In reply to Petarghh:
Whats the problem, looks pretty wintery to me!!??
it's hardly suprising the new blood is getting mixed messages, print media and blogs are full of the latest heroes, hooking to glory in some quarry or other, undoubted dry tooling is great training and has evolved into a sport in it's own right, but where is the line drawn, there is know doubt that the strict, only if it has a winter apearance aesthetic is being watered down, by just about everyone. In reality the was it easier with axe and crampons doesn't hold much credence these days, cold rock climbs following thin cracks/hooks are easier with picks and crampons than without.
So the benchmark for mixed seems to be the lightest dusting is acceptable, climbing routes bare is bad form, but does it cause more damage, are new protaganists misenterprating the ethic, it is far easier to number chase with the most amenable of conditions, i can see a future for Scottish winter climbing where climbing bare rock is the norm, when cutting edge climbers are doing things like Anubis, getting the aesthetic right and finding the right day for success is a bit like finding hens teeth, of course this all affects what is seen as acceptable, the trickle down affect, sees young fred on his easy classic doing the same.
Got to love the game though, fight the good fight.