Let me count the ways...
The forum is successful because of it's genesis. The VersatileFred articles were jettisoned from their original home, and the WZ was created to find a home for that very valuable information. These resources collectively came to be known as "How not to die on Whitney"
Then came the webcams. SteveC & others monitor the pics & make sure the cameras are kept in focus, etc. etc. Daily - hourly.
The WhitneyZone gets a very high ratio of hits to registered members, and an extremely low ratio of anonymous posters to registered posters.
The secret, I believe, is in the civil discourse about our common obsession - Mount Whitney, and the peripheral topics. This forum has avoided the testosterone-soaked approach of some sites, and the erratic moderation of others.
So, kudos to SteveC, VF, and all of you who contribute.
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Adventurum veris sub ubi albus nihil. - Ipsi dixit MCMLXXII