I am a student of yours, I went to both of your lectures at the A16 in WLA earlier this year. I organized a group of 9 people which dwindled down to 5, due to injuries and flake outs. We successfully did the one day hike on Sunday.
I purchased many of the items you suggested and it worked out too well. I purchased a SteriPen and my buddy was so enamored with it he drain the batteries in no time. I must say the water at Big Horn is some of the best H2O I've ever tasted.
Some of your advice didn't work out so well. Since I was the leader, I tried to start the hike at midnight as you suggested but my friends tend to have a mind of their own. They over estimated their abilities and started at 3:30, thinking we'll return by 6:30 in time for a Portal Store burger and beer. I didn't mind hiking in the pre dawn dark but hated returning in the dark at 10:30 PM with no dinner.
In many respects our practice hikes were more difficult than Whitney. Many parts of the trails here in LA, Mt Wilson and Baldy were much steeper than Whitney. The X factor is the altitude which we alleviated by staying at Cottonwood.
Great times and good memories, it was fun.
Thanks for all the good advice,
-Mark
Last edited by phycon; 09/02/09 03:37 PM.
