In reply to ogreville:
I guess the salience of the 'money element' does affect how you see the event.
Here, in Snowdonia, we'll soon be experiencing the annual cavalcade of the three peakers. Their presence is highly visible and they are widely vilified ( rightly so IMHO). But there are probably some groups taking part, whose charitable element is negligible, and direct expenditure is mainly on the commemorative T shirt, a share of the transport costs, and the group's energy gels. So, whilst they are disruptive, it needn't cost the earth ( CO2 emissions notwithstanding) to take part.
By contrast, there is also the 14 peaks challenge in Snowdonia. Far less popular, but you'll have some who are doing this walk , having paid a guide a similar amount of money to your £180. Smaller groups, less razmataz than the 3 peaks, In most cases, they could have saved that money by serving their mountain apprenticeship, and then gone for a long day's walk. But business is business you may say. So, in contrast to some of the 3 peakers, we have a group who pay a lot of money to go for a walk, yet are not as disruptive.
I think events like the one you've mentioned are just a sign of the times. They are an anathema to me, but clearly other people like them. The knee jerk reaction is to call me elitist, or a grumpy old git. Maybe I'm guilty as charged. But is it not strange how the majority of people adopt the recipe book approach to hillgoing- car park to summit along THE path ( I guess we all tread the same path from time to time), yet at the same time many can quote W H Murray, Hamish Brown, etc. There's some notional identification with exploration and wilderness. But, if the number of (wild) camping tents are anything to go by, the connection with a wider mountain experience is largely vicarious.
This common mindset feeds and is fed by internet forums and TGO. We're all 3 peakers now, in some ways. The mundane trip report has been relabeled as a mini expedition- Yay! look at me, I'm self consciously having an experience.
And, if you're really special you can tell us all about it -HD quality, highly edited, drone copter captured, gear sponsored, drenched in anodyne ( and MTB video interchangeable) musical slurry. Neatly packaged for today's consumer.
'Challenge Arochar'- what's not to like?