated. Does not help much for most people. It is on the WADA list of performance enhancing drugs, but generally only if the person has AMS, or periodic breathing at night.
Way back in the story has the mention of HALLUCINATION. If that is true, then there was more than AMS going on. Possibilities include:
1. electrolyte disturbance (such as sodium imbalance, HACE high altitude cerebral edema -even on a moderate mountain like Whitney it can happen,
2. rarely on Whitney, severe hypoxia (unlikely unless there was HAPE or HACE),
3. drugs
4. other medical conditions,
5. etc
I do not know if the report was an exaggeration, but if there were true hallucinations, then someone was more than just slow.
