Two hikers undertaking a charity climb of Snowdon were met with boos after they bypassed a lengthy queue to reach the summit. Rick Thiedeman, 34, and Jamie Richardson, 32, had already spent 26 hours scaling Ben Nevis and Scafell Pike as part of the Three Peaks Challenge before arriving at the Welsh mountain, officially known as Yr Wyddfa.
Charity Challenge Sparks Controversy
The duo were raising funds for their friend Tom Hynes, who has motor neurone disease. However, upon reaching the summit, they encountered a crowd estimated to be facing a 40-minute wait for photos. A video posted on Mr Thiedeman's Instagram showed the queue and the pair being loudly jeered.
Mr Thiedeman explained they were against the clock, having already spent 26 hours climbing the other peaks. The Three Peaks Challenge website states participants can 'bypass any queue to reach the summit' due to time constraints. He argued they had 'no obligation' to queue as they did not want photos, saying they 'wanted to hit [the summit marker] and leave'.
Hostile Atmosphere on the Mountain
Mr Thiedeman described the atmosphere as 'hostile, uncomfortable and unsettling', contrasting it with the camaraderie on Ben Nevis. He added: 'There was a gentleman at the top yelling 'shame, shame', like we're still in mediaeval times. The rest of the crowd were booing along. I don't think booing is a sound that should be on a mountain summit.'
Since posting the video, he received support from other Three Peaks challengers who had similar experiences. However, critics accused them of entitlement. One commented: 'Good cause, wrong attitude. People weren't booing the fundraiser, they were booing the entitlement.' Another said: 'You took advantage of people queuing... a bit selfish.'
Others defended the pair, with one describing the queuing as 'strange' and saying: 'Imagine queuing for a summit, it's Snowdon not Everest. Get out my way.'
