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1. Domestic US climbs are the "budget" option that most of the big mountaineering guide companies offer. While they'll charge you tens of thousands for a climb in the Himalayas, they'll usually only charge a couple hundred for a 3-day climb of a domestic peak.
2. Americans, for some fucking reason, think that "guided" = "safe". Anyone who's lived near a tourist district in a non-Anglo country knows this - the Americans will always show up in tour groups because for some reason they think they're "safe" when travelling in a group and having a guide who speaks the local language. Because in the American fatlord mind, small-town Norway is an extremely dangerous place where people get mugged in broad daylight and 90% of the populace only speaks Chinese.
3. Therefore, a shitload of Americans think that as long as they can purchase a guided tour package, they'll be safe even if they have no clue what they're doing. You know how dumb rich people are dying en mass on Everest because of tour companies who want their money? That's what's happening on those mountains, except the price tag is low enough that any stupid kid/boomer can afford it.