Mt Whitney Zone Forums General Discussion Another Whitney rescue

In the Fresno Bee this morning:


(Actually that is all they wrote, but please click the link, so they won't start putting the news behind a "paywall")

Steve, was that on the Main Trail or MR?

I have no clue. That news item is the only info I can find.

I am assuming it is the main trail, since it was such an easy rescue. Several SAR people just moved him to a pickup point, sounds like the trail. The MR at 13,300', would be middle of the climb to the notch, and would likely require more work to get him to a pickup point. ...but then I could be completely wrong.

What are the conditions like? I'm hiking up Sat/Sunday with a group this weekend with poles but no microspikes/crampons. Is the main trail in good shape? It'll be my first time on Whitney.

I know it's just semantics, Steve, but there is no such thing as an "easy rescue."

These guys take tremendous risks to both get there, deal with the victim and get out.

You're right, MooseTracks. I did not mean to trivialize their effort. I know the SAR people give up many days of their lives training and working on searches. And most are volunteers! It's got to be about the toughest volunteer work there can be.

At the recent ExPed Med Conference, one of the points they stressed was avoiding risks to the rescuers.

They gave several examples. One was in the Tetons. A man from New York ignored the roped off area with signs warning of avalanche area. He was reported missing that night by his family. The SARs declined to go look for him because it was night and, duh, in a marked avalanche zone. He did not survive the night. There was a lawsuit. Teton rescue settled the case because it was cheaper than taking it to trial where I cannot imagine they would lose. That guy assumed the risk, and paid the price.

This exact point was raised again with surfers and the Hurricane that came through this past week...

http://www.surfermag.com/features/bloomberg-singles-out-surfers/

This happened on the main trail. A buddy and I were descending this way after climbing the E Buttress and found the victim around 5:00pm. The guy blew his knee out and was laying in the snow about 12 switchbacks down from trailcrest and couldn't move. We gave him all the warm gear we had (unfortunately no sleeping bags bc we were dayhiking) and then flaked our rope out on the snow and put one of our backpacks down on top of that, insulating him as much as possible from the snow. After getting some basic info and helping his wife find warm gear with other overnight campers at trailcamp, we continued to hike out. We made it to the car around 8:15 and called 911. I guess rescuers got to him sometime after 10 that night (which leads me to believe somebody was able to get cell reception at trailcrest and start the rescue effort process before we even made it back to the car). It took 6 hours to get him to trail camp where he was airlifted out around 4am. Heard back from the guy and he obviously made it out ok, said he would have to have surgery on the knee.

Way to go, Jake!

Too bad for the fellow with the bad knee! But then fortunate for him that good people like you came along to help. There just aren't that many people on the trail at this time of year, and especially at that time of day. ...your being there might just have saved his life!

Thanks so much for the report and thanks twice as much for giving all the help you could.

With microspikes I summited Oct 15 and was surprised how many people prefer to slip & slide rather than use them. In case you have never been up there, much of the trail is along ledges so microspikes are highly recommended by me.

Have fun bro