These hikers carried almost 100 pounds each and had to be rescued below Mt Whitney. What we can learn from it.
Inyo Search and Rescue was called in early November for two hikers attempting to summit Mount Whitney. That, in itself, is not unusual. People are rescued every year on that tail. The surprising part is they were rescued just three miles from the trailhead and over eight miles below the 14,505-foot summit.
And even more wild, they had over 150 pounds of gear between two PLUS five gallons of water. (Which equals around 40 additional pounds.) Some rough math shows they had over 90 pounds EACH for this overnight trek.
(For comparison, when I summited in 2019, I carried 2L of water and filtered more at the halfway point.)
The good? They were rescued, could walk down on their own volition, and everyone was safe. The bad? This is gross incompetence at worst and gross naivety at best and could have been tragic. Thankfully, it’s a good learning lesson and a bit humorous for outside observers.
So, let’s take this as a learning lesson, discuss what went wrong, and how we can avoid this situation in the future.
What went wrong, and what can we learn from it
They were new to hiking
It appears all of their gear was new and bought for this hike. Now, maybe all their gear was stolen, and they had to make a last-minute dash to REI. Buuuuut that doesn’t seem to be the case here. Usually, you need to win a highly sought-after permit to do this. But after November 2, anyone can get a permit to hike, which opens up the possibility for situations like this. It seems they wanted to do something cool and challenging. There’s nothing inherently wrong with that, but it was the wrong decision in this case.
No water filter and WAY too much water
Not bringing a water filter is one of the biggest mistakes you can make on a hike like this, and it shows they are novices. It’s almost criminal to carry five gallons of water on this trail with how tiring it is and the plethora of water available, especially as you get above 13,000 feet and the steps become incredibly exhausting. I looked at the temperatures for the day they hiked, and when they started at 6 p.m., it would have been in the low 40s at Whitney Portal. Yes, you need to drink water, but at those colder temperatures, you don’t need as much as hiking down in Death Valley, for instance.
No prior research was done.
This is a given, with what we know – especially with the water filter. But even worse, it snowed on their tent the following day, meaning they would have been in a potentially deadly situation if they had attempted to go further. In wintry conditions at altitudes like Whitney, putting SAR at risk is incredibly selfish. The twosome camped around 10,000 feet. Lows for that night were easily around freezing, if not lower.
Furthermore, prior research would show that you should have been training for this hike for months or, at the least, be in phenomenal shape and have experience hiking at higher elevations. And, last but not least, you would have learned that carrying that amount of weight is unnecessary and problematic!
Before you hike: Check the weather forecast, have a map/download the route offline, tell people where you’re going and when you will return, test your gear beforehand, and read up on what the trail is like and what other people brought for a successful trip.
Mount Whitney is not for the average or new hiker
Almost everyone has seen a photo of someone standing atop the tallest mountain in the Lower 48. The allure is strong for many in the outdoor community to check it off their bucket list. And thousands of people do it each year. But it is a f*cking hard hike. It is not for new hikers, and it’s not even for average hikers.
At 22 miles and 6,200 feet of gain, you will be exhausted at the end – regardless of whether you do it as a day hike or an overnight. And that’s not even accounting for the altitude. You start the trail at 8,300 feet and finish over 14,500. I would venture a guess that most humans on Earth have never even set foot above 8,000 feet in their lives.
I caution anyone considering it in 2025 to research and train for it.
I recommend reading my article on how to train for Mount Whitney.
New phones have SOS to reach help
New phones can now reach help even without service; instead, they can connect via satellite. You’ll see a little SOS icon at the top of your iPhone (and I assume Android, also). I’ve never used it in a life-threatening situation, but I was in a group that had to use it in September in Canada when they couldn’t get their rental car to unlock, and it was 9 p.m. in the middle of the mountains. (Thank God we figured that out, and they could get in.)
You can also carry a Satellite comms device. I use my Garmin inReach2, which allows me to send messages, get weather reports, and stay connected. (It’s currently 25% off, meaning you’ll save $100.)
Until next time, adventurers, stay safe.
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