Fairweather

Dick Gephart (D) gave an environmental speech about 3 months ago in which he chided the Republicans for their lack of support re: tougher CAFE standards. He then drove off in a large black Chevy Suburban. As for the stickering....what a bunch of knit hat, whispy bearded, skinny, sandal wearing, WTO protesting, dreadlocked, freaks. The vehicles they are stickering probably pump less soot and hydrocarbons into the atmosphere than the VW Microbus or 1973 Subaru that they themselves drive.

Hey Z. Always happy to engage.... Are you saying that you now support more CO2-free power production? Good! Lets get to building more nuke plants. ... and more hydro projects too. Also; the Global Surveyor spacecraft now orbiting Mars has sent back data indicating that planet's icecaps are also in retreat. www.nature.com/nsu/011213/011213-1.html Shall we accept the blame for that too? Could a solar cycle be at work here? Earth's climate is in constant flux. We're just ridin' the wave. (?) But wait! YOU might be right. (Seriously) How much $$$$$ should we spend to counter? How much freedom should we sacrifice? If our nation spends say, one trillion dollars on Kyoto-like deals and our economy collapses, will current environmental safeguards get thrown out the window so we can claw our way back to national economic viability? Will democracy survive? (do environmentalists care?) I'm not trying to hammer or mock you, but these issues aren't as simple as some would like them to be. [ 05-12-2002, 11:59 PM: Message edited by: Fairweather ]

quote: Originally posted by Lowell Skoog: Going back to the original letter from Maria Cantwell, I'm surprised that so many people think she didn't say anything. Here it is again: quote: I am concerned, however, by studies showing that the fees result in reduced access to public lands, and I am also interested in learning if the program has led to reduced federal appropriations for maintenance. I am also worried that over time the program would cause local land managers to favor creating higher impact recreational usage facilities because of the higher amounts of fee revenue raised. Finally, and most critically, if the program is to continue, coordination of the fee system between lands owned by different agencies must be improved. These are all reasons for her to vote against the program. Can you imagine George Bush or any of the House Republican leadership saying this? I don't think so. We should flood her with letters hammering on these points. My biggest concern is Cantwell's second sentence, "That over time the program would cause local land managers to favor creating higher impact recreational usage facilities because of the higher amounts of fee revenue raised." That's exactly what the backers of the program want. They want to manage the forests as a recreational money maker, for Uncle Sam and his private "partners." Lowell, I believe that Republicans were among the first to oppose (Chenowith, Idaho?) this program which was imposed under Bill Clinton. Your attempts to portray Democrats as our allies is way off base. This issue crosses all traditional political idealogies. Nice try. Republicans generally won't tackle the issue because (overall) hikers are not big "R" supporters. Democrats won't help kill the fee because they never met a tax/fee they did not like. I think these fees will be with us for a while. Like I said earlier, I 'll reluctantly pay the "Trail Park" fee, but I WILL NOT pay $15 to climb St Helens, Adams, or Baker as I view this as pure extortion. Additionally, my grudging acceptance of the trail park will fade quickly if some of these washed out trail access roads don't get repaired soon or if popular access roads like Middle Fork Snoqualmie are shut down. [ 05-07-2002, 11:45 PM: Message edited by: Fairweather ]

The Fee Demo is supposed to help maintain trails and access?? Why are roads and trails being left unrepaired when they wash out? I wonder what % of the $$ go to enforcement of said fee? Is the fee demo just a federal jobs program? I'll pay for trail maintainance and access, but not for a $400,000 (+?) outhouse at Washington Pass. Gas taxes ought to pay for state highway facilities. Go figure.

With the exceptions of Norm Dicks (D), Adam Smith (D), and Jennifer Dunn ®, Washington State's congressional delegation isn't worth a crap... Especially our two senators. I miss Slade!! [ 05-04-2002, 12:28 PM: Message edited by: Fairweather ]

quote: Originally posted by Greg W: I have had some luck e-mailing Representative Rick Larsen. He actually will respond to the issues you bring up (my experience), unlike Mariah Cantwell or Patti Murray. Greg Maria is too busy fund raising her way to campaign debt repayment to actually respond to a constituent.

The Tacoma News Tribune article today was great. The author, Skip Card, wrote a VERY balanced story. You wouldn't find balance like his in one of the Seattle rags!

Has anyone here done/considered doing the complete "around Mount Adams" in one day? 37 miles with about 6 miles off trail between Mazama Saddle and Avalanche Valley. I think it is do-able (without any "running")

Olympic Mountains...Last June my brother and I hiked to Upper Lena Lake, then took the way trail that goes above Scout Lake and continued on XC to "St Peters Gate" on the side of Mount Stone. We then decended to Lake of the Angels and hiked out the Putvin Trail to the Hamma Hamma road. We had stashed mountain bikes at the Maple Creek washout and rode them back to the car at Lena trailhead. About 17 miles on foot...maybe 5 or 6 miles off trail...about 6000 total elev gain...mostly snow when we did it...took us about 12+ hrs. Nice scenery.

Better enjoy this area while you can. You'll soon be locked out at Dingford Creek by the wilderness elite. Dutch Miller Gap area will become a mini expedition instead of a family-friendly weekend place where a dad can introduce his kid to climbing on a mountain like Hinman. Who knows! Maybe if we lock up enough areas that are "too easy" for kids/families to get in to, those same kids will grow up not giving a shit about the outdoors at all! Maybe then, as adults, they will look at wilderness strictly as an exploitable resource and not consider any other value therein, their only youthful outdoor experience having been asphalt trails at Paradise or "virtual mountain climber" X-Box.

quote: Originally posted by Necronomicon: Managed to quickly stretch this out to three pages... "The Truth Revealed." We didn't actually set out to climb the Triple Colouirs route on Dragintail Peak, we set out to descend the Southeast Face of Dragontail Peak, and link that with a descent of the Asgard Pass Colouir. Thankfully, the route went. We had to fix a piton on the second pitch of the second approach gully (we soloed to that point). It rang quite brightly, but give it a few wails for old-times sake. The pendulum, for the second, from the belay at the slabs into the third approach gully was quite thrilling. We timed our approach to allow for complete and utter blackness at the beginning of our descent from the "summit". We started down at 10:30. The descent of the first part of our route, easy AI1 snow walking. I got a lot of practice holding my icetool and stepping into the snow. The USGS map mistakenly labels the start of the Asgard Pass descent Colouir as Colchuck Pass, but we trusted our instincts and headed down anyways. We were committed. We were failing downwards. I got freaked out on the way down because I thought we had somehow descended southwest from the top of the Colchuck Glacier and were headed towards Ingalls Creek. Luckily, trillions of interstellar equilateral triangles pointed the way back to Colchuck Lake. We reached our gear at the base of our descent by 1:00. Seeking the elusive "Bellingham to Bellingham" descent, we each downed some spice Melange and folded timespace for the stagger back to the truck. The hallucinations were coital. I saw an Angel, the Sasquatch, and a guy in a suit standing next to a tree. Mike saw the face of Father Callahan looking down on him, pressing down on him, on the floor of the rectory, in back, next to the piano. Five minutes into our four hour descent from the base of the descent, we reached the halfway point. Some water, then five more minutes, and we reached the trailhead where we had dumped some gear (overnight gear which would have forced us into a 2+ day affair). After more of the spice melange, we began the deafening ten minute, three mile snowshoe back to the car in an hour. Mike had left his interior light on for twenty four hours, yet his truck, clad in, and, perhaps, inspired by Brittany Spears decals, fought to life, despite the stray oil fill cap floating about amongst vital engine subsystems. I changed my socks and shoes. So did Mike. We both bought chips at the gas station. Mike drove, I think, while I nodded off like a junkie. I'd start awake, make sure Mike was still driving, and nod off again. It was impossible to stay warm. I was in bed by 9:15am, for a 28h 15m day. You weren't reading any Frank Herbert during this climb, were you?

Try "The Fox Hole" army surplus. 3 ply Gore Tex, seam sealed...good stuff. New =$99 or "surplus" (used) $49. They only come in cammo. I finally gave up spending big $$$ on "nice" pants after missing out on too many good glissades for fear of ruining them, and then eventually doing just that in one or two trips. I hear Helly-Hansen makes some reasonably priced pants as well.

quote: Originally posted by cj001f: quote:As for a firearm in a NP; I've heard that this rule (law?) is probably unconstitutional and that the Govt' lets apprehended (posession) violators off because they know this rule would be deemed so in court. I'm not sure the right to protect one's self/family ends at a NP boundary. But when I read irresponsible comments about executing snowmobilers I wonder if the ban is a good idea. Sorry to burst your Bubble Fairweather - but the no Firearms law in National Parks does stand up in court. At least once a month - read their Morning Report. It's generally applied in situations when the user has violated other federal laws - but that's because it's the only time the over worked rangers have time to notice guns. I would guess a Desert Eagle would make a nice end to a 'bile. Carl Cj I've carried a firearm openly in Wrangell/St Elias as did all others I encountered. The rangers I talked to saw it and one even told me it was "a good idea" as bear problems were likely. ( he was right...but no, I didn't use the gun. ) This was well inside the park boundary. Is the "no firearms rule" selectively enforced? AS for the snow machines allowed all the way up St Helens.....shocking! ...but I can live with it until the next round of "planning" within the monument.

quote: Originally posted by crack addict: that's why i always carry a gun in the backcountry. i'd of put a cap in the motherfuckers' heads, executioner style. the forest service doesn't give a shit about these assholes running amok and if they ain't gonna do anything about it, we're gonna have to protect the wilderness ourselves, "by any means necessary". ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ "Murder is a horror, but an often necessary horror" -Marquis de Sade Hey Crackhead, now that you're a real self-appointed wilderness sherriff I think there are a few other rules (or things you think should be rules) you should enforce "by any means necessary": -- No permit? Shoot 'em. -- Dropped gum wrapper? Shoot 'em. -- No LNT card? Shoot 'em -- Party of 13? Shoot only #13, let the others go with a warning. -- No Cascade Volcano Mega Adventure Pass? Shoot 'em. -- Persons showing an obvious lack of appreciation for wilderness? Death. -- No Washington State Concealed Weapon Permit? ....oh wait, you'd have to shoot yourself. -- Firearm in a NP/NM?? ...oops. I guess you have to shoot yourself again. Sorry! As for the sledders; they're really fucking up what support exists for their cause when they don't police their own. Do snowmobiles have license plates/id numbers? (dumb question, but I don't know) I know jet skis need 'em, it only stands to reason that sleds would too. That would make it easy to make sure these bastards get their $$ fine/community service. (not a bullet to the head) As for a firearm in a NP; I've heard that this rule (law?) is probably unconstitutional and that the Govt' lets apprehended (posession) violators off because they know this rule would be deemed so in court. I'm not sure the right to protect one's self/family ends at a NP boundary. But when I read irresponsible comments about executing snowmobilers I wonder if the ban is a good idea. --

quote: Originally posted by AlpineK: Tom I'm in your camp, but the point I was trying to make to Fairweather (knee jerk Anti Environmet Nazi) is that even if they were guilty the checks and balances in scientific research would have caught their attemt to cheat long before any restrictive action happened. AK Don't call me a NAZI, and I'll refrain from calling YOU ugly names as well. ...Additionally, I am not "anti environment" but rather, "anti-ENVIRONMENTALIST". Be sure you get your tags right in the future. [ 04-16-2002, 09:43 PM: Message edited by: Fairweather ]

VIVA ALPINISTA!!! Down with the trail gnats! (I don't speak much Spanish, but it sounded kinda' revolutionary.)

"Donohoe Peak", Wrangell Mountains. 3 easy days out of Mcarthy. "Flower Mountain" 2 Days out of Haines. Also, it looked like there were some good scrambles above The Chilkoot Trail, and some more technical climbs above Laughton Glacier out of Skagway. The possibilities are almost endless...

Hey Rodchester. I see you've been posting on other threads....why no reply to queries about Mountain Stewards Program? Enforcing The Fee Domo Program? Educators, or just busybodies?

Everyone knows biologists don't ultimately lay out policy. But they know damn well what influence their studies will have. Don't try to absolve the "researchers" of responsibility here. They knew EXACTLY what they were doing, and knew the cause/effect their research would have. I think a congressman made the analogy of bankrobbers getting caught and then claiming that they were only trying to test the bank's security. They got busted. Simple as that, Dru. [ 04-14-2002, 09:51 PM: Message edited by: Fairweather ]

quote: Originally posted by erik: quote:Originally posted by Country Jake: What I want to know is why is there always something wrong.... I never here about the scientific studys where they say every thing looks great here... doin' a good job, way to go mother earth... why is it, there always has to be a change in the enviornment... And who say it needs to be changed... do we get to vote on a closer or what... or do enivormentalists who have a polotition in their pocket just get to decide because they think it should be so... I mean just because I think something is in a bad state, does not mean you do, or vice versa.... And if we do get to vote on closers, why isn't it more publicly campaned.... do the rest of you think that we should just sit back and let some tree hugers close down all our favorite spots, even though the majority of us do our best to keep it clean and nice for others (respectful climber and woodsmen)... Ok I'm a little excentric, but I'm serious too... JAKE, the problem you state is called christianity or probably orgainized religion for that matter.....it tells us that there is always something wrong and that we need to tell others what we see wrong with them too.....it is a brilliant way to control billions of people...even make them kill each other, over principals that if were looked at with any type of skepticism would be so laughable, that you would wonder how people could even get so deep into the bullshit.... but i really dunno Erik, I think the 20th century demonstrates that idealism (ie:communism, facism) kills more people than religion. The secular USSR heaped a fairly ugly mess on large portions of Europe and Asia. Additionally, they pretty much dried up the Aral Sea. Can't blame these enivronmental crimes on religion! I think you're scapegoating religion, Christianity in particular. You're right about the "end is near" tactics used by religion though. I think todays environmentalists took a page right out of their playbook! [ 04-14-2002, 10:12 PM: Message edited by: Fairweather ]

You got to know when to hold 'emKnow when to fold 'emKnow when to walk awayAnd know when to run ---Kenny Rogers

quote: Originally posted by Terminal Gravity: For what it's worth...I purchased a thermarest (3/4 ultralight) from Second Wind Sports in Hood River. I paid just $1.50 less than full MSRP and it turned out to be an "irregular" after I unpacked it on a climb. They had not represented it as such. Cascade designs says that it is only cosmetic and is still covered by warranty; so it really is no big thang. But I thought I would atleast report the sleazy practice of this particular retailer. cheers - TG [ 04-10-2002: Message edited by: Terminal Gravity ] You went into battle with an untested Themarest!?

Homeostasis on a planetary scale?

NPR= taxpayer funded left wing garbage. I only listen to NPR when I'm having difficulty getting to sleep. I see some of their correspondents have gone over to FOX. (Juan Williams, Maura Liasson) I guess they saw the error of their ways. Their reporting is usually accurate, but never tells both sides of a story....just the side they think you should hear. [ 04-10-2002: Message edited by: Fairweather ] [ 04-10-2002: Message edited by: Fairweather ]