AIBU to think booing the exhausted charity climbers was unfair?

I hiked up Snowdon/Yr Wyddfa on a glorious sunny day a month ago, the first day the trains started running (they brought it forward a week due to the fine weather...)

I queued an hour for pics at the summit as one of the friends I went with wanted to, and I was happy to do it for somebody who had driven and then hiked hours to climb a mountain at my invitation. Honestly though, the rest of us wouldn't have bothered otherwise.

And yes, the reason it takes an hour is people faffing around taking pics for Instagram.

When I was on it fights and arguments started breaking out with runners in particular running up the final 10m of ascent which the trig is stuck on tapping it and running down.

Honestly, I thought it was ridiculous to get annoyed by somebody simply tapping a part of the mountain to say they had summited, and chose not to an hour onto their time because of vain faffers. I don't think that people wanting a picture at the trig trump people who just want to summit quickly and bugger off. I felt like outraged of Tunbridge wells stood in this queue, and the sheer lack of optimisation of the space at the top of the mountain by picture takers. Runners/more serious hikers weren't causing the issue imo.

The queue is not benign, it takes up a lot of space at the top of a mountain that potentially prevents people summiting, and everybody spending an extra hour at the top would only make the issue worse.

Disclaimer: When I'm not hiking I am a trail runner/Strava wanker.

He’s absolutely in the right to do what he did. I do a lot of hill walking. I’m not bothered about a photo at the top but I obviously want to get to the top.

I’ve bypassed the queue at snowdon by scrambling up the other side, touch the trig and turn round.

All the muppets (most of whom get the train up) are queuing because they want a solo photo. Loads of them take multiple pictures. I couldn’t give a shit about someone’s instagram poses. every other summit in the country doesn’t have this issue. If you want a solo photograph you either wait till nobody else is in shot or you accept there will be random people in the background. Blimey photoshop is a thing if you’re desperate.

The trig point on Snowdon is raised up on higher rock, with steps up to it and there is a narrowish ledge around the trig stone itself. If it was a free for all, someone would get hurt falling off this ledge. That’s why there’s a queue (that and the fact it’s a popular, accessible mountain).

I’ve done the three peaks. Not for charity, or social media. It was a challenge to myself as I was picking myself up after a very difficult time in my life. It was extremely hard, and yes I did want pictures at the top of each mountain as a reminder of what I could do if I put my mind to something. It’s very easy to dismiss everyone as just being after social media likes, doesn’t make it true.

They should have queued.

He was live streaming it!

I find it a bit warped that there's a queue for the top of a mountain in the first place.

It's not a supermarket checkout.

I haven't seen the video but just wondering whether he has one of those go-pro things attached to himself, in which case taking the video would be just the same as someone wanting to simply walk up to the trig and touch it.

Ah missed that bit. Apologies.

They didn’t want the photo/video moment. Do you often queue for things you don’t want , just because other people are?

I think the idea of queuing culture being particularly practiced and revered in the UK is a myth.

It's up there with 'Keep calm and carry on'

During COVID there was no evidence in my local supermarkets of this queuing culture

Neither at the numerous bus stops where I am first to arrive at the stop, yet last to board the bus.

I don't know what happened here, but there should be room for flexibility, not a rigid adherence to a supposed cultural (debatable) norm. Room for an exception in exceptional circs.

If they had performed a truly outstanding feat and were on the edge of failing, then there was nothing wrong in pushing ahead over those performing a more leisurely activity.

This was my first thought even before I Googled it 😁

To wait his turn like everyone else waiting for their photo / video moment.

Thank you for the link @SandwichSuperstar

Last time I climbed Yr Wyddfa there was chaos - I had gone up the more challenging Crib Goch way with my two sons and emerged after not seeing anyone to a queue in about 3c while each person and group took turns to get multiple photos, one as we arrived was filming a short piece to camera etc. My sons and I ignored the queue, walked up to the base* of the rocks on the summit, snapped a selfie and left. I don't need to step up to the trig, and I certainly did not want to get cold waiting for others to faff around so I could do so.

Sounds like these two did just jump the queue to get right to the trig - and do sound somewhat entitled to suggest that by wearing a charity t-shirt they should be entitled to push past...

Ironically on the way down we were shouted at on the lead into the Pyg track as there was snow. So an even bigger queue had developed both uphill and downhill while folk took turns to nervously navigate the rocks past one section. My sons and I just glissaded (sledged) down on our bums past everyone and away from the path...I was given a right telling off by some chap about being safe in the mountains and how dangerous it was to show kids this. I asked for the gent's qualifications to tell me off - apparently 'common sense' from him trumped my Summer and Winter Mountain Leader, day job as Chief Instructor at a busy outdoor centre that walked Munro's in Scotland every week with groups of kids, and probably my 10th time up Yr Wyddfa...

His touching of the trig point is included on his video. He's the same as everyone else there.
He's an arrogant twat who thinks he's too important to wait.

The queue is for those who want to take a pic without everyone in the background, everyone waits their turn to take their "I've made it" insta worthy pic.

For those who just want to get up to the top and touch the trig point and don't care about just snapping a selfie why would you queue?

It's like going to any natural beauty spot and saying EVERYONE must queue so that people who want an insta worthy pic can spend 5 minutes a piece taking the perfect selfie without anyone in it.....life is for living not just for putting on Instagram whilst pretending the whole rest of the world doesn't exist!

Its a bit phil and holly

This reminds me of this recent thread complaining about being expected to queue to go to view points etc. even if you don't want to take a photo.

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/5533539-am-i-alone-in-feeling-off-beam-about-phone-culture-in-museumsgalleriesnice-scenic-areas

Only a few people voted on this but here it was a unanimous vote for thinking the queuing is ridiculous.

I personally feel the queue on Snowdon should only be if you want to take a photo. Seems ridiculous to not be able to just walk to the trig, slap it and move on.

I’m torn because they come across as arrogant and self righteous, expecting to be given bows and scrapes for their altruism…yet booing them and physically interfering with them is also very mean spirited.

I’d probably have tutted and then just forgotten about it as I do whenever anyone rudely cuts me up

If more people would employ common sense such as these two climbers, maybe we can get rid of the moronic "queuing at the top of a mountain" thing altogether.

So if there’s a queue of people waiting to pay by card and a new till opens that says cash only and you go there you would stay queueing? It’s the same principle. They didn’t want or need the selfies at the top so they didn’t join that queue.

What fresh hell is this?

In years gone by, if you climbed a popular mountain there was sometimes a small crowd people at the top, drinking or eating sandwiches whilst sitting around the trig point or cairn, and if you wanted a photograph, they were in the background. Nobody would dream of queuing for photos or expecting other people to get out of the way.

Do you now have to stay away from the summit until it is your turn?

We are going on holiday to North Wales in a couple of weeks. I am now wondering if we should give Snowdon a miss?

This mountain has a train that goes to the summit. Honestly.

Not a photo at the top though. So queue for what?

Everybody else was also tired.

If the two queue jumpers took selfies then they are in the wrong and should have joined the queue to take their turn.

I was up there on Sunday last with friend, doing a longer circuit.

I don't queue to touch the trig point. Never have, never will.

The queue is for folk taking selfies. It started with social media and has got ridiculous.