The hiking season in the Eastern Sierra is underway with many climbers eager to reach the summit of Mount Whitney, the highest peak in the contiguous U.S. However, dangerous conditions persist due to snow and ice covering the trail, particularly at night. Inyo County Search and Rescue has reported numerous incidents of hikers getting stranded at high elevations, advising that the wet snow becomes perilously slick after sunset, complicating any rescue efforts. Hikers are reminded that winter mountaineering skills and gear are essential when navigating these treacherous conditions.
This is NOT an area where to watch the sunset from! The 'trail' is still under lots of snow, so you're going to travel on the steep snowfield.
It is extremely risky to ascend or descend that snowfield in the dark. Those conditions can often be too risky at night for the group to launch a rescue mission.
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