Buster
A sleeping bag is a part of a system. You will be warmer in it wearing good insulation. Its not a bad idea to carry part of your "night" insulation in the form of clothes anyway - you do have to get out of that bag occasionally.

This is a very upsetting case. You hear - "they were dressed warmly, they were prepared for a spring hike. " What does that mean? Obviously in someones opinion they were prepared for the expected spring weather, yet they were not prepared for the actual weather. The weather is changing. The point some of us are making is to be prepared for what could happen, not for the best circumstances.

I must say that a foam pad seems to be about the most important item left behind. Few people want to hike or climb carrying survival gear in a pack, not in America. We are used to relatively mild storms, and besides its so cute to look unprepared and have a tiny pack. In Scotland going up a mountain without bivy gear would be considered foolhardy.

I have run into tourists on Rainear who had noting - no water, no food, improper clothes - and they wanted to go "go for a short hike up the mountain". We have given them food and water a thousand feet above the lodge. What were they thinking?

OTOH we have members who think its stupid to be prepared for a winter storm in the spring. You see a lot of tourists out in the cold in shorts because "Its Summer isn't it?"

I noted that they dug a snow hole with their hands. Being buried in snow offers some insulation, but not in strong winds. I guess taking a shovel also didn't seem reasonable.

I think this IS a case of traveling fast and light did kill. We don't think of hiking with nothing as being unprepared since after all, who ever carries anything? But in mountains the "common sense" of the city fails.
Jim