I don't think they were stupid, but maybe that was exactly the thrill that they needed that makes them look stupid.
We're in agreement. I'm sure they were very skilled mountaineers. The notion of a minimalist approach to making it up and back down the mountain is fine...as long as one isn't shaving it too close...which apparently they were.
Another place that can kill unprepared people is beautiful Mount Washington in New Hampshire. That place can turn from breathtakingly beautiful to viciously dangerous inside thirty minutes. The fact that it attracts tourists who aren't prepared for harsh mountain realities further compounds that threat to life and limb.
~ Blue Jays ~