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I'm also now baffled that apparently dozens of people are hiring guides every weekend day to walk them up Lions Head...? Who would have ever thunk it...
Shouldn’t be that surprising... with the popularity of shows like “Everest” more and more people are wanting to give the sport a try... and Mt. Washington is quite accessible for 1/4 of the country’s population. Not everyone that wants to try climbing needs to go out a buy plastic mountaineering boots, crampons, and an ice axe, or learn how to navigate in a white out (though I love teaching that).
Hiring a guide usually means these things are included. I think of the people I’ve guided up there (and over 10 years it’s in the hundreds) less than half will go on to actually become “climbers”. And that’s ok... they have an awesome experience to reflect back on, share with office mates, family, etc. Many who do go on to become climbers have looked at there 3 day intro to mountaineering as the first stepping stone in what becomes a lifetime passion... I think most guides are honored to have played a small role in their new found addiction.
I think as experienced climbers we take for granted how much goes into a quality ascent of a mountain like Washington... we’ve been doing it so long. If you spend much time on that mountain in the winter you can’t help but be amazed by the amount of folks who have never packed a backpack properly, unsure of their clothing systems, can’t set an efficient climbing pace, not sure where the trail goes above Alpine Garden (many lately try to tag on behind a guided group)...
