Mount Whitney Rescue - Summit Attempt To S.O.S.
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- Опубликовано: 29 сен 2024
- My second attempt to summit Mount Whitney with my brother, Matt, turned into a rescue mission. I am posting this video in the hopes that people can learn from our experience.
Matt and I started our hike (our second Whitney attempt in two weeks) late Friday night. By 2:30 am we were hitting the S.O.S. button for a group of hikers. It was a scary situation that lasted many hours.
Hitting the S.O.S. button on a satellite device is just the first step of a lengthy ordeal, as you will see.
I have taken great care to be respectful of the injured parties in this video and keep their identities anonymous. I don't make money from this RUclips channel, I just hope that others can learn from this experience.
Some of this video is me explaining the situation while also mixing in some footage of the rescue. I didn't record certain parts because I didn't think it was appropriate to do so, and I was too busy to even think about it. There is, however, plenty to see and my hope is that it will educate people on how to be safer out there, and what actually happens after you send out an S.O.S. call.
Many thanks to the great Search And Rescue folks who answered the call including the Garmin Response Center, Inyo County Sheriff, the California Highway Patrol who provided the helicopter, and to the fellow hikers who volunteered to help us along the way.
I encourage anyone who enjoys spending time in the great outdoors to watch this video. I think there is some valuable information in it.
Have fun and be safe! (yes there is a typo in this video, I'm usually perfect, oh well)
Link to buy bivvy in video (I make no money from this):
www.amazon.com...
Also at REI:
www.rei.com/pr...
#hiking #rescue #safetyfirst
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Mike! Its me!!! The gal you saved. This video was so well done and helpful as it is very choppy in my mind. The amount of gratitude I have for you and Matt is indescribable. You saved me, my precious daughter and my good friend. Thank you for being answered prayer and being so selfless. I am fully recovered and back at the grind. There really aren't words to express how I feel. Thank you again.
Wow it's so great to hear from you!!! You are very welcome and I'm just happy you're all okay. We were glad to help and it's something that will stay with me for the rest of my life. The mountain will be there long after I'm gone and I will return to it next year. I am also relieved that you are okay with the video. The whole time I put it together I kept thinking to myself that you might see it and I approached it from that perspective.
I'm glad we were there and were able to help. Climbing the mountain is trivial in comparison. Your commenting here means a lot to me, thank you so much for this. I hope you and your daughter continue to hike together!
🙂❤💪 - Mike
WOW so glad to hear everyone is ok. We are hearing such terrible news around the world It is great that so many people will stop what they are doing and help someone.
@@outsidewithmikeespecially if you are multiple people and you can spread the weight,....you need a tent. Always. A broken ankle turns into a fatality really quick if a chopper can't get there fast. If you have treking poles, a tent may be as little as two pounds.....three pounds for a cheap one. Small weight penalty for massive safety improvement.
Wow God bless you that's so awesome they were able to help! I'm a climber I would have suggested a descent asap In that situation also and I would have given my Boost Oxgen on way down which are cans of pure oxygen that can be inhaled. Glad all are recovered and alright! High altitude sickness can occur when not acclimated properly and for some who are vulnerable.
I’m so glad you came out if it okay. Things happen, I hope this little setback doesn’t discourage you from future endeavors.
I am a respiratory therapist and an avid outdoorsman especially hiking. 75% oxygen saturation is extremely critical. You saved with the help of God this lady. Thank you for sharing this story. It’s so touching to hear how you and your friend were able to help this family in trouble. I have helped lost individuals,including myself, to get safely home. I’m also a wildlife first responder and you guys did an excellent job of figuring out how to get her the help she needed. I just wanted to say thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Strange, I'm sure I answered this comment already, sorry. Thank you for your thoughtful comment. I appreciate the feedback very much!
Glad everyone is safe. The 75% O2 reading seems peculiar to be related to altitude. At the summit I would still be surprised. Sounds like the cold is attributed to that low O2 due to hypothermia.
Good of you to make the video to try and help educate. You might consider an addendum to the video to interview someone on a SAR team or with more experience dealing with AMS/HAPE/HACE. In this instance, you were far down the mountain, on a well-groomed, easy piece of trail, with lots of manpower. In the most difficult AMS/HACE/HAPE cases, you don't get that break. Step #1 is do everything you can to get the impaired person to aid in their own rescue. My first aid kit always has Dex and Diamox, and I've twice had to use it to get people off a mountain (once on Whitney, ironically). Electrolytes and emergency sugar source are a must. You will rarely find a person in that condition who isn't dehydrated and running an electrolyte imbalance. Get the hydration, electrolytes and sugar in. Then get the Dex and Diamox down. It's good that people take away that you've often got to get your subject to a suitable extraction location. At a minimum, that is helped greatly by a coherent subject (pray you don't ever wind up needing to get someone down off a mountain after AMS has taken them to the uncooperative hallucinatory stage), and the temporary boost in energy from the Dex and sugar is a big help. I have carried a Garmin for years. I have very mixed feelings about their widespread use. There are WAY too many people who take risks they otherwise wouldn't because they think they can "just press S.O.S." You were kind in your assessment, but the reality is, there are a lot of people on Whitney who have no business being there. If you can't make the commitment to properly prepare, do SAR and others whose climbs and hikes you will ruin a favor and stay home. Way, way too many out in the wilderness these days without a full sense of personal responsibility.
Thanks for the excellent and informative post. I think she received Diamox when the chopper came, I can't remember for sure. Not from us. A few doctors hiked by and checked her out too and gave advice. I can't remember if we tried to get fluids or electrolytes in her. I think my brother did.
The person they were with has done Whitney many times and tried to get the group to turn around. Ya things could have been far worse too. I'm glad it was something we could all handle.
Hopefully this video will be a wakeup call to some. It was for me.
Diamox can be useful for some when taken ahead of a high altitude trip and, mostly, if you know you have a history of serious altitude problems. I've not heard of it being given for those actively in HAPE or HACE or even AMS (severe altitude sickness). In short, I wouldn't give it in an active situation without Rx from MD (on scene). Still doubt it would be helpful. But the rest of your advice on electrolytes is spot on. But the main solution is that given by Peter Hackett (MD & mountaineer) 40+ years ago: Descend, descend, descend!
In this case -- and most every HAP/HACE/AMS case, just getting them down 4,000' will relieve almost all symptoms. NPS at Crabtree RS has a Gamow bag and a 2nd one at NPS heliport. Ranger/EMS pressurizes it to simulate a lower elevation. Gotta keep pumping it every few minutes to keep fresh air in the bag but they work!
@@gdurkee You clearly have no knowledge on real-world use of Diamox, so why speculate? If you'd talked to people who have spent real time at altitude, you wouldn't have to guess or "doubt." In fact, you are wrong - while it's best to titrate in advance, Diamox is routinely used by those who go to altitude as a firstline response to AMS . Yes, the goal always is to get someone down. But have you ever tried to assist in rescue of someone who's suffering serious AMS and HACE? If you had, you'd know they're often incoherent, belligerent, lack enough motor coordination/function to get down in that condition. A gamow bag 5,000 below is of absolutely no use until you can get the person down.
@@biscaynediver Hiya. Glad you asked. Cool your jets camper. No need to come out of the box ranting. As luck would have it, yes, I was a backcountry ranger for 45+ years in the Sierra -- Whitney to Mt. Darwin. I'd see 2 - 5 HAPE cases per season. I was an EMT and, for several years, a paramedic level responder.
Also, yes, diamox used prophylactically is definitely of benefit, as I said, but that's not what we're disagreeing on here.We did not carry, nor was it recommended (by our control University Medical Center in Fresno, CA), to use Diamox as treatment for active cases in the field.
Now, I don't always keep up but we -- who treat A LOT of AMS, HAPE and, occasionally, HACE (much less common) just don't use it. I've recommended it prophylactically for folks who have a history of altitude problems but, again, in the lower 48, no one comes across HAPE & HACE more that our rangers in Sequoia Kings do and it's just never been recommended as an effective treatment by UMC.
So, just looking it up, apparently Dex can be used and that probably makes sense on an expedition-level climb, though the evidence doesn't seems strong. Anyway, we're talking about the Sierra and Mt. Whitney. I don't know of a single case where it's used as treatment for an active case.
And, oh yeah, gamow bag. Heh. We carry it up to the sick person. It's been done probably two dozen times on Whitney and other nearby high peaks and kept people alive through the night waiting -- hoping! -- for a helicopter &/or a carry out team in the morning. From Crabtree RS to Whitney is about 3+ hours by the gnarly ranger (alas, no longer me). Lifesaving.
And, also yes, I did my first carry out with a litter in 1971 and my last in 2015 -- though not all HAPE. Still a lot of experience with getting people down to a helispot. Generally, it's a time vs. good helispot vs. how critical the patient is.
The HAPE/HACE fatalities I've seen have been so rapid -- a matter of hours from first obvious symptoms of labored breathing -- that nothing, nothing would have helped other than an immediate helicopter evac. Tragically, impossible at night in mountainous terrain. Certainly neither Diamox nor Dex would have made the slightest difference.
Tears in my eyes. You all were selfless and courageous. Be proud. Sharing this may save other lives.
I hope it does, thank you 🙂
Obviously you did something far more important than summiting Whitney - you helped save someone's life. I was rescued after a climbing fall that broke many limbs & put me in shock - and I'm eternally grateful for a couple of Australian hikers who helped me and assisted the multi-agency, raft & helicopter rescue. I've climbed Whitney many times via the mountaineer's route - but I hold the lives I saved during my years as an EMT much higher than those summits.
I don't know how much paricord you guys carry, but i would have used trekking poles (or tree branches) and paricord to help turn the sleeping bag into more of a stretcher that could be more efficiently carried.
Good on you guys for valuing human life over the top of a mountain.
We discussed doing that but thought it would take too long. Once I found volunteers it went much faster. The mountain will be there waiting for me next year and something tells me it's going to feel much different after this. As an EMT you must have had plenty of good and bad experiences, I can only imagine. It's a very intense feeling helping someone like that and I'm so glad it turned out positive. Thank you for the comment and for the lives you have saved. 🙂👍
Thank you, Mike and Matt, for saving our friends. I am forever grateful for the selfless act, and bravery you demonstrated. Also, for educating the novice like me about how dangerous Whitney is and is required to be prepared.
I was part of the lost party trying to get off the mountain. Thank you for pointing us in the right direction. 🙏🏻
You are so welcome and it's great to hear from you! I learned a lot too that night. I would never have gone if I didn't have Matt with me, he's done Whitney many times. I'm so glad we were able to help and that everyone came out of this okay. I'm also happy so many people are getting something out of this video, the response is overwhelming.
Matt was able to go back and summit Whitney a few weeks ago. I didn't go, I figure I could use more training so I will wait. But I'll be back this summer. Thank you for commenting it means a lot. Take care and keep hiking! 🙂👍
I’ve been to the summit and back twice on the Whitney Trail, both times with different groups of people. Everyone without exception was a licensed amateur radio operator carrying a handheld transceiver like a small walkie-talkie. We were able to communicate with everyone in the group at all times, even though people were at different places on the mountain depending on pace. No network required, can put in new batteries if they die, and can reach outside repeaters or other stations if trouble arises. Indispensable in the backcountry.
Interesting. A friend of mine suggested that but I didn't think they'd work well. I'll have to look into it. Thank you.
You, my friend, are a pro.
@@bekejebe Well, that might be stretching it a little! But the ham radio gear has been super helpful in a lot of situations.
Agree: I’ve hiked it twice and our group all had radios. We had the frequency the rangers use pre programmed in.
Thanks for telling/showing this story. I've volunteered more than 20 years on the Mt Hood Wilderness trails for the Forest Service and an event happens like this every week or two, sometimes it's just hikers and other times it's climbers. Sadly, one or two people do not make it back every year. Your advice to be prepared with contact plans, extra clothing and shelter, and snacks/water, is some of the same advice we give daily, the same 10 Essentials the Seattle Mountaineers codified almost 100 years ago in their first printing of The Freedom Of The Hills. Thank you for reinforcing the idea of preparation, which is also the first practice of LNT.
🙂👍Thank you for the comment. I'm glad so many people are getting something out of this video.
Team effort and absolute heroism! Thank you so much for sharing this amazing rescue and for sharing all of the helpful information that will definitely help others. 💓
Hey thanks for the comment! Just glad we were there to help. Going back on Sept 14th so hopefully will have a much different video (with me on top)! Make sure to check for it soon :)
Great job you two and the other folks that helped. The hiking community is amazing and even better in a time of crisis. I've no doubt that you and Matt will summit next year. All the best.
Yes it's a great community. Matt summited a few weeks later. I will wait until next year :)
@@outsidewithmike Good luck for next year Mike, it looks an epic trail.
You guys did splendidly. I’ve done Whitney a few times and could picture where on the MMWT you were. What you guys did seems to have fallen out of fashion in places like Mt Everest. May you find a winning lottery ticket in the summit hut when you finally make it !
Haha I could use one! Thank you so much for the comment/compliment. I'm glad people are still watching this and getting something out of it. I watch it every once in awhile and there are a few spots where it still makes me a little teary-eyed and emotional. It was a very intense night.
Good job guys! Mountaineering in high altitude is no joke. Having had a close call myself several years ago, I now carry Garmin inreach mini (texting), big anker 20K battery pack, and necessary gear to spend the night in the cold if it came down to it. Also, in very cold temps, i make sure my phone and battery pack is close to my body inside my jacket as batteries will die in freezing temps. That's happened to me!
Glad you found a way to get this video out. And so glad all parties involved are safe and ALIVE!
Good point about the batteries in cold weather. Thank you for commenting! 🙂
You did not summit Witney but you and your bother summit a higher peak that is harder to achieve !!!!! Thanks for you video .
Thank you for this, that awesome and means a lot to me.
Mike, there is not a shred of doubt you put this video up for good reasons and not for exploitation. I think it's really really good for all who are considering hiking Mt. Whitney to see this and think real hard. Extra batteries, keeping a group together and not allowing separation, and being physically fit enough to do it.
You guys could have assumed they would be ok and just continued towards the top, but you didn't. You went way above and beyond. I'm curious how many hikers just walked past you while averting their eyes.
Ya that part's not in the video. After a few hours hikers finally started to come by. Matt would tell them constantly "Step to the right of the bivvys" because the trail turned to the right there. Some people asked what was going on and were concerned, some just walked by. A few were doctors who asked about her and checked her out. Some offered safety blankets and food etc.
Perhaps some people thought they were resting, I don't know. In the video you see the three of them huddled under the blankets and that's how they remained for 5 hours. There was the Zoleo blinking right there, plus Matt had his phone and Garmin sitting on a rock at times.
I was happy to see so many ask, and other times I was annoyed when others didn't even give a second look. But like I said who knows what they thought.
Overall I am happy that so many were concerned and asked if we needed stuff. I don't know if it was a majority but it was a lot.
When we got to them we knew right away who they were because we were told to watch out.
One more thing though - when I was in my bivvy the previous trip one group asked if I was okay (I was fine just waiting for Matt). I was kind of far from the trail. Nobody else asked.
I'm glad you and so many others like and approve of the video, it means a lot. Thank you.
What a selfless act you and Matt performed. You were in the right place at the right time to make a huge difference in someone else's life. Thanks for sharing this remarkable experience. You are also helping more people with this video and your learnings. Well done guys.
Thank you. It does seem that a lot of people are getting something out of this video, more than I ever imagined actually. I watched plenty of "How to climb Whitney" videos, read websites before our trips, but didn't see anything like this. Hopefully everyone finds this video before they go.
Edit to add: Your channel looks cool I'll check it out
Super eye opening video. Glad you were there. You definitely were there for a reason!
Thank you, glad to hear it!
@@outsidewithmike subscribed. I’ll watch some more of your videos tonight! I make them for the same reason you do. My family and friends love to watch them
@20:00 even the rescuers put their own life in danger. Kudos to a difficult rescue. A hiker always has to be mindful, the supplies they carry may have to be shared with those in unexpected distress.
Well put. Thank you for the comment!
Great job. Saving a life , a most important thing.
Thank you, I agree. I believe it was our duty to help.
We need more people like you no your friend in this world! May it come back to you ten fold!
That was my brother, Matt. We make a good team I guess. Thank you very much.
Wow, this is such a crazy experience. I think it's always good to have a plan of action to help your fellow hiker out. Accidents happen. Mistakes happen. The wilderness can be scary when you're alone and injured and it can be awesome when someone is there for you. Good call on an SOS device. Great video, great job!
Thank you! I learned a lot from the experience and it seems like others are too which is great. Thank you for the comment and sharing ;)
Good job fellas. You done good!!! Best of luck in the future!!👍👍
Thank you! 🙂
Wow good for you guys. I hope we would all make that decision … especially after it being your second try this year. And your video was very respectful. And a good reminder for all of us.
Thank you I appreciate that. 🙂
I've been apart of a few outdoor tragedies that didn't end so well. You did well and kept your head. On top of being in shape and knowing your own limits, keeping a level head is the best thing you could have provided them. There are a number of people each year that just shouldn't be on Whitney...
Yep, as much as I trained for this specific trip I wouldn't attempt it without someone who is experienced. Physical ability is only part of it.
@@outsidewithmike Wife and I summited a few years ago. Got a bit of altitude sickness near the top, but little more than a headache after spending 2 nights above 9K feet. Pacing and acclimatizing is a bit part with that climb due to easy access.
I did that hike this September and me and some other guys had to save this guys life that was wildly unprepared. That hike is no joke!
That's awesome, nice going! And no, it is no joke at all. Thank you for sharing. 👍👍
Bless your heart, you did the right thing, summit will be on the next climb. There’s always next time.
🙂👍
Good men saving people's lives here. Did anybody have ground insulation like a x-therm (or even a closed cell foam pad) etc.? I am a big proponent of ALWAYS taking some kind of condition appropriate pad to sit or lay on in survival/emergency situations.
Not that I'm aware of. Would be nice to have especially with the granite. Thank you for your comment 🙂
I've hiked this mountain several times. The last time, one of my partners got caught in a lightning storm at the summit after not following advise to descend. Hypothermia kicked in. We had two groups and we went back to get her changed into warm clothes and get her back down the 99 switchbacks. Scary as hell.
I'll bet it was. Definitely time turn back if lighting is spotted even at a great distance. People should read up on lightning, I learned a lot that I didn't know. There's really almost no place to hide.
@outsidewithmike I've never experienced anything like it, being at 14k ft elevation in a lightning storm. The clouds gathered in a matter of minutes (5-10).
Thanks for the video. It is people like you that make the trail a safer place for everyone. (Oh, and I bought a bivvy to carry in my day pack - it's now one of my "ten essentials".)
Thank you for saying that and I'm happy this video has helped people. That's the best thing I could hope for.
Great video a few of us skied Whitney in February one great climb
👍👍 Thank you!
thanks for your effort, and for sharing, very informative
Glad so many people are getting something out of it, thanks for commenting 🙂
kind of unrelated but: this makes me a believer in the MSS sleep system, someone decided to carry that giant 4ish pound synthetic Intermediate Sleeping Bag, and thanks to the durability of military surplus it could be used as a ghetto litter to help move her down the mountain. I assume the guy who brought it was the guy wearing military pants and uniform compliant SFB B1 Nike shoes lol
:) He was in the first group we talked to that night, asked us to keep an eye out for the other groups. They all knew each other. I don't know if he drove home to get that or what because we didn't see him until daylight, but that bag made all the difference. We were getting ready to try and stand her up and "walk/carry" her down to the chopper LZ. I don't think it would have worked because of the shape she was in.
Also random: at about 3:30 am a hiker walked past us in shorts and a thin white T-shirt. I asked him if someone stole his clothes haha. He said no I'm from buffalo. He was sweating like crazy in below freezing temps. Crazy night.
Bless you! ❤
Just curious, did you discuss making a gurney out of some trees or branches? Would have made it a bit easier.
Yes we talked about using hiking poles briefly (left it out of the video) but it would have taken too long and maybe it wouldn't have held together. Sounds easier than it probably is. We were already doing the sleeping bag thing by then. And we were above the tree line when we found them. No branches. If we got her down much later it could have been very bad.
A ranger on Mt Whitney told me he calls the place "the Land of the 48-hour day hike."
Ya it's one helluva "day hike" for sure. 🙂
Shouldn't Zoleo have still started the process to send SAR up based on the gps coordinates sent? Great video talking about helping others we may come across. The mountains aren't going anywhere.
Yes it still sent the S.O.S. but you don't know if and when they would come. We had to communicate a lot with Search And Rescue and they weren't sure they'd be able to get a chopper at all. They even wanted to know how much she weighed for the helicopter. We wouldn't have known to carry her down the hill to the landing area without communication.
They really wanted us to bring her all the way to the portal which was 5 miles. Matt had to convince them to fly out.
To get help out there as fast as possible I think you need to be able to communicate with SARS. And like I said you wouldn't even know for sure if they were coming at all, sometimes they can't, and if they weren't we would at least know we'd have to get her all the way to the trailhead/portal. Just a few extra hours could have meant life or death. Sitting there wondering while you're freezing would be scary.
My Zoleo was cheaper but after this I'm glad I have something else now. I returned it to REI, but mainly because I couldn't reliably communicate with my brother on hikes since he had a Garmin. I never thought the text feature was important at all until this trip. My life is worth the extra $100. Garmin Messenger is $300.
@@outsidewithmike thanks for the vid and follow up comments! All these SOS button videos lately have also made me think a bit more about being ready to assist in a situation like this, may not be me that needs the help. I've also updated my SOS contacts and talked a bit more about what happens versus family I had set before.
Im 67 never carried any electronics just lucky i guess. Been attacked by bear, lion,coyotes, bitten 2 times rattlesnake, worst was attacked by ladybugs they bite hard!
I just looked up the ladybug thing, I never knew that! Sounds like you have some interesting stories. Thank you for stopping by! 😀
#5 - Build a fire. I know fires are not allowed on Whitney . . . unless there is an emergency! Build a fire.
There wasn't any deadwood really and we were above the treeline all night, but yes if you can safely break that rule I'm personally for it. Maybe we could have found some. Definitely something to consider. Thanks for the comment 🙂
Sounds like you were just above mirror lake, over 11,000 feet
Yes that's correct.
Thank you for helping my dad and friends down the mountain!! ❤️
We were both very glad to be there! You are very welcome! 🙂👍Thank you so much for commenting! I'm glad everyone is okay.
I'm glad you guys did what you did. I've been in a similar situation on Whitney before. And I'd say for those trying to hike Whitney, you shouldn't be pushing yourself to the point where you can't even walk anymore.. Know you limits, pay attention to altitude sickness symptoms, and don't be afraid to play it safe and turn around. This isn't like pushing yourself through a marathon. This is harsh and rugged terrain. If the weather was different and a helicopter couldn't fly in, the injured hiker might have died.
So true. My first attempt was 2 weeks earlier and I burned out at Trail Camp. It's in another video. The snow also made us decide to turn around. I was with others and hiking a faster pace than I'm used to.
On this last trip I was doing great. I'll be back next year. Thank you for the comment and for sharing the vid. ✌ 😀
I checked your Mt Whitney guide at least once or twice before my first trip. Thank you for that. I had to check and see if you were "that" Hiking Guy. Good stuff!
@@outsidewithmike ha yea, that's me - glad the guide helped, subbed as well... see you out on the trails..
@@Hikingguy An idea for your channel is to have these guys on for an interview. This incident is a treasure trove for real-world things to learn from: Being prepared (dead phones and empty power banks, did they use low power mode/how cold drains power/etc), Preparing for emergencies (bivvy), SOS devices and how they can fail you as the Zoleo did in this case (not fault of the device but its dependence on a phone is concerning). Plus the actions taken by these rescuers is a great lesson for those of us who could stumble upon a similar situation. This one deserves some exposure as many people could learn a good lesson.
@@Hikingguy Back atcha!
This is Stephanie, the first lost hiker you came across. I was never so happy to see your headlamps coming yes, I thought you were our SAR, we were so cold and disoriented. Thank you for being kind to me and my friend and giving us the confidence, we needed to make it back. And thank you for helping our friend who was down and sharing your story. No doubt you both would have summited that day.
Hey great to hear from you! We were glad to help! I'm glad you found your way back. We were happy to help, summiting doesn't compare. I'm sure we all learned a lot, I know I did. Thank you so much for the comment, it means a lot. 😀👍
Why did you leave your friends “ who were down” in the trail? And what were you doing hiking at night? This makes zero sense to me
@@Starfish2145if you listen to the video he says that they said they've been on the mountain for over 24 hours.
@@Starfish2145most people will hike in the dark on Whitney. And absolutely will during the fall. Breaking up into smaller groups isn't uncommon, maybe they went down to try and get signal/help. the lost group also had a bivy & a sat messenger, but not enough battery so it's not like they were entirely unprepared.
Hiker in the LA area here. You saved a life for sure. People, these mountains are serious, especially in October for gosh sakes! If you feel bad at all, turn around! Muscles being tired is one thing; not being able to breathe is another! Turn around! Bravo for a great video.
Thank you for this comment. One of my main worries before my first attempt was the hike back down. Sometimes my knee hurts on downhills for various reasons. There's a sign at the start of the hike that says "The top is only halfway!" You can see it near the start of the video. 😁
@@outsidewithmike Downhill can be hard indeed! A great lesson of your video is that pretty often you are carrying that bivvy, satellite communicator and/or water for people you encounter who are in trouble. We gotta take care of each other out there and this video is a terrific example of that.
Very tastefully done video, being sensitive to the victims, yet capturing the impromptu efforts taken to help other human beings in deep trouble. Thankfully, others pitched in to help along the way. When I go hiking, I always over-pack in order to increase my chances for survival, should I become lost, or injured. I also carry a Mini inReach 2, large capacity battery pack etc. It's all heavy, but puts me in a better position to self-rescue, if at all possible. Thanks for a great summary at the end, this is a great video for training. Best to you on your next attempt!
Thank you very much for your thoughtful post. My pack is getting a bit heavy for backpacking trips. My only solution is to get stronger ! 😀 Cheers!
Fellas, that was a very good thing you did. And showing this video is an excellent reminder to fellow hikers that we all need to properly prepare. Get in shape, bring First aid, have a way to communicate, acclimate to the altitude, and bring emergency supplies. Thanks for the video.
I'm glad it's helping some people. I just ordered my new bivvy from REI. You can get it on Amazon too, I added it to the description. Thank you for the comment! 🙂
FYI ChP helos are all a stars staffed with one pilot and one paramedic. They are ALS same as a paramedic ambulance. Sometimes they also have a third person.
They are equipped with a 450 foot winch/hoist and patient packaging so they could have rescued her from the initial injury point but only during daylight hours although they are working on all their ships to be nighttime certified for rescue.
They don’t like to do a hoisting operation with only two people or without fire crews on the ground to do the packaging as the medic can’t be lowered without a third person on the airship.
The bowman bag they lower for packaging does have simple instructions that comes down with it but again, it’s risky to trust an unfamiliar civilian.
I summited Whitney in 2015 and along the way saw people making this climb without a backpack and with only a 16 oz bottle of water. Several sitting along the trail with bloody noses, altitude sickness, dehydration, etc. It made me realize that proof of fitness and preparedness should be required in order to get a permit for this climb. Too many people just don’t take it seriously enough.
When we were sitting with these people at around 4:00 am a guy walked up with thin shorts and a white T-shirt. He was sweating and said that's just how he hikes. Must have been in the low 30 degrees. He was in good shape so whatever! Saw several in a group behind him in shorts. They had packs though but wow.
I don't know what to think I didn't see what you saw but then I didn't get far enough to maybe either. That's crazy. Whitney is the first and only hike I've ever turned around on. Also the hardest.
I live in Scotland and our highest mountain is just over 4000 feet. It still manages to kill a lot of the unprepared with folk even trying it in winter in trainers - I kid you not. We are lucky in that the whole country has dedicated volunteer rescue teams trained to first responder level with helicopter backup (dedicated large choppers for remote rescue and smaller ones for local stuff). You are spot on with all your tips on kit to take, and thankfully most winter climbers here are well equipped, but you still get idiots who just disregard all the advice - Darwin’s law in action.
Need to do away with the permits. Only thing they do is make folks continue who otherwise would have turned around because there's no second tries.
Ultra athletes, the ones who do the iron man comps etc. There’s a bunch who do whitney like that in 8 hours or less. I see them all the time in my local mountain San Jacinto doing the whole trail under two hours while everyone else does it in 6-9 hours. Even in my youth when I was doing marathons in the low threes I’d still bring a full pack. You never know and the mountains is one place you don’t gamble like this.
Yes more govt oversight, exactly what we all need lol
We attempted to summit on 10/1. Temp at Trail Camp was about 20 degrees at 4 AM departure. We made it about 1 mile past Trail Crest before "calling it" Blowing snow and single digit temps. Very slick conditions on the trail. We staggered back down the 99 switchbacks and flopped into our bags. I had a 0 degree down bag and I was cold. REALLY cold. We warmed in the bags until we could pack and made it to the portal at 6 pm. While it was difficult to abandon the hike, it was better to be safe :)
Yep, we called our first trip due to snow. Turned out not to be too bad but better safe than sorry. Glad it worked out for you.
Note: my bivvy bag didn't keep me warm when I laid down in it (on trip #1). I think it was the cold ground. When Matt returned to me I stood up in it and was immediately warming.
I’m a huge believer in fate. The universe prevented you from making it on attempt 1 so that you would come back on attempt 2 and be there on the mountain that night to save these people. Bravo to you and your brother! I’ll be watching for attempt 3!!!!
Thank you! I will have to wait until next year but there will be other adventures for me in the meantime.
Mike, you and Matt, are compassion superheroes! Your selflessness to help others strengthens the bonds of the community of adventure seekers. Thank you both for your sacrifice
Thank you for the kind words and nicely put. We both appreciate it 🙂
Wow amazing job cousins!! Definitely made the right choice! So proud and grateful she is ok. Also loved the video… definitely putting my bivy back in my backpack and FINALLY getting the satellite phone I should already have. Big hugs ❤
I wondered if that was you when I saw the "new subscriber" picture earlier! Duh I should have figured it out. So cool! If you wanna do Whitney with us next year let me know. Cousin Brett says he wants to. Great to hear from you we'll have to keep in touch! Hug back!!! ❤🤩
Hello Mike, you were absolutely respectful how you documented this and it is very important for people to see. All folks in the hiking/climbing/mountaineering community need these reports. It is like the accidents and mountaineering American Alpine Club puts out every year or so. We truly do learn from each other and these things can happen to the best and most prepared and it often does. Mount Whitney will be there for you and you will be even more prepared and even more grateful when you reach that summit. Sometimes Mount Whitney can be enjoyable as a one day but don't be afraid to put in for an overnight or two. You can still give it the 24 hour but having that extra time can give you an extra shot if you have to stay put or come back due to weather or a rescue although after a morning like that I would probably need a day or two to decompress. My hat is off to you, Matt, and the others that helped and to the ones you helped. Hopefully they too will heal and get back out there. Thank you for sharing such a great story with everyone making it home safe.
We actually considered going back out the next day but once we got to the motel there was no way, especially for me. Matt may be going back this weekend but I will wait until next year. I'd like to get stronger first. Thank you for this comment I really appreciate it. Yes I have even more respect for this mountain and wilderness in general. Hopefully everyone will get something out of this video, I know I learned a lot. And ya I think summiting it will be a different experience now than it would have been before. Take care! 🙂
For me, you count this as your summit completed & way better 👌 kudos mate 👏
Thank you. This was much more important for sure. 🙂
I watched this video sitting at the edge of my chair. You both guys are super heroes without cape. Truly Mt Whitney’s angels. Thank you very much. You both make this world much better place to live. Let your good karma bring peace and joy to your life.
I'm glad so many people are getting something good out of an otherwise bad situation. The comments are overwhelming. Thank you for the kind words. I just wanted to use this as a teaching video and not about me, it feels weird to accept personal compliments because someone was in really bad shape in this video. But if me and my brother's actions inspire someone then that is good too. 😀❤✌
I've been up Whitney several times in all different directions, but helping and saving a person's life is way more powerful and satisfying than any summit top. A story that will last a lifetime. Great job, and glad everyone is safe. #1 on the list should be know what you're getting yourself into, and know your limitations. Whitney is an easy hike for most experienced hikers up the main trail, but if weather / conditions change or if someone has issues with altitude, it can go from an easy trail hike to dangerous or deadly. Be aware that temperatures and conditions can change quickly in the Sierras.
Agreed. I did my research months before I went and went with someone experienced. You can't take it lightly. I trained specifically for this hike but I'm glad I have an extra year now for that. I could definitely use it. Thank you for your comment 🙂
so cool that the hiking guy commented! watch his stuff all the time. Good job to you and your brother and your tips at the end are on point. Even in the best circumstances rescue takes way way longer than you might think. I was caught in an avalanche snowboading in Alaska a couple years ago, long story short I survived, I had major trauma and couldnt move. I could see the helicopter from where I ended up, the weather was perfect and even with the resources of guides and a helicopter on site I was not out of there for over 2 hours. Shit takes way more time than people might think.
I am overwhelmed by the response this video has had. And I'm glad so many people, like you, have shared their own stories. It's a real eye-opener. Glad you were able to get the help you needed. Thank you so much for commenting!
Thanks for sharing. You and your brother saved a life and did what you had to do. You also shared it in a very respectful manner.
Years ago I encountered an emergency situation 16 miles into the backcountry of Colorado, a young fellow. He ended up with a broken back and badly fractured leg. It was many hours before Search and Rescue arrived, and like your situation it was very difficult to get the victim down to where they could load and transport.
I still remember the details of that incident, these kinds of things are life’s lessons to carry with us on our future exploits.
I think one of the most important lessons is that it isn't likely that a team of people are sitting around with a specially equipped rescue chopper in your area just waiting for a call. I was surprised to see that we got a CHP chopper, and it took hours for SAR to get that set up. It isn't a simple matter of hitting S.O.S. and waiting.
We can prepare for emergencies better with that knowledge and have more realistic expectations.
Thanks for the kind words and for sharing your story!
😳 Hell of a video - well done guys 🤩. So often I have left the bivy bag at home to save a few ounces... now I truly see the value. For myself OR someone else.
Never thought I'd use it either! Thank you!
You guys saved that women’s life! You should be proud. It really is a dangerous mountain. I hiked it on October 17th and the amount of people I saw that didn’t have the right gear or that were attempting to summit way to late in the day was mind blowing.
Scary stuff, especially so late in the year. Thank you for the comment!
All hikers should be required to pass a thorough equipment and knowledge checklist. The same type of insanity takes place every summer on the cable climb up to the top of Half Dome.
@@Patrick_Ross just no way to do that. Some people can get by with shorts and a T-shirt because of their conditioning and the speed and short amount of time ot their exposure, while others can have four times the equipment and not be able to endure. The bottom line is people have to be smarter. And you cant take away these adventures and make everything risk free. People that I’ve done it multiple times can suddenly have an event with AMS that they have not had on prior Whitney excursions
You can summit a mountain any time of day. I don't get it. I hike in the evening usually.
You guys are true heroes. Hats off.
I'm glad we were there to help. I think I'm just a regular guy who happened to be there. Thank you for the compliment. 🙂
Thank you for making this video, great information.Every hiker needs to see this video and heed the lessons learned. Glad to hear everyone is ok.
Thank you very much. I'm happy so many people are seeing it and learning something. 😀
Wow that was incredible.
When I was searching for an SOS device, I went with a Mini 2 just in case my phone dies or breaks. I'll sync up the route if get lost too. I'll definitely bring an emergency bivy/blanket no matter what now. Maybe an iPhone charging cable if someone with an iPhone needs a charge.
It's a trip to think back on your journey. From getting the invite to attempt Whitney. Getting in shape and losing all that weight. All the training and motivation to get to that point. With the weather turning the week before resulting in another try that day. To saving their lives if you weren't there. Amazing.
All the props to you and your bro. Thanks for sharing.
👏👊
Thank you, my friend. It's definitely a trip to think about it all. Great post!
Tons of people summit mountains each day, but only so many can say they saved people's lives. Definitely a more impressive accomplishment than any mountain peak. Congrats on a very successful hike.
So true!!
Thank you!!! I guess it WAS successful! Well put.
Good job! A couple of suggestions for everyone. Sat phones are cheap these days and 'emergency only' plans are not much more than that for a Garmin. They are light and the battery lasts forever if turned off. Ditch the texting solutions and carry a Sat phone. Also take the NOLS wilderness first aid class. It is intended exactly for these situations. Will give you a lot of confidence. Again. Good job!
Good suggestions. I have heard people talking about Sat phones I will look into it. And thanks for the mentioning the first aid class, I'll check that out too! 🙂
I'd still stick with the Garmin. I've never known a Sat phone -- especially in mountainous terrain -- to hold a signal more than about 4 minutes. You have to know who to call and it won't give lat/long. Call gets dropped, you have to reconnect, sometimes waiting 20 minutes each time for satellite to get in position. You'll have to tell SAR lat/long separately, which means you need to read it from map or another gizmo. Garmin automatically gives lat/long, even with a non-emergency text message or, of course, ping. Shorter data burst that what's needed for a phone so more likely to get to their emergency ops dispatch.
This was a valuable experience to share. Thank you! For anyone considering such hikes, they can only benefit from this story. Well worth your desire to put it into circulation.
Thank you for the comment. I'm glad it is useful to people. Everyone needs to "Be repared"....yes I made that typo in the video haha.
I have been to Lone Pine Lake, i think it was June or July and thats as far as you can go without a permit. The hike was brutal. Kudos to anyone who attempts to the top. I risk my life often, exploring mines, and its self rescue or die, there is no signal in the earth. I think its rather reckless to go to Mt Whitney in October, especially someone with pre existing health issues. But anyone going in October, if you fail, your rescue team has to come out in the cold weather. Yes of course bring supplies, but much safer to go when the weather is warm. Not for you, but for your rescue team, just in case. But humans are humans and usually dont think about , what if i cant make it, what if i fall, can i survive the cold.
If Lone Pine Lake is brutal, you don't belong on that trail. People need to know their physical capabilities and their limits.
Even if you didn't manage to do the summit this time, you should feel really great about yourself saving that woman and helping those people! Good luck on attempt 3
I'll reach the summit next time. We'll go in better weather too. The mountain isn't going anywhere ;) Thanks, it does feel good helping someone like that. It was great that so many others asked to help my brother and I in different ways too. We gotta take care of each other out there. It could be me one day. Cheers! :)
First attempt had to give up... to much ice on the switch backs... plus my mates underdressed & were getting hypo.
Came back a year later different crew and no problem. I practiced metered breathing(I scuba) no prob altitude sickness, but not my buddy.
Weather was great, but I had to carry his pack down for him. Stop every 20 ft and encourage him to keep going... took forever... he wanted to give up.... took major effort to keep convincing him to go down.
Great video and very respectful to all involved. Learned about a bivvy from this video. Also learned to really consider not leaving others even if SOS has been called. The help needed in getting that person to where the helicopter can land is no joke and saved precious time not waiting for rescuers to hike all the way up there.
Thank you, and I'm glad the video helped out. I am overwhelmed by the response here. 🙂
Thank you for this, and for emphasizing the importance of a device that can be used independently to communicate with SAR. Zoleo is a good budget item, and certainly better than nothing, but it makes all the difference being able to communicate what is actually happening, and what needs to be done to help expedite things. It's a challenge to text on a Garmin, but at least you CAN.
AMS (acute mountain sickness/altitude sickness) is no joke. I've experienced it before (thankfully not to this extent), and it's absolutely terrifying. I will probably carry a pulse ox with me to keep an eye on my oxygen in the future at elevation.
Yep hopefully I won't have to text with the Garmin but like you said it is possible. One of the people who helped us carry her was a nurse and she had a proper O2 tester. It was 75% once we got her down to Outpost Camp. Could have been worse before that. Good comment, thank you!
Thank God you guys were hiking up the mountain. You guys are good human beings!
Thank you I'm glad we were able to help 🙂
Thank you for your kind help! God bless you all!
I'm guessing you are one of the people that were there on this day. You are very welcome!!! Glad everything turned out okay.
Bravo Mike n Matt! It was your destiny to be there to help so much! What a feeling I’m sure! Overwhelming! Wow. Much Kudos for looking out!💪🏻👍🙏🏻👌
Thank you, yes overwhelming is a good word. 🙂
It's good to see people with compassion and conscience. Great job!
Thanks, I'm sure there others like us out there. I sure hope so I may need help one day! ❤🙂
Best hiking video I've seen yet, real people and relatable situations. Once you walk into one of those, you never forget. I hope you've recovered from the "re-play loop" in your mind after that experience, they can be hard to shrug off the first few days.
It was an emotional and weird few days for me afterward. Maybe seeing it on video while editing it helped. It was hard to believe it happened. Hats off to those who do this for a living, especially when there isn't a good ending. Thank you! 🙂
Pretty good evac for people who aren't trained in rescue, it would have been a difficult situation for those who are trained! Great ending remarks; I could not agree more about the importance a two way emergency sat comms capability, Being prepared - people must educate themselves on the essentials in the outdoors and how to be safe, as well as what to do when things go sideways.
Your care for others and humility is evident, at a summit level... Well done!
Thank you so much for the compliments. I started taking a Wilderness 1st Aid course online to learn more. It's a series of videos and tests that you can get certified with. I don't know that I will get certified, I'm just enjoying learning a LOT of new stuff. Really interesting. I highly recommend everyone to at least look into it.
The one I'm using is called "American Outdoor School" but there are many others.
Cheers! 😀
Something that saved myself, my wife and my brother in a situation like this was my over preparedness. I brought 10 hot hands super warmers, and 5 body warmers (that stick). I also brought 1 can of bottled air because my wife has asthma. Ended up having to use them when it dropped to 7 degrees (supposed to be 45...) and my wife had to use her inhaler 5 times in 2 hours. Those hot hands and bottled air helped her get through the night and we hiked out the next day.
Now i always have them and when my brother complains about my (over preparedness) i just look at him and he laughs lol.
That's great, glad to hear it all worked out.
One of the many things I didn't get on camera was all the help other hikers offered. Hand warmers were one of those, though the ones we got didn't work ;) Too old probably. But we did get some emergency/space blankets and offers for food and water.
But before that we were alone with them for several hours. Fortunately we had supplies of our own. We did jumping jacks and jogged in place to keep warm after awhile...we got pretty cold ourselves.
I'm going back in September and will be even more prepared. I'm taking a wilderness first aid course, bringing a SAM Splint and a few more warm clothes. Like you said, being prepared is everything. I learned so much that night.
Thank you for commenting!
I’ve been on Whitney multiple times, and it’s no joke! I once got so sick, I was hallucinating, but through sheer luck, made it down on my own, from Outpost Camp, (thank goodness it wasn’t Trail Camp). You did a fantastic job on this video….balancing showing the reality, with education, compassion and discretion. A blood ox level of 75 is very serious. Thank you for doing the right thing, and abandoning your summit to help these people. You’ll bag Whitney next year, and you had a far more satisfying experience by saving a life. Once again….thank you!
Thank you for your thoughtful post. It will definitely feel different going back next year. Glad you made it back okay! 🙂👍
You two were where you were supposed to be at the time. They’re angels everywhere ❤️❤️
Heroic effort by you and your friend. Many lessons to be learned from this. You've started with a list of things to bring, but there are points to cover before considering the climb.
(1) Test your fitness for strenuous climbing at ANY altitude.
(2) Develop your acclimation to altitude. Take hikes at increasing altitude over time. 5000', 6000;' 8000' etc.
(3) If you feel dizzy at the trailhead, don't go on!
(4) Don't take anyone who doesn't meet your requirements.
There a lot of things people need to know and do before such a trip for sure. I did a lot of studying and reading for months before I went. Bought new gear, decided whether or not to try diamox, learned all I could about the trail, and training specifically for the trip. Testing yourself at altitude is great, absolutely, but I don't think you can develop a long term resilience to it unless you live up there. Your body will readjust as soon as you come down for a few days, far as I know anyways.
For my first attempt I camped at the portal for a few nights and that helped after a day or so. My first day there I could feel the difference but by the time I did my practice hike I was getting a little used to it.
I highly recommend going a few days early, staying at altitude (minimum 8,000 ft) and going for a few hikes, or other activity.
Some people are fine with altitude on one trip and have problems the next. Knowing how the symptoms actually feel ahead of time can be a big help. And keep an eye on each other.
Thanks for the comment! People need to take this mountain seriously and learn all they can ahead of time.
True meaning of trail angels
😀😇 Thank you
As Ed Vesters says..."Getting to the top is optional...getting back safely IS NOT"!
🙂
Thank you for such important video you did a great job keeping it respectful
Thank you that is great to hear. 🙂😎
Holy cow. The footage of you all carrying her down the trail had me holding my breath. It looked treacherous. Kudos all around. The ripples from this incident are obviously broad and significant; your video brought it all together nicely, sensitively and impactfully. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you I appreciate that 🙂
Great job, well done, you guys made the right decisions all the way, human life is definitely more important than climbing a rock that isn't going anywhere, God bless you guys for everything you did helping save that woman's life 🙏.
Thank you very much 😀
I thank you two for being there for those people. I was up there and experienced a similar situation with a group that didn’t want to turn back and didn’t know the symptoms of altitude sickness. We told them they better turn around while the person was still some what mobile they finally did. But when we saw them again they were at the bottom of the switch backs with a doctor that happened to be hiking on the trail waiting for a helicopter to pick her up. Not sure what the final outcome was but the doctor kept telling whoever he was talking to he needed a helicopter now.
It's a scary situation. Seems like a chopper could land there at least. Hope all went well. Thank you!
Nice job on the video and just want to say thanks for looking out for others on the trails. Just wanted you to know I appreciate the way you told the story, and believe that SAR services are underappreciated and underfunded in the US. People who risk their lives to save others are a special breed of individual, and we need more of them and they deserve to be recognized.
Thank you I really appreciate that. That's got to be a tough job, and to think that often the person in distress cannot be saved...man I'm just so glad things worked out the way they did. These guys did a great job. The pilot told us he's landed on the summit before...wow. I have nothing but respect and awe for those who do it as their job.
You guys did a great thing! I’m a hiker and a nurse. I definitely would’ve stopped and helped, that’s the most important thing. And thank goodness someone had a Garmin. I hike with one, wouldn’t be without it. It’s good to put the video out to help others with their own plans. It was tastefully done.
Matt made me trade in my Zoleo for a Garmin after our first Whitney trip together, only because we couldn't communicate reliably with each other through the different devices. I only realized the importance of being able to text directly from the device during this recent trip. Thank you for the kind words, I'm glad people are liking the video!
Great job and I have a lot of respect for what you all did. For those that have never carried anyone off the mountain, it’s very difficult, especially without a proper stretcher. I am an avid outdoorsman and long distance backpacker and I always tell people if you spend enough time in the backcountry your help will be eventually needed, sometimes more than once. You would not say it but I will please people know your fitness and skill level and listen to your body. The mountains will always be there. Don’t be afraid to turn around. We all have done it and some of us many times. One more thing please don’t get a false sense of security because you are carrying an In Reach. We had a women in NH die depending on one of those devices saving her. The pings from her device were all over the place. Again thanks.
We were fortunate to get the sleeping bag. We were trying to get her standing (don't think she could have) and figure out out how to get her down when the friend showed up with it. That was immensely helpful in getting her down. I think we all learned a lot on that day and I'm glad I could share it and educate others. Thank you for the comment. The mountain will still be there next year and so will I! 🙂
This video has me a bit worried of how little I'd be able to offer someone in a similar situation. I don't have the strength to carry anyone out even with assistance and don't have satellite comms. While the GSM are a lot more forgiving, I've also encountered people 10+ miles from a trailhead with nothing but an empty 500ml water bottle...
I think the Sat Com is super important, if nothing else it puts my families minds at ease knowing I have it. My life is worth it, it's only $15 a month once you buy the device, and you can pay as little as $11. Never really thought I'd use it. I could only help carry so much, I'm not that strong. I had a water filter with me so I could carry less water, but if you don't know where water sources are...ya people need to know ahead of time how much they should carry. Thanks for the comment.
great job Mike. You and Matt are hero's. The world needs more like you. Thank you for the video
I'm glad the video is informative for so many people, thank you very much.
Something else to add to what folks can learn. If you're using a phone with a satellite dongle put it in airplane mode when out in remote areas. The phone's constantly searching for a signal drains the battery. A battery backup probably would a good idea
Yes definitely. We all had out phones in airplane mode. You can see that in the previous video on our first attempt. I use a big backup battery for my camera, it can also charge phones or whatever. I tried to charge their phone so they could use their Zoleo but didn't have an iPhone cord. Glad Apple finally went USB-C with their new models. Funny how that was such "big news" when they finally did what everyone else has been doing for years (which is often the case with them). 🤔🙄😀Thanks for the comment, it's a great suggestion!
Mike and Matt - Good on both of you for saving this woman's life! You guys really saved the day as evidenced by "The gal" below. I summited Whitney way back in '91 and we got through some hurdles. My brother suffered mightily with altitude sickness at trail camp(el. 12k) and in the morning he decided to go down and I decided to summit. What a trip it was to say the least! Hiking mount Whitney is no joke, you better be very fit and prepared if you want to summit.
Thanks for the comment and I hope this video helps some people.
Thank you for telling this story and I'm glad everyone made it out alive.
I see comments from some of the people who were there and I'd like to hear the story about how this whole situation came to be.
It's valuable for us to know what conditions and decisions led to this event so we can all learn how to prepare, be aware, and know when to head back before it turns into a life threatening situation. (Thank you for your tips at the end)
Thank you for the comment
Which Garmin SOS device were you using?
Matt used his InReach Mini, or maybe it's a Mini 2. I have the Messenger.
Thank you so much for your service ! I discovered quite by accident that I can suffer severely from the effects of altitude. Several years ago, I took my daughter on her first backpacking trip on a section of the JMT. On the second day I was laid out on the trail just below Silver pass unable to make and coherent decisions or move. About 6 backpackers helped me out, one of them took my back to a lower elevation(going down the way he just came up), dropped my pack and came back up to continue on his trek. My daughter and myself made it down (sans pack) to the lower camp, spent the night and made it out the next day. Thank god for the kindness of the trail community. I went out and purchased my first in reach device, and now take meds for my altitude issues. I now make sure that I help my fellow backpackers in any way possible. Charging a device, food, ride, whatever.
That's awesome! Yes it's a great community. We all gotta help each other out there. It could be me next time. I think it's our responsibility to do so. Thank you!
I do need to get a bivy, I only have a space blanket. @@outsidewithmike
Thanks for all you did! On my last attempt on the mountaineers' route, a hiker had been struck by a boulder and had to be carried to a lower altitude for helicopter rescue. And then, a bit later, I missed being hit by an airborne boulder by 1 second. We turned around and went home. We were so close!
Scary stuff man. Thanks for sharing. Whitney doesn't mess around 😉
One of the best videos I’ve seen in a long time. You guys are God sent. Thanks for sharing this and thank you for being such good humans. I wish you both the best on your next summit attempt. Stay safe boys!🤙🏻
Also so happy to hear she made a full recovery.
Thank you very much. Matt went back and summited last Sunday. I can wait til next summer haha! So glad things turned out well. 😀👍
It was meant for you to missed your first attempt for a reason. God had prepared you both for a higher purpose than Mt. Whitney. I’m a beginner hiker in my 50s and have learned a lot by your experience and video.
Thank You so much and God blessed you both and all the people involved and that means everyone!!
Thank you for commenting and it means a lot that I was able to help. That's awesome!
Well done, she will be very grateful, good stuff, you can always try to climb there again another day.👍👌
Yep, we will be there next year. Thanks for the comment! 👍🙂
Great video, very thoughtful. To the really helpful advice you gave I would also point out an insight from yourselves when you were starting the hike (had to scroll back: it's at 2:05) and said, "the top is only halfway". So many injuries, accidents, incidents of getting lost, occur on the way down, when the energy of the summit push is gone but the work to get back safely remains.
Yep there's a sign there that says that (in case people didn't notice). The trip down is something I considered all along even in my training. If I have issues when I hike it's when I'm descending. Thank you for commenting! 🙂