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PostPosted: Wed Feb 03, 2010 11:26 pm
by Dow Williams
mp is much more climbing (read actual climbing) related...climbing photos, route of the day, latest news and climbing articles from the rags, etc....SP is more of a hiking/photog site with a few of us climbers littering up the place from time to time....both have good beta, but MP has more climbing contributers regarding actual routes, no question, helps if you want to read summit logs to check out conditions of the route, etc....but several of us here provide a better print ready beta (first account) format for the same routes....both are good visits if you are taking on a technical route with a bit of adventure to it....

PostPosted: Thu Feb 04, 2010 12:09 am
by Andinistaloco
I haven't been as impressed with MP. In a couple areas I know (Sedona in particular) there are notable errors. In one they've gotten the name of the peak wrong, in fact - giving it the name of another peak a mile or two away.

That being said, I'm sure there are areas in which MP and their beta are pretty helpful.

MP

PostPosted: Thu Feb 04, 2010 12:14 am
by snowey
I find the MP site as being really well organized and through. Concerning location I think it breaks down like this (at least the majority of the members/emphasis of the site):

Mountain Project: Colorado
Rockclimbing.com: East Coast
Supertopo: California

PostPosted: Thu Feb 04, 2010 1:38 am
by Dave Daly
Dow Williams wrote:mp is much more climbing (read actual climbing) related...climbing photos, route of the day, latest news and climbing articles from the rags, etc....SP is more of a hiking/photog site with a few of us climbers littering up the place from time to time....both have good beta, but MP has more climbing contributers regarding actual routes, no question, helps if you want to read summit logs to check out conditions of the route, etc....but several of us here provide a better print ready beta (first account) format for the same routes....both are good visits if you are taking on a technical route with a bit of adventure to it....


I concur. MP is pretty much my source for climbing route and/or area beta. As Dow said, a few of us provide cool obscurities and some route (in great detail I might add.......nice work Dow! Good stuff). However, MP is climber based, whereas SP is hiker/mountaineer based. Don't get me wrong.....having been a member since 2002, I really like the overall feel of SP. As for Supertopo, great forum stuff with a tad bit of focus on The Big Ditch. Love going there for a laugh (and Dingus' wisdom) or to post up Photo TR's....but that's it. I NEVER visit the MP forum.....just for info and posting a few shots.

PostPosted: Thu Feb 04, 2010 2:35 am
by Guyzo
I like MP. You can build a good guide of local info for rock climbing. It's easy to use the mini-guide print deal.

Summitpost always had a more international feel, good trip reports of climbs like "The Eiger", and the first hand mt. climbing beta has always been excellent. What rock climbing info that is listed is pretty good, but not even close to complete.

gk

:wink:

I <3 MP

PostPosted: Thu Feb 04, 2010 5:14 am
by thigbee
I am a hardcore MP fan, but I am more of a climber than a hiker. It is much less cumbersome and bloated than rockclimbing.com. For hiking info, it sucks. For technical climbing, it is second to none in terms of user friendliness. The amount of information for each area varies wildly from area to area. In Utah and Colorado, there's a ton of information. Not so much for the east coast.

The MP forums are also much less crappy and bloated than the RC.com forums. You get real information and less stupid filler.

As others have said: MP for technical climbing, Summitpost for everything else.

PostPosted: Thu Feb 04, 2010 7:49 am
by MichaelJ
Better climbers tend to hang out on MP, which is why it's easier for anyone with more time than skill to rack up points on SP, which is fine if that's what you're into but some may find the self-congratulatory beta sprayers a bit tiresome (sorry, your parents didn't love you). There are, of course, some good individual contributions from people who aren't always calling attention to how supposedly good their contributions are. Also, MP really does a more comprehensive job on most places from the Valley to Patagonia. This site should actually probably call itself Slog Post. Nice pictures, though.

PostPosted: Thu Feb 04, 2010 10:17 am
by yatsek
MichaelJ wrote:This site should actually probably call itself Slog Post. Nice pictures, though.


It seems - relying on the opening statement: "SummitPost is a collaborative content community focused on climbing, mountaineering, hiking and other outdoor activities" - that just "SP" describes it best, the S standing for summit/slog/scramble/ski/scenery - five stars
:?: :D

PostPosted: Thu Feb 04, 2010 10:52 am
by mvs
MichaelJ wrote:Better climbers tend to hang out on MP, which is why it's easier for anyone with more time than skill to rack up points on SP, which is fine if that's what you're into but some may find the self-congratulatory beta sprayers a bit tiresome (sorry, your parents didn't love you). There are, of course, some good individual contributions from people who aren't always calling attention to how supposedly good their contributions are. Also, MP really does a more comprehensive job on most places from the Valley to Patagonia. This site should actually probably call itself Slog Post. Nice pictures, though.


Ouch! :oops: It takes a real writer to wield a knife!

PostPosted: Thu Feb 04, 2010 12:09 pm
by Arthur Digbee
SP has umbrellas. Don't forget the umbrellas.

PostPosted: Thu Feb 04, 2010 2:23 pm
by CClaude
There are some areas around where Mountainproject has the only complete beta. The Waterfall in OakCreek Canyon is one place.It also provides good beta on some places with longer routes, the free climbing version of Moonlight Buttress, All Along the Watchtower in the Bugaboos

PostPosted: Thu Feb 04, 2010 3:06 pm
by SpiderSavage
SummitPost: Mountains (as in Summits)
MountainProject: Rocks (as in vertical surfaces)
SuperTopo: People (I've never understood why the best climbers hang that forum.)

SummitPost is by far the prettiest and most well organized (with room for improvement). Far better than a climbing magazine. The high quality collaborative content is superb. All the big gear companies need to wake up and start advertising here.

PostPosted: Thu Feb 04, 2010 3:17 pm
by Guyzo
SpiderSavage wrote:SummitPost: Mountains (as in Summits)
MountainProject: Rocks (as in vertical surfaces)
SuperTopo: People (I've never understood why the best climbers hang that forum.)

SummitPost is by far the prettiest and most well organized (with room for improvement). Far better than a climbing magazine. The high quality collaborative content is superb. All the big gear companies need to wake up and start advertising here.



Why would they advertise on SP?

Some of the forums are dieing on the vine..... look at the ones that go days with out anything.

And Supertopo.... gets the old time valley locals, some of the most famous climbers in the world post up there. C mac is tough enuf to let the posters run off the idiots and it's real easy to see who the real idiots are. Sort of organic. :wink:

And it's to bad because SP is the best organized, easiest to use format and it was gaining an international flavor because of well you know, but thats gone now.

cheers

gk :wink:

PostPosted: Thu Feb 04, 2010 3:50 pm
by Dow Williams
Mother Google determines most all advertising folks. SP beats the others where its contributing members do well, i.e., Yamnuska Rock Climbing, Canadian Rockies Ice Climbing.....etc. Same with MP and RC. Advertisers want to reach folks looking for climbing beta/ideas. Those are folks who actually need to buy climbing gear, related footwear and clothing. PnP has its own ad base, but lets just say, Sterling Ropes probably did not have that intended use for their product.

PostPosted: Thu Feb 04, 2010 4:07 pm
by CClaude
Dingus Milktoast wrote:
SpiderSavage wrote:SummitPost: Mountains (as in Summits)
MountainProject: Rocks (as in vertical surfaces)
SuperTopo: People (I've never understood why the best climbers hang that forum.)

SummitPost is by far the prettiest and most well organized (with room for improvement). Far better than a climbing magazine. The high quality collaborative content is superb. All the big gear companies need to wake up and start advertising here.


There are three things I think that make that climbing site unique (not a singularity mind you but a unique recipe)

Bear in mind that has nothing to do with this site - direct correlation is impossible. But I think there are 3 elements there that served to create the flavor:

1. Very light hand in moderation, but when the hammer falls there is ZERO warning and ZERO explanation. There is no appeal process, all rulings are final. Whack-A-Mole was basically invented there.

2. One forum, so all are in the mosh pit together. Can't hide the crap under the covers our out back behind the septic tank. This serves to bring attention of all users to each other.

3. There is no real purpose to the forum. Its just a bullshit bulletin board, so whatever purpose has arisen from it has been at the whim and discretion of the users.

Now what has come out of it all are some of the best historical climbing threads in American history (of climbing). I shit you knott. The site, so far as I know, is without parallel in this regard. A lot of it was endangered of being pissed away but eh owner finally wised up and provided a means to host and save these gems.

But you have to mine the site to find them.

to start, you could search a couple of user names

jello
longago
rgold
largo
Peter Haan


those will get you going. There are dozens of stellar contributors.

The Taco is unique, as is SP. Each has its own flavor.

What is not tolerated at the Taco is heavy duty personal attacks, though the site has its shatre of light hearted trolling. Serious trolls last about 5 days there on average before disappearing into the night.

WHACK!

Cheers
DMT


As for training ideas, Mountainproject also has a couple of people who are pretty good weighing in like

Mike Anderson
Monomaniac
Kevin Stricker