Winter

Go to thomas.loc.gov and punch in the bill #. Sheesh learn to think for yourself dude.

FW - Ya better look harder. Check S. 1453 You can also see how ONRC was pushing S. 1453 It wasn't just the Sierra Club. It was a bill sponsored by Leahy and Boxer. Your rhetoric aside, the left did offer a compromise based on SCIENCE. None of this debate focuses on private lands. This is FEDERAL litigation dealing with FEDERAL forests. We're upset because the administration is subsidizing the timber industry at the expense of our forests. The HFRA creates huge incentive to abuse the process to get out the cut and ignores the best science out there. And Harpell, our taxes ALREADY go to subsidize the timber industry, because the federal timber sale program loses billions. Take the billions we lose, pay the loggers to clear small diameter and brush from near local communities, and we're there. What's the problem?

totally agreed. read it. they are not proposing this. Yes they are. The act prohibits logging in the wilderness system but says nothing about the rest of the roadless areas.

FW- You don't know what you're talking about. The Sierra Club and others offered compromiser on this bill by proposing a plan that allows logging near communities. I recently settled several large old growth sales on the GP where we gave volume and responsible prescriptions and the FS droppped 30 million board feet of old growth clear cuts.

Aw crap, I just lost the response I wrote. Anyway, here are some points to consider. 1. The Forest Service is responsible for the current fire risk. Industrial fire fighting activities have unnaturally altered the fire regime on both sides of the forest. 2. Commercial logging may actually increase fire risk by opening the canopy, taking out the fire resistant trees and leaving a lot of slash behind in the units. The science is out there. If anyone is interested, I can send you a more detailed analysis of how commercial sales may actually increase fire risk in and around Cooper Spur on Mt. Hood. 3. Everyone in Congress repeatedly said this legislation would not be used in a POST fire landscape but the same day the legislation is signed Mark Rey is talking about using it to get the cut out in Biscuit. 4. Nature takes care of itself. Why log in wilderness and roadless areas? We should be managing forests near communities, letting Mother Nature take care of the rest of the forest. 5. The government loses billions of $$ on the timber sale program. If they put that money into community protection projects, we could have jobs, healthy communities and healthy forests. 6. Blaming the Sierra Club for poor forest health is over the top. The science is out there on logging and impacts to wildlife habitat, aquatic systems, soils, vegetation, etc etc etc. Where is the science on the Sierra Club's conservation work and impacts to forest health? Let's get real.

Last time I was there it was actually quite easy and legal to trek alone on the Annapurna Circuit.

I saw Ralph Nader in the airport. I saw Alice from Alice (the tv show) in Vail. I saw a guy rubbing one out on I5 North near the Terwilliger curves. Now that's greatness.

If you want the biggest peaks then you go to base camp. Annapurna won't give you that. You could also try Kachnechunga. I hear that is supposed to be a nice area and not quite as populated by tourists.

I suggest going to Mustang or Manaslu and getting off the beaten track if you want the best trekking experience, although it depends on what you want. I've done Annapurna and found it social, crowded and extremely enjoyable. We did not get to experience wilderness or solitude and did not have enough meaningful interaction with the locals. It may be different now that the Maoists are killing royalty.

Favorite names for security guards: Rent-a-cop Sala bar police Guilt free bacon

It just wrapped up and here are some of the winners. Touching the Void in a full length feature and what looks like a great film on the oldtimers and the Eigerwand.

Screw the cat. Earn your turns. You can easily access that whole place on foot.

Its dumping snow in downtown Portland ....

doh! "they"?!

When is somone going to poach fishtail?!

Hee just taking advantage of a good opportunity to feel superior to the liberals. "Science trumps the environment"? Classic.

Krz is a good choice if you're into objective politcal danger. If not, check out Madagascar and Mt. Kenya - just one thought. Tons of new routes to put up on Mt. Kenya, which I've seen. I've heard there is a lot of new route potential on the big walls of Mad, although I haven't been there. Overland travel is East Africa is an adventure.

Great job guys. Gettin it while Coudcap is still open. I'm jealous as hell - spent the weekend in Carmel for a wedding. Cool but not much ice there.

Chimney of Space, Mt. Washington. The 5.8 west facing moss covered chimney dripped from its walls and funneled huge death cookies right onto the belay stance - a manky death trianle backed up by another loose block.

My understanding is that Madeone is stil closed and folks are still working with Clack. I think there was some turn over on their Board of Comm'rs and so folks thought there was a new chance to get it reopened. I'm not sure who's working on it, but I think a web search would turn up there names.

So why the hell don't sailors finish a bowline? I learned it for a number of reasons and learned to tie it with one hand. But nobody EVER told me to finish a bowline when I was tying into a harness on deck.

I learned to tie the bowline while sailing as well and then started climbing and wondered why those stupid sailors ever used the bowline to tie in. I heard several stories of fathers losing sons, husbands losing wives, friends losing dogs, over the side in a storm cause of a failed bowline. They are easy to mis tie and they work themselves lose unless you tend them regularly. I'll never use one in the mountains. But I've never learned to tie the double either.

The Swarm must have caused your childhood fears!