Eric T

I think every dollar in the world is a petro dollar. Everything does revolve around petroleum and oil based products. The oil industries fall from grace in the Alberta Tar Sands isn't an partisan decision. It has to do with world market forces that no politician could ever control. I realize that a liberal canadian government with shoot down new pipelines and such and that's a good thing for the environment but not necessarily the economy.

I climbed with a Mountain Guide from Iceland the last few days. He boulders hard and sport climbs 5.12. He just bought a new rack of singles and was stoked to try some trad. So after I watched him onsight sonic youth 5.11 b/c bolts. I took him over to strait shooter, 5.9 and let him take a few runs. It consistently spat him out. hehe

Hey All, I'm rolling solo in the desert from now 10/19 to thru the end of November. If anyone would like to adventure on the escarpment with me all you need is your personal climbing gear and stoke. Eric smithrock@gmail.com (425) 329-5167

Thanks for the report. If you'd like to skip the bikes you can park in the same spot, cross the bridge and about a 1/4 mile up on the right is the old Meadow Mountain trail which goes to saddle lake where it meets the original trail. I'm not sure which would burn less calories. [video:youtube]

It's been two years and a day since Tyler Bartons death. I'll never forget. Did the NCNP kill Tyler? Nope. Climbing is dangerous and nothing is promised. Would Tyler be alive if those bolted rappell anchors hadn't been chopped by the NCNP? That question lingers in my mind. http://www.rockandice.com/lates-news/tnb-death-on-forbidden-peak-was-the-nps-complicit

My sincerest condolences to you and yours Lowell.

Wow!! You two got about it! Amazing trip report; that 5.9 corner shot has me drooling... Brandon very cool meeting you at WA pass yesterday.

Sick!!!

Luke, Thank you so much for your photos and video. Thanks for spending your time, money and effort to let us all see the mountains through your eyes. Your UAV (drone) footage is amazing and you did a great job with the editing. I followed your links to see the stuff you'd made in Utah as well. WOW!!!!

[video:youtube] They didn't seem to mind the rocks even when i did hit one. If there were 10 more goats with them they may have turned the tide and treed us.

http://wilderness.nps.gov/faqnew.cfm Q--How is wilderness different from other federal public lands? A--Designated wilderness is the highest level of conservation protection for federal lands. The highest level equals "The Gold Standard". More than half of our Nations Wilderness areas aren't in National Parks. Hence we can protect the land to the highest level, ie "The Gold Standard" and not involve the park or expand the park. I'm sorry, lets go back to the beginning. Why does anyone want to expand the park?

Without knowing who you are you have no point because who the point is coming from has everything to do with perspective. I don't know if you work for the NPS or you're a 14 year old girl from the Philippines. And yes I have made some personal attacks here however I state my name right after them. I'm not cowering like a total pussy behind my screen name. I climb in this town and many climbers here know me, they see my actual face in trip reports and at the base of cliffs. I walk straight into the wilderness permit building at the NCNP and they know who I am. If you'd like to be part of the conversation let us know who you are, then I'll address your points. Unless you're a wanted felon or don't believe in what you're saying, sign your name 1MC.

1mc, it would sure be easier to take you seriously if you had a name or trip report. We may share differencs here but everyone else uses their name. What's your name 1mc?

Totally cool Buckaroo. If you can't find the owner I'll pony up a six pack for it!!!

Mr. Espinosa, Thank you for your comments and clarifications. It's refreshing to know the the American Alpine Club neither supports nor objects to the AALP plan. That sounds like a safe and neutral position. It's the same position the WCC puts forth. I was at VW for the WCC meet and greet last week and when the floor was opened for questions I asked about the WCC position on park expansion. They said they won't take a position publicly until they need to but it was obvious that no person there supported the expansion. 1MC is the only source for mountaineers support with that four year old article he gave the link for. Which in my mind isn't active support. Again when I ran this question up the chain of command at the Mountaineers all I got back was silence. I couldn't agree with you more that Mr. Roskelley and Mr. Wickwire are some of Americas most respected, accomplished and celebrated Alpinists. It's obvious why the AAC would listen to them. However, I don't believe that one's climbing resume or accomplishments make any Americans opinion on Federal Land Conservation more important than any other Americans opinion. And it's because those two are such respected and storied climbers that the AALP proposal feels like a betrayal. And my words sound dramatic because they need to know people are pissed off about this. Thanks again for taking the time to comment on this very important issue Mr. Espinosa. Eric

Way to get after it!!

Doing Business with Us "Scenery is a hollow enjoyment to the tourist who sets out in the morning after an indigestible breakfast and a fitful night's sleep on an impossible bed." -Stephen T. Mather, first Director of the National Park Service (1917 - 1929) National parks offer stunning scenery and authentic history…and many of the services of a small city to help visitors enjoy their park experience. National Park Concessions Food, lodging, tours, whitewater rafting, boating, and many other recreational activities and amenities in more than 100 national parks are managed by private businesses under contract to the National Park Service. The services, provided by more than 600 "concessioners," gross more than $1 billion every year and provide jobs for more than 25,000 people during peak season. Learn More NPS Commercial Services Concession contracts open for competition Contact Commercial Services Program National Park Service 1849 C Street, NW Washington, DC 20240 (202) 513-7156 e-mail us Contracting and Procurement National parks have buildings to construct, roads to pave, wastewater treatment plants to operate, and leaky roofs to repair. NPS offices purchase furniture, vehicles, office equipment and a host of other products. The National Park Service issues all bids and requests for proposals through the federal government's electronic business portals. Learn More Contracting opportunities in FedBizOps Contact Contracting and Procurement Office National Park Service 1849 C Street, NW Washington, DC 20240 e-mail us Commercial Tours Commercial tour operators may bring groups into national parks but must apply for a permit and pay a fee in advance. Details vary and are available from each park. Use our online search to find the park's website - which includes contact information. Special Park Uses and Commercial Filming Often, businesses consider national parks appealing settings to shoot commercials or major motion pictures, to photograph models for catalogs or kids for their school pictures. Couples choose national parks as beautiful wedding venues. The NPS requires permits for activities like these to make sure they do not unduly interfere with park visitors' access and enjoyment. Other activities that require special use permits include: Special events First Amendment activities (rallies, demonstrations) Right-of-way permits (utilities, telecommunications, roads) Other non-visitor activities on park land Permit applications are available through each park's administrative office (and may be available on park websites). Use our online search to find the park's website - which includes contact information.

Okay 1MC, what are your reasons?

I've now gotten word from some active Darrington climbers that exfoliation is exfoliating and to avoid blue berry hill for now. I was going up there this weekend to get some shots for a guide book but now I'm going to der town. I feel you guys with your comments but I like to be informed at least. Someone in here said they suspect roots could be a factor and that flake on silent running has some trees around. I dismissed the rock fall as "a moment in geological time" to SJ. He replied "In geological time, its the same moment." Have fun guys!!!

Nika and Jeff, Way to get after it! Congratulations on your first trip report!!!

Fair enough, 2011 was a minute ago and that support seems to have waned. Here's some more discussion about the NPS. It's really sad what the NPS has become. The NPS is all about auto tourism mostly to an aging White demographic that isn't being replaced by younger generations. The NPS has and continues to cater to that affluent, White, aging demographic that has more funds to spend than any other user group. The rules are made to please this demographic and that severely limits any type of innovative sport or activity that displays the human spirit. In fact, other users groups are actively discriminated against to keep this dying demographic pleased. http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/06/us/national-parks-try-to-appeal-to-minorities.html http://gadling.com/2011/08/04/despite-population-diversity-u-s-park-visitors-are-overwhelmin/ I was at a picnic table last week with a known NW Climber. She lamented to me about camping in the normal campgrounds in Yosemite. That she witnessed some old couple pull up in an RV worth more than her total worth and they proceeded to sit inside and watch TV. Why come to a NP to watch TV? Why put an RV slot in an NP? Why build a village in a Valley as amazing as Yosemite? Is this what we want for the North Cascades? It's all about money and catering to the people with money, and in our nation that's an aging, White demographic. Now look at the AALP board, everyone of them is old, White and affluent. What the NPS and the AALP need to hear is that 1. The North Cascades aren't for sale. 2. The North Cascades aren't a commodity. We don't want then peddled, sold, monetized or otherwise bargained with. 3. Establishing RV campgrounds is not an environmentally conscious decision for like 10,000 fuckin reasons. Bottom line, the National Park Service is an ever changing facade of tenures, ideas, people, personalities and wants. We don't know what were going to get over time or how that is going to evolve. Furthermore the AALP can't promise anything because once their "proposal" goes up to Congress it's gets changed as it's written into law. The 1964 Wilderness Act is the GOLD STANDARD for land protection. There's one administrator, Momma Nature. Her actions are flawless and timeless and the only person who gets to interpret this beautiful piece of legislation is a Federal Judge who will try uphold the act word for word. The difference between a Park and the Wilderness can't be overstated. Wilderness with the Park painted over it is no Wilderness at all. Let me point out Arches National Park and it's "Wilderness Areas" which the NPS dissected and used Enron accounting tricks to weasel roads in and make a buck from autotoursim. Can someone explain to me, like i'm a five year old, why we're trying to expand the NCNP?

Here's some more discussion on the AALP. The AALP lists The Mountaineers as a supporter on their web site. So I go to my good friend who has a leadership position in one of the posts and ask him about the support for AALP. He says "I haven't heard anything about it." So he waits until the next time The Mountaineers have a leadership meeting and brings it up in a meeting with leaders from all of The Mountaineers posts present. He said "No one said a word or had any idea who had given them permission to say that the Mountaineers supports the AALP." So the AALP is clearly lying about who supports them. I wonder what else they're lying about? I'll tell you what else really pisses me off, the below statement written by J. Roskelley. http://cascadeclimbers.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/1134150/John_Roskelley_interviewing_Re#Post1134150 That stinks of classism and elitism! Why the fuck would the American Alpine Club be trying to fuck over Washington Climbers by having some sort of secret closed door negotiation about giving the finest roadside alpine climbing area in North America to the NPS with the NPS and AALP? WHISKY TANGO FOXTROT OVER!!!!!! Why wouldn't every local club from the mountaineers and the WAC and local guides and independent local climbers be invited to contribute? (no money in it?) Why when every user group from hikers to hunters to snowmobilers, the people of both towns Marblemount and Mazama are against the expansion is the AALP trying to cram this down all of our throats? Mr Roskelley don't think you're going to get remembered as some great environmental stewart. You're going to be remembered as the well poisoning, back stabbing, judas, Jane Fonda that sold us all down the river to make a buck. I'll tell you what, let's kick the NPS out of the North Cascades and make the whole thing, plus the proposed expansion area, a Wilderness Area and we can call the whole thing "The John Roskelley Wilderness Area". How about that? You get remembered as the Man, (which in my eyes you already are for FA'ing Trango Tower) and the North Cascades can get the protection it deserves and climbers won't get wildly fucked over by giving something to the NPS that they obviously don't deserve to manage. I couldn't care less on a lot of issues but i'm not just prepared to fight on this issue, i'll go Thermonuclear War over this! (not to quote Steve Jobs).

Giving what is argualbly the finest road side Alpine Climbing area in North America to an government agency that specifly discriminates agenist our user group is a profoundly bad idea. Any Climber supporting the the NCNP park expansion is commetting a wildly treasonious act agenist every climber past, present and future. What other road side attraction does the NCNP have that compares to wa pass? Nothing. They want to peddel it to make a buck and not even god knows what the NCNP would do with wa pass if they were given it. Staying the same is fine, a wilderness area is fine and the gold standard in land protection. The NPS is not fine. It's a problem.

I was just up there again a few days ago and saw a very suspect piece of rock that is precariously perched above Silent Running. If you view my video in the post above and pause it at 22 seconds, in the right lower portion of the frame you can see a large pizza slice shaped piece of stone with dual cracks running up the side. The narrow portion of the pizza slice is facing down and it seems that all of the stone is resting on just a foot or two of granite. One can see full daylight through the cracks. The stone must be 40 feet tall and 15 feet wide. It's a loaded gun. I realize that many climbs have loose rocks, rock fall events and suspect sections. This is crazy though. Have fun.

http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2015/05/24/after-suing-nyc-for-foot-injuries-al-sharptons-daughter-climbs-a-mountain/ Go Libtards! Make that money! I haven't been following this thread, I just thought this was funny...