[pct-l] FW: Hiker killed on Whitney

[reynolds@iLAN.com (Reynolds, WT)]

Anyone know about this?

-----Original Message-----
From: Don Horst [mailto:donhorstyh@yahoo.com]
Sent: Wednesday, January 24, 2001 2:32 PM
To: Camping List; Tom Reynolds
Subject: Hiker killed on Whitney


Did anyone see the accounts of the hiker who fell on the Mt. Whitney trail
in December?  Sort of
strange.  He was supposedly very experienced in cold conditions, but not
winter climbing.  He
rented crampons and an ice axe in Bishop, but apparently had no training in
using them.  He was
hiking alone, and fell on the way down.  The article said it was on the
switchbacks, but the map
did not look right to me.   But I have never been there.  Did you see it,
Tom?

=====
Don Horst

Reynolds answered:

I did not see the article. In general one does not use the switchbacks to
climb Mt Whitney in snow. You climb the VERY steep slope above Consultation
Lake to Trail Crest, the contour to the top. That slope is usually used as a
glassade on the way down. Possibly he lost his axe.

The store at Mt Whitney will NOT rent ice axes for this reason

Tom