Final answer:
Edmund Hillary was upset with Rob Hall and Gary Ball for leading commercial expeditions to Everest's summit because they disregarded safety protocols, not because of credit, fees, or environmental concerns.
Step-by-step explanation:
Sir Edmund Hillary was reportedly upset with Rob Hall and Gary Ball for their commercial expeditions to the summit of Mount Everest because he felt that these expeditions disregarded safety protocols. His concern was not related to them taking away credit for the first ascent, charging excessive fees, or causing damage to the mountain's ecosystem. Instead, Hillary's apprehensions stemmed from the fact that the paying clients were often of varying degrees of experience, and the commercialization of Everest climbs could potentially put lives at risk due to inadequate preparation or inexperience, and he worried about the safety and wellbeing of both the clients and the sherpas. This caused him to be critical of the proliferation of commercial expeditions on Everest.