The party of 40 later came later, a next day thing. By that time it's too late. The time to have done something is when he first went down. Before he froze. He did go alone, so maybe he was the last one headed down that day. That's not clear yet.
In that kind of temp. you have to keep moving. You can't just lay down, or you freeze. You nod out and start freezing up hard. You need the sleeping gear, which is below. Also Ox, else the body doesn't produce the heat anyway.
Thanks. I'm only familiar with the South Route Freeway. I guess you just nod off for an hour or so at Camp Five, start out an hour before sunrise, snap a few pics, then get the hell out of there.
I don't see how they do it. It's too bad they seem to let almost anyone try it, particularly on the North route.