现代登山运动员力图选择能给他们带来良好运动体验的路线攀登山峰，而且路线越难，他们对它的评价就越高。
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.
然而，在开拓时期，情况根本不是这样。
In the pioneering days however, this was not the case at all.
早期登山者寻找的是通向山顶的最简便路线，因为山顶才是他们追求的奖杯，尤其是当这座山顶从未被人征服过的时候。
The early climbers were looking for the easiest way to the top because the summit was the prize they sought, especially if it had never been attained before.
诚然，在探险过程中，他们确实常常面临极其危险的困难与险境，所携带的装备之简陋，足以令现代登山者光想起来就不寒而栗——但他们并没有刻意去追求这种惊险刺激。
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.
他们只有一个目标，一个唯一的目的——山顶！
They had a single aim, a solitary goal — the top!
如今，我们很难体会到当年先驱者所经历的艰难困苦。
It is hard for us to realize nowadays how difficult it was for the pioneers.
除了一两个地方，如采尔马特和夏蒙尼，这些地方已经迅速变得广为人知。
Except for one or two places such as Zermatt and Chamonix, which had rapidly become popular.
阿尔卑斯山区的村庄往往是贫穷落后的聚居地，被高山与文明世界隔绝。
Alpine villages tended to be impoverished settlements cut off from civilization by the high mountains.
凡是有旅馆的地方，旅馆通常又脏又跳蚤横行；食物不过是当地奶酪配上常常已有一年之久的面包，全都用劣质葡萄酒冲下去。
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.
山谷里常常根本没有旅馆，登山者只能随处寻找栖身之所——有时借住在当地神父那里（神父通常和他的教区居民一样穷），有时则借住在牧羊人或制奶酪的人那里。
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 shepherds or cheese-makers.
无一例外，这背景总是相同的：肮脏、贫穷，极其不舒适。
Invariably the background was the same: dirt and poverty, and very uncomfortable.
对于那些在家中习惯享用七道菜正式晚餐、睡在精细亚麻床单之间的人来说，来到阿尔卑斯山所经历的巨大转变，想必确实极为艰难。
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.