In reply to fezzi:
>Dear John, I just wanted to suggest an article making (in my opinion) at least one good point, that is, that on the slippery concept of 'fair means'.
Yes, I agree with that - 'fair means' doesn't impress me much.
>I have one regarding Maestri, though: he has been one of the greatest climbers of the 50s (I am especially thinking at his bold solos in the Dolomites) and his undeniable mistakes in the 'affaire-Torre' cannot erase this.
Well, yes and no - in a sense this is true, of course, but in another sense a false claim and false account of a man's death, and a deliberate piece of littering like the Compressor Route, are quite enough to reduce anyone's reputation to a very low level.
Agreed Conti's article is interesting. As I said at ME, it would be interesting to know what Knez and the other Slovenians think.
A propos of leaving routes as the FA lef them, I think perhaps we have a different tradition about this from long ago. Remind me to tell you about the Munich Climb episode of the 1930's some time......
jcm