Another one of those issues on which reasonable people may disagree, since we see and evaluate risk differently. My personal view is that it is highly preferable, particularly as a first timer, to climb with a buddy or two. Yes, the route tends to have a lot of folks on it, and folks tend to be nice and help each other out, but in my opinion, there is enough that can go wrong that I'd want to have someone specifically looking out for me (and vice versa) who I trust and think is dependable (recognizing that even close friends can let you down sometimes). I probably have a lower threshold for risk than some others on this board--not to beat a dead horse, but the advice you receive here necessarily reflects those types of individual differences.
