2002 - International Year of the Mountains

[Juneriver]

Interesting article in the Times:

Seattle Times

[Bronco]

They overlooked the great bolt/no bolt war of 2001 in the Cascade Range.

And the skirmish on the upper flanks of Mt. Rainier over who owns the Muir Hut.

[al]

The remedy for all the myriad man-induced evils will be a ban on fixed anchors.

[coyote]

'bout fucking time....I mean Jesus Christ, It doesn't take a 30 year study to figure this one out....Seeing as thay've been around since 1973....Well, I guess this doesn't really mean they're going to do anything about it....It's like...."We're aware of it now and.....we still need the money so nevermind"

My 2 cents

[erik]

there is another study out there stating that the current tend of the decline of livability on the planet earth is due to the rampart growth of the human race......

best way to fix it?? follow the leemings!

[David_Parker]

Maybe they should charge people to go into the mountains so only the rich people will go there!

[coyote]

Maybe they should cut off the reproductive organs of any one between 21.....and......28....I'm 29 so I guess that won't effect me....then we won't have to develop every fu*&^%*inch of the globe and have maybe an acre of untouched pristine beauty the whole world can visit...won't it be beautiful...

[Rafael_H]

quote:

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Originally posted by David Parker:

Maybe they should charge people to go into the mountains so only the rich people will go there!

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If only rich people were allowed in the mountains all of them would be reduced to fancy living blocks with expensive condo's, trams, elevators, moving stairs and what not, and there would be a rotating restaurant on top of Everest.

I wonder what are they going to do with the Castleton Tower proper, blow it up so it doesn't topple on their beautiful lawns or enforce with steel and build a spiral staircase to the top?

(read Climbing, send money!)

[coyote]

Escalator to the top of Everest? There's a money maker......Top of the world Burgers and Beers....Or an Oxygen bar....

[nolanr]

Let's hurry up and colonize Mars and the moon so we can start ruining those too! I agree, the biggest problem is too damn many people, w/ no let up in population increase in sight

[ 01-28-2002: Message edited by: nolanr ]

[pope]

quote:

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Originally posted by nolanr:

I agree, the biggest problem is too damn many people

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No snowflake in an avalanche ever feels responsible.

[nolanr]

Ah, Confuscious is very wise. You got me there. But I haven't contributed my alloted 2.5 kids to the world population problem yet.

[pope]

quote:

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Originally posted by nolanr:

But I haven't contributed my alloted 2.5 kids to the world population problem yet.

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Neither have I....so far as I know.

[Fairweather]

...."Olympics and Cascades"..."increasing pressures from recreational activities such as skiing"....

When was the last new ski resort built in the Cascades or Olympics? What other forms of recreation are ravaging our local mountains? Are they talking objective standards of physical environmental degredation, or the subjective "solitude" standard often cited by grumpy hiking guide authors whose names I won't mention?

Sounds like this whole story is light on scientific study and heavy on anecdote. I call bullshit on this story.

[nolanr]

You sound a little uncertain there Pope. Afraid you might have sired a child or two w/ some climbing groupie or something?

[Figger_Eight]

Nature has a way of self-regulating itself. Once it's sufficiently pissed off with the human race - it'll let us find a way to thin out the population. Some maniac will stumble across an undetonated nuclear warhead and Fed Ex it to the White House or something. Either that or Jesus will return...whichever comes first.

[pope]

Although I was careful about it, there was a time when my pace was....well, let's just say I am a little worried. The "Law of Large Numbers" makes it almost axiomatic.

[nolanr]

You know, I've always wondered about this: if Wilt Chamberlain really nailed 20,000 women or whatever he claimed (something like 2+ per day from the moment puberty hit 'til the day he died), why aren't there 100's or 1000's of illegitimate Wilt Chamberlain offspring running around? No "I'm Wilt Chamberlain's bastard child" conventions in every NBA city. Family reunions on Jerry Springer. It just makes you wonder a little bit if he was, oh I don't know, exagerating or flat out lying his ass off. For all we know Shawn Kemp has produced a bigger litter than Wilt, and that dude is butt ugly.

[nolanr]

Figger 8,

On a halfway serious note, the AIDS epidemic has wiped out an extremely significant number of people, and yet the population continues to grow exponentially. Think of how catastrophic something would have to be to have a similar effect as the bubonic plague did in Europe.

[pope]

Look, this is going to sound a little arrogant, but Chamberlain was a bad amateur when it came to Lady Luck. BTW, I'v seen a grown man at a pub-club function who certainly resembles F.B.

[nolanr]

Maybe we should rename this thread "International Year of the Bastard Child."

Ever watch that totally cheesy show Son of the Beach (Baywatch spoof)? I swear that muscle head guy has got to be Ahnold's illegitimate child. Looks like him, talks like, has the physique. Don't let Maria Shriver know.

[Winter]

quote:

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Originally posted by Fairweather:

...."Olympics and Cascades"..."increasing pressures from recreational activities such as skiing"....

When was the last new ski resort built in the Cascades or Olympics? What other forms of recreation are ravaging our local mountains? Are they talking objective standards of physical environmental degredation, or the subjective "solitude" standard often cited by grumpy hiking guide authors whose names I won't mention?

Sounds like this whole story is light on scientific study and heavy on anecdote. I call bullshit on this story.

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As an example, Ht. Hood Meadows and Govt. Camp folks are talking of building gondolas from Govy to Timberline and then across the E side of the mountain to Mt. Hood Meadows. Meadows wants to expand into the White River watershed but luckliy got shut down by the FS and eviros. Meadows also wants to build a huge destination resort at Cooper Spur, including an 18 hole golf course and 450 living units at about 4000 feet. The objective physical degaradation has been well documented and will continue at this rate. The FS has also been liquidating thousands of acres of old-growth in the Oak Grove watershed that serves as a drinking water source for several of the communities on the east side of the mountain. Just a couple of examples. Also, check out the expansion plans of Crystal Mountain, the planned ski resort at Pelican Butte next to the Klamath Basin that just got shut down and another planned ski resort in northern california. Mt. Ashland is also planning on expading into a roadless area that provides key habitat. The Forest Service also wanted to put in a backcountry discovery route for ORV's stretching thousands of miles along the Cascade Crest from Cal. to Wa. ... blah blah blah.

[pope]

Ain't seen it. I would imagine some of these bastard children of well-paid basketball stars receive hush money. I worked with a very honest lady who said one of Seattle's former professional athletes had fathered her friend's child, and that had been the reason he had to be traded, so he could come home every night after practice (now plays in the city where his wife lives). Sounds like BS, but I heard it from a reliable source.

[nolanr]

I've heard a little here and a little there, for some young hotties their career goal is basically to get knocked up by a rich pro athlete, then they're set for life, cashing in on the child support payments. I don't know what's worse, ho's taking advantage of our child welfare system like that, or dumbass jocks who aren't smart enough to cover their willie (especially after the first time--see Shawn Kemp).

[nolanr]

To add to Winter's example, also look at recent proposed developments near the SW entrance of Rainier NP and the Cle Elum area. While both are a long way from happening, I think at this point the enviros are losing and the developers are winning in both cases.