This isn't really political in nature but since it fits in this forum better than anywhere, here it is! I ran across it and thought ya'll would enjoy it:
Check out the actual site to see the video and twitter feed:
( dead link removed )
Sarah Palin Attempts to Summit Non-existent Alaskan Peak
Alaska's former governor and VP candidate sparks Twitter flame war over trumped-up adventure on Denali
See that Tweet above? That's Republican Party sweetheart Sarah Palin letting the world know about her plans to climb the Sweettooth, a spur of Denali, with her husband Todd and 16-year-old daughter Willow. The ambitious adventure is part of her planned Discovery Channel series, Sarah Palin's Alaska. Impressive, no?
There's only one problem: "Sweettooth" doesn't exist on Denali. She might mean "Sugartooth," but even then, climbers who know the area are scratching their heads. "Sugartooth" is a multi-day, highly technical climb on sheer rock; despite Palin's ability to scale the ranks of Republican leadership, it's unlikely she's got the skills to send a "5.10b/c with short sections of A2, 16 pitches," according to Alpinist.com.
The Alaskan outdoor blogosphere is understandably taking Palin to task for 1) claiming to be an Alaskan mountain woman without even knowing the names of the places she's going, and 2) exploiting their state in a selfish bid for spotlight. Some speculate she'll fly in to the Ruth Glacier, take photos and go home. "Sweettooth = name of ridge you got wrong while trying to sound like a mountain woman," went one criticism.
But who are we to judge? Check out the following footage from ace climbers Zack Smith and Renan Ozturk, who won a McNeill-Nott Award for the third ascent for the "Sugar Tooth" (scroll to 2:32):
That would be quite the story if the Palin family were going rock-climbing. And, not that I would ever defend Ms. Palin, but I'm more inclined to believe a comment that was on the same article:
You are making her look smart with your shoddy journalism. Sweet tooth is a local name referring to another sub-peak of the Moose's tooth group. Just because you can't find it on the internet doesn't mean it does not exist. There are basically no skills required to get to the top of this feature.
Posted: Jul 23, 2010 Anonymous
There are just two switchbacks left. And another half-mile to the destination...
cindyl wrote:That would be quite the story if the Palin family were going rock-climbing. And, not that I would ever defend Ms. Palin, but I'm more inclined to believe a comment that was on the same article:
You are making her look smart with your shoddy journalism. Sweet tooth is a local name referring to another sub-peak of the Moose's tooth group. Just because you can't find it on the internet doesn't mean it does not exist. There are basically no skills required to get to the top of this feature.
Posted: Jul 23, 2010 Anonymous
Someone got mad at me this week for referring to our nation's nascent political movement as "teabaggers." I guess she knows what we're referring to. As long as there's no "teagagging" then I guess it's all good.
I hope it's not me that you're calling a tea bagger... Nothing could be farther from the truth. Hey, and I don't even have the equipment for tea bagging! However, it is possible (and I dare say probable) to gag on that party line...
There are just two switchbacks left. And another half-mile to the destination...
Route Editor
Route Scout
I imagine something from the movie Cliffhanger!
plz:
