Modern alpinists try to climb mountains by a route which will give them good
sport, and the more difficult it is, the more highly it is regarded. In the pioneering
days, however, this was not the case at all. The early climbers were looking for
the easiest way to the top because the summit was the prize they sought, especi-
ally if it had never been attained before. It is true that during their explorations
they often faced difficulties and dangers of the most perilous nature, equipped
in a manner which would make a modern climber shudder at the thought, but
they did not go out of their way to court such excitement. They had a single aim,
a solitary goal--the top!
It is hard for us to realize nowadays how difficult it was for the pioneers. Ex-
cept for one or two places such as Zermatt and Chamonix, which had rapidly
become popular, Alpine villages tended to be impoverished settlements cut off
from civilization by the high mountains. Such inns as there were were generally
dirty and flea-ridden; the food simply local cheese accompanied by bread often
twelve months old, all washed down with coarse wine. Often a valley boasted no
inn at all, and climbers found shelter wherever they could--sometimes with the
local priest (who was usually as poor as his parishioners), sometimes with shep-
herds or cheesemakers. Invariably the background was the same: dirt and
poverty, and very uncomfortable. For men accustomed to eating seven-course
dinners and sleeping between fine linen sheets at home, the change to the Alps
must have been very hard indeed.

现代登山家们登山时的路线选择是以该条路线有没有运动乐趣来决定。当然，路线越险，登山的刺激也越大。但对于勇敢的登山先辈们来说，他们并不是这样的选择。他们会寻找最容易的路线登至山顶，因为只有登顶才是他们的目标，特别是那些还没有前人到达过的顶峰。
这些登山前辈常常面对着自然界中最危险、最困难的环境，而他们当时的装备会让今天的登山者们想起来不寒而栗。他们是去寻找刺激和快感吗？不！他们不是为寻找刺激而去登山，他们登山只有一个目的，一个无比坚定的目标：登至顶峰！
除了像Zermatt和Chamonix这两个今日已逐渐变成人们喜爱的旅游胜地的地方以外，今天我们已很难想象当时的登山者们所处的恶劣环境。当时的阿尔卑斯山脉居民生活无比穷困，由于大山的阻隔，他们与世界文明完全绝缘。那儿的旅馆肮脏不堪，一年四季都被跳蚤住满；住在里面的登山者只能吃到发了霉的面包和干酪，为了能吞下这些“食物”，只有以粗制的烈酒相送。当然这样的旅馆不会给当地村庄带来任何荣耀，所以有些村庄连这样的旅馆都没有，而登山者们却可以随遇而安，有时候他们会住在当地的牧师家（常常和教区居民们一样穷困），有时候会和牧羊人或做干酪的人住在一起。但不变的是，所有人都是一样的穷困，并不能给登山者们提供什么像样的食宿。由于当地的人们已习惯于吃很少的东西，能睡在精细的亚麻上就比较满足，因此对于要使阿尔卑斯山人民生活变得好些实际上是很困难的。