Stefan

Here is how to avoid the masses but take advantage of platforms at the half way point. Go ONE DAY after the masses. Instead of doing Liberty Ridge on Sat/Sun/Mon do it on Sun/Mon/Tue We did this one year where July 4th landed on a Monday. There was absolutely noone on the route--they were all one day ahead of us.

Even though it may not be in the "Cascades" the best glissade is coming off of Mt. Shasta. It kicks ass off of Mt. Adams.

I never met you smokin' joe. Don and Natala speak highly of you--in fact I was out last weekend with them on Jordan Peak. I heard you were out skiing. Anyway, I will respond to the NPS. I know the rescue fees are a result of "lack of funding" from the government. Does anyone know if the Coast Guard charges for rescues? If the Coast Guard charges for rescues (which are A LOT more expensive than mountain rescues) then the federal government should charge for mountain rescues. I do know that the Coast Guard is in a different branch than the NPS. It would be reasonable to make the federal government be fair all the way around in charging or not charging for rescues.

To jblakley I suggest people face climb only if they can do it on their own by any means except leaving markings behind. They can do it via top rope or free solo—whatever their choice is. The rope, bolts, biners, and slings are only there for safety—they are not there to enhance the experience. If people are putting up bolts just to protect themselves from a potential fall, then they should not be there. A wacky analogy: people shouldn’t be putting their heads in alligator jaws if the jaws were going to potentially shut on them. In addition, there is something aesthetic about climbing a route and not seeing any sign of a previous person being there. I guess the compromise is to allow bolting in non—wilderness areas because people are going to bolt anyways. It would be the same thing with roads. People are going to build roads—but do we need to build roads everywhere? A bolt ladder could be seen as a road…… I will never understand the need to bolt anything anywhere. I see bolting the same as putting up a ladder on a route.

I still want to know. Why do people have to touch every section of this earth? Why can’t people climb rock under their own abilities—i.e. without bolting? Is there nothing sacred?

I know I am in the minority in this thread, chatroom, website..... I do not agree with any type of bolting. My bolting opinion has nothing to do what the Forest Service says or what people refer to as "development of the sport". I believe man does not have to touch every section of this earth. It is OKAY to leave places, or rocks faces, untouched. If you can not get up a section of rock on your own human ability and be able to remove the stuff you left behind, then you should not be there.