j_b

MtnGoat: "The temperature increase is not seen by satellites which measure troposphere (lower air layer) temperatures which have been operational for a while now." not according to the 2001 IPCC report: "Since the start of the satellite record in 1979, both satellite and weather balloon measurements show that the global average temperature of the lowest 8 kilometres of the atmosphere has changed by +0.05 ±0.10°C per decade, but the global average surface temperature has increased significantly by +0.15 ±0.05°C per decade." MtnGoat: "Further, this increase measured by ground stations has data problems not usually discussed. Heat island effects of changing local environments may not be adequately controlled for, as is the decreasing number of stations and the way stations are grouped into larger measurement blocks." not according to the 2001 IPCC report: "Over the 20th century the increase has been 0.6 ±0.2°C 5,6 (Figure 1a). This value is about 0.15°C larger than that estimated by the SAR for the period up to 1994, owing to the relatively high temperatures of the additional years (1995 to 2000) and improved methods of processing the data. These numbers take into account various adjustments, including urban heat island effects." MtnGoat: "The idea that we have a set perfect temperature at some recent point in the past is as anthro centered as the idea that we are causing warming." not according to the IPCC report: "The warming over the last 50 years due to anthropogenic greenhouse gases can be identified" and on, and on, .... It is quite legitimate to ask where does MtnGoat get his science? For reference (although it probably won't help for some): http://www.ipcc.ch/

A couple of points. The overwhelming majority of scientists involved in climate research recognize the impact of human greenhouse gas emissions on global climate. Most detractors are industry apologists and/or mouthpieces for conservative politics (actually the same thing). A natural warming trend since the last ice age is not contradictory with additional climate warming due to antropogenic inputs. Climate scientists base their opinion on data of the type referred to by Dru (CO2 and temperature of the historical past) not on model results. Numerical climate models are only tools to assess the sensitivity of climate to various parameters (such as CO2 levels), they do not have to reproduce past conditions to tell us something useful about system behavior under changing conditions. It is ridiculous to expect to have complete certainty before we change negative behavior (do you need to be certain that a crevasse is in your path before you rope up?). It is likely that our actions now will only affect the system a few decades in the future which may mean that it may be very late to be reducing our emissions.

Monday: hike in; Tuesday: (possibly finish hike in)and climb W.Ridge of Prusik; Wed: drop toward Colchuck Lake and climb Serpentine Arete on Dragontail (downhill to camp); Thursday: High Priest (NW corner); Friday: hike out. This should also leave you some time to enjoy the area.

Personally I thought the best line was almost entirely composed of variations but admittedly I have not done the SB chimney (even though I do like chimneys). I like the alternate start, i.e. the crack system ~30' to the west of the Beckey start. Meet and continue the SB until almost level with the the western extension of snafflehound ledge, get up on the ledge, climb the right trending arching ramp/crack (visible in guidebook pic) which disappears into a knobby face toward the corner directly under the summit. Climb the corner crack to the top for ~ 2pitches. The max difficulty is probably ~10b. Everything (except for the lower sb pitches) is sustained at its grade .9-10 and prime rock.

The South face offer many opportunities to wander. What is, in your opinion, the best line on the face?