What is a First Ascent?

In the good old days before the interwebs ruined climbing and everything had been sent, pre-grizzled hardpersons climbed peaks nobody had ever stood atop. Those were first ascents. A little later, people climbed the same peaks via completely different terrain, maybe via more difficult, enjoyable, aesthetic, or seasonally-dependent condtions. They went to the summit as well. Those, also, were first ascents. But in the days of infinite variations, stopping at the end of "technical difficulties" 1/2way up the mountains, and failed attempts retroactively labeled as new climbs on features that might not really have summits, what is a first ascent?

The Secret to Sending?

Despite what the Beastie Boys say, I think it takes plenty of sleep, and some creative snack skills.

Sierras, Rainbow Wall

I recently got the chance to do a few days of "work" for CAMP USA, and this time it wasn't doing manual labor in their Denver-area warehouse. This was the cause for my first ever visit to the Sierras. And finally let me climb Red Rock's "Rainbow Wall". I also learned that the high point and low point in the continental USA are merely 100 miles apart. However, only one of them houses an 18-hole golf course. Take that Mt. Whitney!!