> not sure if this is because they are unhappy at finding a party on what they were expecting to be a peaceful mountain top o
I may sound like a hater, but I would certainly understand the frustration of those having climbed Mont Blanc only to find a bunch of party-people in there (if that really was the case for their looks).
And a serious question: How do these people have money and especially free time for this?
Later edit: Before people start down-voting me, I found this comment of a guy who was among the "other" people on the top of Mont Blanc (meaning he was not invited to the jacuzzi party). He pretty much disapproves of it all, with quite good reasons (text is in French):
> Me trouvant avec mes deux clients au sommet du Mt Blanc ce 13 septembre, je ne peut que vous faire part de notre consternation devant la débauche de bruit et d'agitation ridicule qui polluait l'endroit ce jour-là. Est-ce paraître pisse froid que de ne pas partager votre enthousiasme pour cette réalisation qui contribue à rabaisser un sommet majeur au rang d'exutoire de nos névroses et théatre de nos délires les plus vains ? En a t-il subi, ce pauvre Mont Blanc, des idées absurdes : la tentative de descente en voiture, celle en poële à paella, une autre en VTT et j'en passe. Victime d'égos surdimmensionnés, les sommets phares sont chaque jour dévoyés par des personnes donnant de l'alpinisme une image aberrante (CF la tentative de l'ascension de l'Everest...en short ! Vous y verra-t-on bientôt en mailot de bain ?).Promotion dont nous nous passerions bien à l'heure ou nos effort tendent à rendre à ces montagnes leur véritable statut. Mes clients n'avaient-ils pas le droit de jouir au terme d'un effort que vous avez vécu, d'un sommet conforme ou presque à leur idéal ? Il me semble que cette façon de s'approprier un lieu au mépris des nuissances causées à l'égard des autres personnes qui le fréquente, celà sans autre objectif que de s'offrir un délire de potaches se situe à la limite del'incivilité. Salutations. Denis Crabieres, guide de montagne, secrétaire du syndicat national des guides de montagne
I understand the feeling, but I can't help seeing an undercurrent of "please don't make the mountain look easy/fun/silly or all the macho sunday-mountaineer stockbrokers who pay me won't want to climb anymore"
We got the same flack from the guides (and the police, but that was fair TBH) when we did the massive paragliding group landing summer 2012
I imagine he probably wants a rule introduced to make it compulsory to hire guides to carry your jacuzzi to the top of any mountain :-)
[NB I am biased by personally being quite miffed at the protectionism of French ski instructors]
Oh god don't get me started on the ESF... That's a classic cartel if there is one. Did you know that they don't let you keep the wages you own? All the money is pooled and then split at the end of the season according to seniority and number of hours. What a scam.
Not that I don't agree with the higher standards required - in other alpine countries you see a lot of anglo-saxon "instructors" who clearly wouldn't be able to pass the tests.
Well, personally I'm miffed about the banning of ski hosting - where they are very careful not to give instruction but it's great to have someone take you round and book restaurants etc.
Having said that, I know of one large French ski area that seems OK with it but I won't say which one it is... :-)
Here's the Google Translate to save others the trip:
Finding myself with my two clients to the summit of Mont Blanc on September 13, I can only share with you our dismay at the sound of debauchery and ridiculous agitation that was polluting the place that day. Is it seem colder than piss do not share your enthusiasm for this achievement that contributes to belittle a major summit to the rank of outlet for our neuroses and theater of our most vain delusions? As he suffered, the poor Mont Blanc, absurd ideas: the attempt to drive down, the stove in paella, another mountain bike and so on. Victim of egos surdimmensionnés, headlights summits every day misguided by people giving mountaineering aberrant image (CF attempt to climb Everest in shorts ...! You will soon do we see bathing Mailot?). Promotion which we would move us well on time or our efforts tend to make their true status in these mountains. My clients had they not entitled to enjoy after a strain that you experienced, a consistent top or near their ideal? It seems to me that this way of taking a place in defiance of nuisances caused against others who frequent it, it no other purpose than to provide a delirium of schoolboys del'incivilité is at the limit. Greetings. Denis CRABIERES, mountain guide, secretary of the National Union of Mountain Guides
So basically......damn those people who make this look easy and make our super macho profession look silly? I honestly don't think these are good reasons.
I'm sure there's lots lost in translation, but what I got out of it was more in the area of feeling that the sanctity of the mountain (in a religion-of-nature manner) was violated by "heretics".
And a serious question: How do these people have money and especially free time for this?
Doesn't seem to be that costly, especially since they reuse the equipment. As for the time, they probably just take vacation days.
How about hot tub in the Vatican? Is that inappropriate? It's a fun exercise to list the worst places where you might unexpectedly encounter a tub full of nearly naked drunk Europeans.
Translation: harrumph!
> How do these people have money and especially free time for this?
As opposed to mountain climbing at all? Or any endurance sport? Or commenting on internet forums? Or hobby computing?
Please show us your math on the amount of time and money spent on this versus being a marathon runner or an open-source contributor.
De gustibus non est disputandum.
> And a serious question: How do these people have money and especially free time for this?
That this is a serious question shows how sad the world we're living in is.