Author Topic: Snowdon: an ego trip?  (Read 2610 times)

Davidedgarjones

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 119
Snowdon: an ego trip?
« on: 17:36:40, 05/10/20 »

The recent congestion on Snowdon reminded me of a You Tube Video by "Chase Mountaineering" entitled "How to Solve the Problem of Overcrowding on Everest". It poses the question of whether you would attempt Everest if you afterwards could tell nobody else that you'd done it, didn't post your photos on Facebook or Instagram, indeed taken no photos at all.
He sees ego as the motivation for a great deal of mountaineering exploits; Ben Nevis, the 3 Peaks etc are UK favourites.
I came across this a while ago and was reminded of it when hearing about the recent Snowdon congestion. See what you think.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2fecYdX-oTk


Dave

WhitstableDave

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3254
Re: Snowdon: an ego trip?
« Reply #1 on: 18:41:46, 05/10/20 »
Thanks. I watched the video (despite the length and my short attention span!). I couldn't relate to it at all.

I've walked to the summit of Snowdon. I took lots of photos and enjoyed telling people about my 'achievement'. But I also enjoyed the purely personal pleasures for their own sake and I would have done it for that reason alone. I like to tell my family and friends about my adventures, but I also have adventures I don't mention to anyone.

It seems to me that the premise of the video was to suggest that some people are interested solely in 'bragging rights' and, for that reason alone, shouldn't be climbing mountains (or whatever).
Walk, Jog, Run : our YouTube video channel.

MkPotato

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 789
Re: Snowdon: an ego trip?
« Reply #2 on: 20:49:14, 05/10/20 »
That’s too simplistic. I’ve done Snowdon many times (even though I don’t like to talk about it  :) ).


I’ll do it again, not to brag, but because it’s arguably the most stunning mountain in England and Wales.

BuzyG

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3761
Re: Snowdon: an ego trip?
« Reply #3 on: 20:50:50, 05/10/20 »
Another who can't relate to the ego trip pretext.  People climb mountains for all sorts of reasons.  knowing something is attainable, then going and doing it, then telling your friends you have done it.  Isn't this what so much of life's achievements large and small are about.  In that respect Snowdon and Everest are no different to a new kitchen.  If you only wish true "explorers" to climb Snowdon then best they  dismantle the railway line, restore the summit to something less Disney and move it to Scotland.  Where it will just be another Munro. Everest might be a bit more tricky.  Maybe move it to the centre of the Pacific where it will disappear into obscurity bellow the mountains of Hawaii.


As for folk feeding their egos. We all do it. Just some people feel the need to do it more than others. Often the more successful amongst us. 


Annoys the heck out of me when some egotistical grad gets a pay rise for demonstrating their youth and talent, using the latest tech, when an boring stuck in the mud lifer, who never speaks, like me ;D  is ignored ;)
« Last Edit: 20:58:15, 05/10/20 by BuzyG »

richardh1905

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 12714
Re: Snowdon: an ego trip?
« Reply #4 on: 21:54:32, 05/10/20 »
He sees ego as the motivation for a great deal of mountaineering exploits; Ben Nevis, the 3 Peaks etc are UK favourites.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2fecYdX-oTk


Some might see ego as a motivation for posting on Youtube - or indeed on this forum ;)
WildAboutWalking - Join me on my walks through the wilder parts of Britain

Bigfoot_Mike

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2407
Re: Snowdon: an ego trip?
« Reply #5 on: 21:59:50, 05/10/20 »
I suspect that all great explorers and mountaineers have a degree of ego, particularly those who achieve a first (Amundsen, Hillary, etc.). I never met them, so I don’t know for sure.

Ridge

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 9691
Re: Snowdon: an ego trip?
« Reply #6 on: 22:06:11, 05/10/20 »

Some might see ego as a motivation for posting on Youtube - or indeed on this forum ;)
;D


I don't think that you can equate Snowdon with Everest. Most people, if they wanted to, could walk up Snowdon. I'm not sure that it gives you huge bragging rights.


If we followed BuzyG's suggestions then there would just be a queue on Carnedd Llywelyn.

tonyk

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2857
Re: Snowdon: an ego trip?
« Reply #7 on: 22:42:39, 05/10/20 »
;D


I don't think that you can equate Snowdon with Everest. Most people, if they wanted to, could walk up Snowdon. I'm not sure that it gives you huge bragging rights.




 I agree.Snowdon is a good day in the hills for most people,either for personal enjoyment or to raise funds for charity.

For most people Everest is an exercise in utter futility with the climber paying £30,000 and risking life and limb to stagger past the bodies of those who have gone before and failed.Its the ultimate ego trip and often ends in tears.



MkPotato

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 789
Re: Snowdon: an ego trip?
« Reply #8 on: 07:11:59, 06/10/20 »
I agree that the ego thing is much more applicable to Everest. Particularly business types who believe their own hype, and have delusions that they are somehow comparable to Hillary or Messner, when in reality it’s not the same game, or even the same sport. Monstrous egos putting others lives at risk.


I doubt it’s easy, but if you’ve got the physiology for it, the commercial organisations appear to do everything but actually carry you to the top, with the staff taking a lot of the risk.
« Last Edit: 07:15:35, 06/10/20 by MkPotato »

richardh1905

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 12714
Re: Snowdon: an ego trip?
« Reply #9 on: 07:24:20, 06/10/20 »
Egos aside, I don't think that I would want to queue to get up any mountain.
WildAboutWalking - Join me on my walks through the wilder parts of Britain

Ridge

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 9691
Re: Snowdon: an ego trip?
« Reply #10 on: 07:43:12, 06/10/20 »
Egos aside, I don't think that I would want to queue to get up any mountain.
I agree with you Richard, if I wanted to queue there's a bus stop I could stand at. But I do like to get to the top of the hills I walk up, if there is a cairn or a trig I will touch it. So I can see why, particularly if it is the only time you are likely to be on Snowdon or indeed any hill, you may be willing to wait to get to the very top. I suppose most hills are not so landscaped either so there isn't such an obvious way you have to queue.


The closest I have been to queuing is when I took my son up Scafell Pike but it was more of a polite scrum than a queue. I didn't go up on to the platform but he did. Perhaps if it was the only hill I was going to climb ever, or even that day, I would have gone up too.

Davidedgarjones

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 119
Re: Snowdon: an ego trip?
« Reply #11 on: 10:27:45, 06/10/20 »
What prompted my original post was the queue of people waiting to get to the actual summit (not just the cafe area) and no doubt take a photo. News reports said people were waiting an hour and there were some disputes.


I was planning to go up Snowdon in October with my walking group but we've decided to cancel our Llanberis stay. My planned walk was bus to Pen Y Pass, up the PYG to Bwlch Glas (avoiding the summit which I've done numerous times) and then down via the Snowdon Ranger etc.



We climb mountains for a variety of reasons, and we all have our own reasons for doing so. We do need to bear in mind the impact of large numbers upon the environment. Sadly, I'm going to give Snowdon a miss for the time being as it's just too crowded. Lots of great alternatives of course, but if you do wish to brag about your hillwalking exploits to non-walkers then only Snowdon will do.


Elidr Fawr and Y Garn from Nant Peris is more demanding, but non-walkers won't have heard of them.


Dave




barewirewalker

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4226
Re: Snowdon: an ego trip?
« Reply #12 on: 10:50:50, 06/10/20 »
I arrived at a party some years ago, and mine host said you will enjoy meeting 'So and so', he has climbed all the Munroe's. Never been so bored in my life, made sure I was out of his reach for the rest of the evening, all he had in his mind was list of ticked names, I would have learnt more about the countryside from someone, who had walked a few Glens.
Saddens me when a middle aged persons, equates the six form trip up Snowden as a basis for understanding the pleasures of walking as a pastime.
BWW
Their Land is in Our Country.

shortwalker

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 823
Re: Snowdon: an ego trip?
« Reply #13 on: 11:07:11, 06/10/20 »
I arrived at a party some years ago, and mine host said you will enjoy meeting 'So and so', he has climbed all the Munroe's. Never been so bored in my life, made sure I was out of his reach for the rest of the evening, all he had in his mind was list of ticked names, I would have learnt more about the countryside from someone, who had walked a few Glens.
Saddens me when a middle aged persons, equates the six form trip up Snowden as a basis for understanding the pleasures of walking as a pastime.


To be honest it is the same with most hobbies. Look at all the bird watchers, trainspotters etc, that will travel miles to see something they can then put a tick against.


I regularly walk along one bank of a river, in all that time I have only seen the "resident" Kingfisher once. But it is a regular topic of conversation with the other walkers I meet. Does that mean as I have seen it and others haven't I am on some sort of ego trip? What about the guy who say sees it most days? is he really on an ego trip, or is he lying to help his ego. Or does he just happen to see it more than most of us?  More importantly who really cares.
 
Let your soul and spirit fly Into the mystic.

Van Morrison

BuzyG

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3761
Re: Snowdon: an ego trip?
« Reply #14 on: 11:26:03, 06/10/20 »
I'm pretty sure Hillary & Tenzing both got a mighty boost to their Egos when they reached the summit of Everest.  It was a very well funded expedition for it's day. If they had FB and the like the trip would have been all over social media. The crucial difference was they did not know if it was possible when they were up there pushing their limits, but they did understand, certainly Hillary, they might die and fade into History as also rans, if they did not come back.


I can't know but I like to think that the majority of those paying 40k to be guided up the mountain these days, have wanted to climb it since they were young and only now have the means to attempt it.  Regardless they are still risking their lives and the lives of those who are paid to support their climb. No doubt as in all streams of life there are a few who are there more to promote their ego than satisfy a life's ambition.  But I am confident that they are in the minority.


Back to the UK.  Ben Nevis, Snowdon, Scar fell Pike, Pen y Fan, even Yes tor.   They all come up on people's bucket list, because they hear about them from some where and they present a challenge to the individual.  My son has Ben Nevis on his bucket has had for several years now, but it's not always a easy as we often make out in this community to just go climb a mountain.  So when you do it's good to tell your mates and others you did it.


None of that will ever solve the issue of queuing at the top of Snowdon on a sunny Bank holiday.  If you don't wish to que turn up mid winter, when the café is closed and the visibility is 20m.  Having never witnessed the magnificent views from any of the UK big three I can confirm that there are no ques in such conditions and you still get a boost to your ego when you tell your friends and others about it afterwards.  Would I have climbed those peaks if there was no one else to tell about it.  For sure I would have.  :) 
« Last Edit: 11:51:11, 06/10/20 by BuzyG »

 

Terms of Use     Privacy Policy