McKinley Gets a Climber Cap!

According to this article at USAToday.com, the US Parks Service is going to place a cap on the number of climbers who attempt Mount McKinley each year. Starting in 2007, only 1,500 lucky individuals will get the chance to climb the highest peak in North America. Fear not, however, as the record number of climbers to attempt McKinley was set last year at 1,340, so most people who want to climb, will still get the chance.

I think this is a good idea for a number of reasons. First, the crowds on McKinley, and other mountains such as Everest, have gotten so large that there are often traffic jams in certain sections, making the climbs unsafe as people are left standing out in the elements. On top of that, the mountains are becoming littered with garbage left behind by everyone making their way up to the summit. Everest is a mess, and McKinley could be headed in that direction as well.

Considering the extreme cold on McKinley, much colder than Everest, it's probably an excellent safety measure to insure that people who shouldn't be on the mountain, are not on the mountain.