Most Overhyped Sections of Peaks?

[MikeK]

I was going to say that the Evans parking lot is over-hyped, but then I remembered the walk to the rest rooms that raised my heart rate into the lower 80s, whilst being watched by a mountain goat that had that "turn over the Doritos, bub" sneer. I refused to acquiesce.

Hard to over-hype an epic like that. Badass? Damned straight I am.

[kwhit24]

Why do so many threads have to go in such a negative direction? I truly appreciate the insight from other more experienced hikers (hence why I'm here) but all too often people want to skew the narrative for their own enjoyment. I pretty don't know anyone personally who hikes very much so I look to you all for help. Just sucks when threads go negative.

Anyways, after holding off on Capitol until I felt comfortable (this summer is my first true, full hiking season) I thought the hike up K2 and the Knife Edge were maybe slightly over-hyped. Only because the return trip wasn't a problem. Mostly mental but it was a healthy skepticism. Like previous posters have said "Respect the progression" and there isn't a single 14er (except Spire now I guess) that will be out of your reach. Watching videos and reading TRs helped me know what I was getting into.

Of course, nothing can really stop the idiots that try to go so fast they are out of control and end up kicking rocks. This weekend, I was more worried about the 2 idiots that kicked rocks three times (once right above me) and another that kicked up a large dust cloud involving very large rocks

[AyeYo]

As this thread has morphed into an "elite mountaineer" diatribe, would someone please define what an elite Colorado mountaineer is and as it pertains to 14ers?

You want this Jeff Foxworthy style, "you might be an 'elite mountaineer' if"?


if... you're constantly whining to keep safety features/items away from routes you've done, out of some near-paranoia sense of "not decreasing the difficulty", lest someone highly inferior to you threaten your blessed check mark (Boltgate 2016 - awesome name whoever it was that came up with that).

if... you like to make highly dubious slippery slope arguments (arrow/mark on Crestone Needle will turn into a Walmart on the summit)

if... your inconsistent definition of LNT is the only one that matters, so you can do things convenient for you while condemning others for doing things convenient for them.

if... you believe in your heart you're awesome and superior because you've walked up more day trip summits (which is what they all are - except the Spire, which is why we must protect it so I can remain ELITE!!!) than other people who have walked up less day trip summits.

if... you worship arbitrary rules like the "3000ft rule" and whine about anything that might increase ease of access for the inferior to your beloved check marks, but drive your lifted Jeep up old mine roads to cut down on RT mileage for your hikes.

if... you measure awesomeness/cool factor/life accomplishment/intelligence in 14er summits

if... you think supplemental oxygen is "cheating", but GPS, modern synthetic clothes and climbing protection, crampons, light weight axes, etc. are not.

if... (this one is far more common on the Facebook group) you confuse your good luck streak with superior skill and the bad luck of others with inferior skill (the "it'll never happen to me because I'm more awesome than them" mentality)

if... everything you post includes a humblebrag and/or list of your coolest peaks even when totally irrelevant to the topic

if... you're not actually elite, but think you are.

if... you're offended by this post because internet 14ering is srs bidniz.


Hardly a comprehensive list, but you get the idea. The truly elite rarely act so.

[Matt]

You want this Jeff Foxworthy style, "you might be an 'elite mountaineer' if"?


if... you're constantly whining to keep safety features/items away from routes you've done, out of some near-paranoia sense of "not decreasing the difficulty", lest someone highly inferior to you threaten your blessed check mark (Boltgate 2016 - awesome name whoever it was that came up with that).

if... you like to make highly dubious slippery slope arguments (arrow/mark on Crestone Needle will turn into a Walmart on the summit)
if... your inconsistent definition of LNT is the only one that matters, so you can do things convenient for you while condemning others for doing things convenient for them.
if... you believe in your heart you're awesome and superior because you've walked up more day trip summits (which is what they all are - except the Spire, which is why we must protect it so I can remain ELITE!!!) than other people who have walked up less day trip summits.
if... you worship arbitrary rules like the "3000ft rule" and whine about anything that might increase ease of access for the inferior to your beloved check marks, but drive your lifted Jeep up old mine roads to cut down on RT mileage for your hikes.
if... you measure awesomeness/cool factor/life accomplishment/intelligence in 14er summits
if... you think supplemental oxygen is "cheating", but GPS, modern synthetic clothes and climbing protection, crampons, light weight axes, etc. are not.
if... (this one is far more common on the Facebook group) you confuse your good luck streak with superior skill and the bad luck of others with inferior skill (the "it'll never happen to me because I'm more awesome than them" mentality)
if... everything you post includes a humblebrag and/or list of your coolest peaks even when totally irrelevant to the topic
if... you're not actually elite, but think you are.
if... you're offended by this post because internet 14ering is srs bidniz.
[It is] Hardly a comprehensive list, but you get the idea. The truly elite rarely act so.

It may be far from comprehensive, but I think what you're calling elitism simply illustrates differences of opinion.
You could change the context to any hobby and these behaviors would show up.
Most of what you list above seems to stem from narcissism, not elitism. "Do as I say, not as I do" isn't just for your boss.
Can you please explain how:
LNT flakiness equates to elitism
Slippery slope arguments "are" elitist

The following quote has been attributed to Steve Gladbach, Vince Lombardi, Bear Bryant, and others, but I think taking it seriously solves most of the issues people are bitching about here, including your recent quest against elitism:

Act like you've been there before

It works in the mountains, the end zone, and even on 14ers.com forums. I think the FB group is beyond help.

[AyeYo]

Most of what you list above seems to stem from narcissism, not elitism.

I think you're misfiring on two cylinders here...

#1. You don't seem to realize this is 90% in jest and I'm not on any "quest" (see item: "internet is srs bidniz") - I'm just passing time at work. While there's plenty here that do give off this air of elitism and it is annoying and I'm sure it's also a turn off to new folks, I don't really care. This is the internet and it's NOT serious business. If you want to argue for 10+ pages of weak and illogical arguments against a bolt on an obscure climbing route, I give you all my well wishes, but don't be surprised if I or others come in and poke fun at you.


#2. Used in this context, "elitism" and narcissism are one in the same.

[Tory Wells]

Since you say it is in jest, AyeYo, and the rest of us just think your opinions are lame, maybe you could resist from hijacking otherwise good threads and stop posting your nonsense. That would be greeeeat, thanks.

Make a worthwhile contribution to the forum or just go away, please.

[SolarAlex]

Since you say it is in jest, AyeYo, and the rest of us just think your opinions are lame, maybe you could resist from hijacking otherwise good threads and stop posting your nonsense. That would be greeeeat, thanks.

+infinity. Give it a rest man

[SoCool]

Only semi-hyped route I've done so far was the Sawtooth traverse, which was a joke. It was not class 3. 99% of it was not exposed

Amusingly, AyeYo made his own elitist comment on page one of this thread, prior to his quest to destroy internet mountain forum elitism.

[AyeYo]

Since you say it is in jest, AyeYo, and the rest of us just think your opinions are lame, maybe you could resist from hijacking otherwise good threads and stop posting your nonsense. That would be greeeeat, thanks.

Make a worthwhile contribution to the forum or just go away, please.

My bad. I'd really hate to be the one to derail that awesome Spire bolt thread and it's 11 pages of highly productive spankings to the OP as he tries to come up with new and increasingly ridiculous reasons everyone should be mad at Tallgrass.

[AyeYo]

Only semi-hyped route I've done so far was the Sawtooth traverse, which was a joke. It was not class 3. 99% of it was not exposed

Amusingly, AyeYo made his own elitist comment on page one of this thread, prior to his quest to destroy internet mountain forum elitism.

Which was then nearly unanimously agreed on. So I guess that'd be more of a fact than an elitist opinion.

[12ersRule]

Only semi-hyped route I've done so far was the Sawtooth traverse, which was a joke. It was not class 3. 99% of it was not exposed

Amusingly, AyeYo made his own elitist comment on page one of this thread, prior to his quest to destroy internet mountain forum elitism.

Which was then nearly unanimously agreed on. So I guess that'd be more of a fact than an elitist opinion.

Not true, I just silently seethed at your elitist bs as you dissed my favorite route in all of Colorado.

[MikeK]

As this thread has morphed into an "elite mountaineer" diatribe, would someone please define what an elite Colorado mountaineer is and as it pertains to 14ers?

You want this Jeff Foxworthy style, "you might be an 'elite mountaineer' if"?


if... you're constantly whining to keep safety features/items away from routes you've done, out of some near-paranoia sense of "not decreasing the difficulty", lest someone highly inferior to you threaten your blessed check mark (Boltgate 2016 - awesome name whoever it was that came up with that).

if... you like to make highly dubious slippery slope arguments (arrow/mark on Crestone Needle will turn into a Walmart on the summit)

if... your inconsistent definition of LNT is the only one that matters, so you can do things convenient for you while condemning others for doing things convenient for them.

if... you believe in your heart you're awesome and superior because you've walked up more day trip summits (which is what they all are - except the Spire, which is why we must protect it so I can remain ELITE!!!) than other people who have walked up less day trip summits.

if... you worship arbitrary rules like the "3000ft rule" and whine about anything that might increase ease of access for the inferior to your beloved check marks, but drive your lifted Jeep up old mine roads to cut down on RT mileage for your hikes.

if... you measure awesomeness/cool factor/life accomplishment/intelligence in 14er summits

if... you think supplemental oxygen is "cheating", but GPS, modern synthetic clothes and climbing protection, crampons, light weight axes, etc. are not.

if... (this one is far more common on the Facebook group) you confuse your good luck streak with superior skill and the bad luck of others with inferior skill (the "it'll never happen to me because I'm more awesome than them" mentality)

if... everything you post includes a humblebrag and/or list of your coolest peaks even when totally irrelevant to the topic

if... you're not actually elite, but think you are.

if... you're offended by this post because internet 14ering is srs bidniz.


Hardly a comprehensive list, but you get the idea. The truly elite rarely act so.

"Dubious slippery slope arguments..." I see what you did there. Well played. Well played indeed, sir.