I've found myself ambivalent, but finally come down on opposed.
I don't neccessarily fault the politicians.....they don't know anything about these mountains, their history, how people feel. They get approached by people who are icons of climbing, published authors and owners of world class climbing companies, I would expect them to take them seriously. That Brower was a huge figure in California environmentalism cannot be denied, and that he was an important climber cannot, either. Is he a person for who a peak should be named: undoubtedly.
The political approach was used for the obvious reason: The BGN has been fairly consistant in turning down mountain naming in the Sierra. This is primarily because the local federal agencies NPS, NFS oppose such things, and that local support is neccessary, along with other criteria.
Clearly, N. Pal would not meet the criteria for the naming under the rules.
So, the end run to Congress.
Leave it to the locals? We'll be climbing Palin Peak, along with Fishermen's Peak.
