September 10, 2023 - Inyo County Search & Rescue officials report that they were out on Friday talking to hikers about hiking safety.
If you were hiking in or out of Whitney Portal on Friday night, you might have seen us and Quinn, our rain jacket detection dog (just kidding, he was only interested in snuggles). Every now and then, we do what's called PSAR = preventative search and rescue. During those events, we talk to hikers, mainly on Mt. Whitney since that's a hotspot for incidents.
During the night, it was windy and we experienced sprinkles which soon turned into rain. The forecast for the high elevations of the Sierra Nevada predicted more rain, snow, 50mph gusts and wind chill temperatures of 18 degrees Fahrenheit.
Even though all hikers had done their homework and looked at current forecasts, we saw 25% of people without adequate warm gear, and a staggering 41% without a rain jacket, getting soaked before even reaching the trail. Some wore a 1mil disposable rain poncho - those things are not made to withstand a long hike with backpack in strong winds!
On Saturday morning, just a few hours after our event, the Sheriff’s Office promptly received a call from helpless hikers who experienced hypothermia. The Sheriff’s Office determined that it'd be best for them to self-rescue, since hiking was the group's only way to stay warm. Waiting many hours for rescuers to arrive with warm tea and clothing would only have worsened their situation.
We can only recommend that everyone who goes into the high country not only reads a weather forecast, but also prepares according to what the forecast says. That being said, the mountains are a pretty unpredictable place, and rain can always occur, whether forecasted or not.
Rescues usually take 6-18 hours to reach you, depending on your location and conditions. If you feel cold, you are on your own - moving continuously downhill into warmer terrain will be the best thing to keep you warm.
They call it "summit fever", but on some days, "summit icicles" would be a more appropriate term.
Source & photos: Inyo County Search & Rescue
