Motoring up is more rewarding than hiking
I’ve always wondered why anyone who could hike up a mountain would want to ride a train up it, but apparently I’m just bass ackwards. This study shows that people value the train ride more than the hike when asked to convert the experience to dollars. Somehow I doubt they limited the study to the opinions of people who had done both…
Well, if you asked me what was more fun, hiking or taking the train up Pikes Peak, I’d say the train. Because I got to go with my family, I got to see my parents on top of a 14er, and I didn’t just spend the last 10 hours sweating up a steep trail only to come over the edge and find a parking lot and gift shop.
Sure, hiking is generally more rewarding. But I think that reward is usually the quiet mountain top, and the beautiful views that you had to work so hard to get. The views from Pikes peak aren’t as great, and the summit is generally not that quiet. I think the problem here may not be the people who were questioned, but the mountain that was in question.
Comment by Kate — February 1, 2008 @ 2:42 pm
The article seems to be making an argument to put trains on more 14′ers. If a majority of people enjoy the train more, shouldn’t developers be allowed to build trains to the tops of a majority of Colorado’s 14′ers?
I’m just saying that if they’re going to make that argument, they should at least have to cite a majority of people who have done both.
Comment by cyberhobo — February 1, 2008 @ 2:49 pm
I generally would say that hiking is always the more fun and rewarding experience, but in this case I agree. It is probably much more reasonable for most people to want to take the train than hike up a mountain.
Comment by Tina Anderson — February 8, 2008 @ 11:36 am