Rescue on Mt Whitney

You can't make this stuff up!

Inyo County Search & Rescue is with Inyo County Sheriff's Office at Mt. Whitney.

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Rescue on Mt Whitney

On Nov 2nd, Inyo SAR was called out to help two exhausted and ill-prepared hikers.

The subjects had started their summit attempt at 6PM on Friday with 150lbs of newly-purchased gear plus 5 gallons of water. Their plan was to camp at Lone Pine Lake and summit on Saturday. After hiking 2.7 miles until about 3AM, they were exhausted, and one subject had two blisters and a bad headache, so they camped on the trail. Later, they woke up to find it snowing, and their shoes had filled with snow.

Using their iPhone’s SOS via satellite, they called for help. One reported that she has a mass in her brain that is sensitive to barometric pressure.

Inyo SAR mobilized at 10:00AM and reached the hikers by 1:40PM. After resting in the sun and allowing their shoes to dry, the hikers felt well enough to begin their descent. Accompanied by SAR, they reached the trailhead by 3:15PM. We appreciate the assistance of Good Samaritan Bridget, who helped carry some of the hikers' gear.

What went wrong

Attempting Mt. Whitney without prior experience, proper preparation, or essential items such as a map, weather forecast, and bear canister.

Carrying excess water weight without hydrating sufficiently and lacking knowledge about water filtration options.

Not seeking assistance from other hikers. Although others offered to help with their gear, the hikers declined, and could have also considered hiking down and arranging for gear retrieval later by a paid guide service.

What went well

Staying together instead of splitting up.

Stopping when exhausted, rather than continuing and making the rescue more complicated.

Having a two-way communication device.

Hiking down with SAR after they had rested and drank water.

Lessons

Summiting Mt. Whitney is a serious undertaking that requires research, training, proper gear, and experience. Hikers must have the humility and self-awareness to turn around when weather, personal fitness, or other factors make summiting unwise. Hire a guide service when you are inexperienced and/or don’t have proper gear.

Inyo SAR is an all-volunteer and unpaid, professional non-profit 501(c)3 organization in cooperation with and under the authority of the Inyo County Sheriff's Office. Providing search and rescue services to Inyo County and its visitors is only possible thanks to donations. Inyosar.com/donate