A clarification on Alternative 1 - the number 8260+ represents how many people (guides AND clients) RMI is authorized to have on the Muir route in one summer. 4145 was the number of guides and clients RMI actually put on the route in 2001, not what they were limited to.
i just read every single one of the 48 pages that thread contains. yes i need a life, but i'm more sad about the fact that i didn't get to post.... maybe someday i'll have a similar experience and will be able to draw on all the comments posted by the deep thinkers of cc.com!
just out of curiosity, why does everyone on this site make fun of the Mountaineers? i'd be interested to know how many of you have in fact taken a course offered by them