Everest DVDs and Videos

1. Everest: Beyond the Limit Season 1 (Discovery Channel)

The six-week Discovery Channel series follows Russell Brice's Himex expedition as they attempt to climb Everest's North face in April and May 2006. The documentary focuses on six of Brice's clients - Max Chaya, Tim Medvetz, Terry O'Connor, Mark Inglis, Mogens Jensen and Brett Merrell. The series was partially filmed with cameras mounted to Sherpas' helmets, and two camerapersons who also summited. The Discovery Channel website has great information on the expedition.

The film clearly shows the current state of Everest climbing, with Brice's Sherpas fixing ropes all the way to the summit, the varied skills of the climbers, the bottlenecks at the Second Step and the Summit, and the summit fever that overtakes climbers and causes death. Mark's attempt is especially fascinating, as he is a double amputee. There is a very funny scene as he breaks one of his legs as he climbs down from the North Col, and a Sherpa has to carry up another leg to him. Brice's love for the Sherpas is especially touching.

Brett struggles to acclimatize and decides to stop on his way to Camp 2. Mogens is attempting to climb without oxygen and is extremely strong until, after a second night at Camp 2, he decides to descend. Tim also struggles to acclimatize, but perseveres, getting beyond the Second Step. The scenes where Russell, Brett, Mogens, the Sherpas, and Wayne "Cowboy" Alexander attempt to persuade Tim to descend highlight the summit fever that kills people.

On his descent Max Chaya sees a dying climber: "There's a man here underneath a rock. I think he's about to die. Russ, he's unconscious. He's shivering." The dying climber (David Sharp) becomes world headlines, with a controversy about could he have been rescued.

2. Everest (IMAX)

The top grossing IMAX film was beautifully filmed by David Breashears, and stars Ed Viesters. This documentary chronicles their Mount Everest expedition, that happened to coincide with the May 1996 Everest tragedy. I especially liked the scene with Jamling Tenzing Norgay putting pictures of his family and the Dalai Lama on the summit.

David Breashears: "Sure, we had to lug a 42 pound camera and a 70 pound tripod for every single shot, and that's on top of the usual physical problems climbers have at that altitude. ... There was the incredible tragedy on Everest, Viesturs' incredible feat climbing without oxygen, the benevolence of the weather on summit day. There was just so much that came together to make that film that one can almost say now that its success was fate."

3. Lost on Everest (Nova)

This visual companion to the Ghosts of Everest: The Search for Mallory and Irvine book explores the discovery of George Mallory's body on Everest seventy five years after his disappearance. It uses archival footage of the 1924 Everest British Expedition, as well as extracts from personal letters sent by Mallory to his wife, to frame the story. The Nova website has great information on the expedition.

Dave Hahn: "You can see his hands. You can see his blonde hair. His body appears to be mummified. There's rope around his waist, coming down his legs." Conrad Anker: "His right leg ... is the end of the tibia."

The Sarah McLaughlin song Ice Cream is used in the film, with the haunting refrain "It's a long way down, it's a long way down, it's a long way down to the place where we started from".

4. Into the Thin Air of Everest: Mountain of Dreams, Mountain of Doom

This 190-minutes film is actually three viseos in one:

1. Everest: The Quest - includes the incredible stories of the early climbers, including George Mallory.

2. Everest: Tempting Fate - explores the modern expeditions and takes an in-depth view of the terrible events of 1996.

3. The Conquest Of Everest - is the thrilling Academy Award nominated best documentary about the 1953 British expedition that was the first to reach Mount Everest's summit. Both the New York Times and Time magazine named it one of the ten best films of its year.

5. Everest: The Mountain at the Millennium

This North Face video details the 1999 expedition to measure the height of the snow dome on the top of Everest using GPS (8850m, 29,035ft). The team was led by Pete Athans, who was attempting his 6th summit, with support from Brad Washburn, and featuring climber and science manager Charles Cornfield and climber Bill Crouse.

Pete: “As much as it is a physical mountain made of rock and snow and ice, it’s equally a mountain of ideas and represents for people just a symbol of the ultimate challenge for them personally.”

The video has some nice brief historical footage including the first ascent of the North Face by the Chinese in 1960. I especially liked the focus on the Sherpas, a strong, selfless, hardworking, loving and happy people. The dangers of the icefall are brought home with a long range view of Pete crossing a wide crevasse on multiple ladders strung together. His crampon gets tuck on the rung and, after trying to wriggle it free, he has to bend down, while holding the guide ropes, to take it off. The views of the South Col at sunset, the dangerous ridge from the south summit to the summit, and the Hillary Step are the best I’ve seen.

Pete Athans on the summit on May 5, 1999 at 10:30: “It’s a gorgeous day up here, very light winds, just absolutely fantastic.”

A few days later Babu Chiri Sherpa slept on the summit without oxygen for 21 hours. There is good footage of his congratulations on his arrival back at base camp, and Pete’s speech.

The bonus footage is very good, featuring the Saturday Namche Bazaar, the Sherpas, Monks, Basecamp activities like cooking and getting water and putting up the stone walls of the kitchen and puja altar, the cleanup of oxygen bottles off the south col, and a brief but excellent review of the effects of altitude sickness from a doctor at the Kunde hospital.

6. Everest In the Footsteps of Legends

On May 16 May, 2002 Dave Pritt, Chris Mothersdale and Stuart Peacock reached the top of the world from the North Ridge, members of the Adventure Peaks Summits Everest commercial expedition. Stuart brought his handycam; and produced this 80-miunte video. The film shows the entire journey: from Kathmandu to the summit, including Nyalam, Tingri, Base Camp, ABC, and the North Col.

For the first twenty minutes I was very disappointed in this video. It is a home movie with the typical issues like nauseatingly fast panning, poor zooms, and sounds from the person behind the camera. I would have given the video only one star. But then, the story and the subject improved dramatically to the point I gave it four stars. This is probably the best home movie I’ve ever watched.

When he gets to base camp, the story slows down, the camera gets steadier, and the takes get longer. The highlights for me were the puja ceremony, the climb to the North Col, and the spectacular film of the first, second and third steps – the best I’ve seen.

7. Everest North Wall: 1982 US Expedition

Led by Lou Whittaker, the American China-Everest 1982 Expedition attempted an unclimbed north face route. The film captures their preparation, travel, and the climb. The team was a whos who of American climbing including Jim Wickwire, Phil Ershler, Eric Simonson, Larry Neilson, Geo Dunn, Marty Hoey, and Dave Mahre.

Within 500m of the summit, Marty Hoey attempts to rest on her harness, but falls down the north face to her death when it come undone - a tragic mistake at high altitude. I have visited her memorial at Base Camp a couple of times - very moving.

8. Everest 50 Years on the Mountain (National Geographic)

Produced, written and directed by Liesl Clark. Because it is 94 minutes long, the pace is a little slower than other shorter videos, and gave more time to the pain of the climb, the Buddhist Puja ceremony and the Sherpa people. Led by Pete Athans, the 2002 National Geographic Everest Expedition features Tenzing Norgay’s son Jamling at Base Camp, Sir Edmund Hillary’s son Peter and Barry Bishop’s son Brent attempting to summit Everest.

There is some great footage of the 1952 Swiss and 1953 British expeditions and the 1963 US, with some interviews of Sherpas from those expeditions. Some of the hardships on climbing Everest are well documented, with Brent's constant coughing, Peter's getting sick at Camp II and again on the South Col and having to descend. There is a memorable scene with the wind whipping at 100km per hours against the tents at Camp II.

On May 25 2002 Sherpa climbers, Pete Athans (seventh time), Brent Bishop and Peter Hillary (second time) summit Everest. An emotional Peter Hillary calls his Dad, “Dad, it’s Peter. We’re on the summit. … What you did, well nearly 50 years ago is just incredible. … You guys cut steps, basically into the unknown. And up the jolly Hillary Step.”

There is a 20 minute bonus interview with Pete Athans and Erik Weihenmeyer.

9. Everest Unmasked: First Ascent of Everest Without Supplemental Oxygen

Directed and filmed by Leo Dickinson. Additional filming by Eric Jones and Reinhold Messner.  Winner of the Best Expedition Film at the Banff Film Festival, this film documents a milestone in the history of mountaineering when Reinhold Messner and Peter Habeler climbed Everest without oxygen in 1978. High altitude climbing would never be the same again.

Could it be done? Would their blood vessels burst? Would they suffer brain damage leading to madness? Nobody was sure. Messner: "But nobody knows if it is possible to climb Everest without oxygen. ... I would never come here for trying Everest with oxygen. It's not important to me. That is not a challenge for me."

A fascinating piece of history, well filmed, featuring Messner and Habeler's thoughts. The film follows the usual sequence from Namche to Base Camp, through the Icefall, to Camps I, II and III. The potential risks of climbing without oxygen is frighteningly illustrated when  a Sherpa suffers a stroke, and is slowly dragged back to Base Camp. There is a great scene showing Messner and Habeler's superb physical shape as they plod up the Lhotse Face without taking long pauses. It also has some rare historical footage of the tragic Mallory expedition, the pioneering Shipton expedition and the successful first ascent.

Above the South Col Messner used a cine camera to continue the filming, a bit crude but exciting, featuring the wind-swept ridge from the South Summit, Habeler climbing the Hillary Step, the final steps to the summit, and closeups of Habeler's face on the summit. Habeler: "I wasn't proud or whatever. And I wasn't even aware and I don't think he was aware that we were sitting on the top of Everest."

10. Everest: The Death Zone (Nova)

In the spring of 1997, climbers David Breashears, David Carter, and Ed Viesturs agreed to undergo physiological and psychometric testing from Base Camp to the summit. The Nova website has great information on the expedition.

May 23, 1997, 6:50 a.m., David Breashears: "I've had a very rough day. I left camp and a 1,000 feet later I threw up three times and thought I would turn back. ... We made the summit. I can see Makalu, I can see everywhere. It's just so beautiful. I wish I could, you could see this. It's a very, very cold wind though. I'm not going to be able to stay here very long."

The descent becomes a bit hairy when Carter develops an acute asthmatic attack, and has to be carefully guided down, constantly watching his health and giving him medicine.

11. Everest: A Climb for Peace

Directed by Lance Trumbull. Released 2007. 63 minutes. Narrated by Orlando Bloom. In the spring of 2006, Jamie McGuiness leads a team of 6 climbers from different countries and different religious faiths to attempt the North Face. The film focuses on Israelis Dudu Yifrah and Micha Yaniv and a Muslim Ali Bushnaq, with the hope that these men will become friends and help each other to the summit. "It is through actions of peace that peace is spread." Check out the Everest Peace Project website. There are only 6 minutes of bonus features.

The film opens with scenes from Jerusalem, reviewing some of the conflicts in the area. The team travels from Kathmandu via Tingri to Rongbuk Monastery and Base Camp. They trek to ABC and then prepare for the summit climb. Although Ali doesn't acclimatize well and has to stop, Jamie, Dudu, Micha, Tonya Riggs, Sele Selamolela, and Sherps Namgyal, Da Yula, Dawa Gelge, and Lhakpa make it to the summit on May 18, 2006. The descent becomes a bit scary when South African Selamolela collapses just below the summit. Jamie gives him dex while Namgyal climbs back up from Camp III with oxygen and liquids to rescue Sele.

The climbing portion of the video is very good. I have followed Jamie McGuiness through the Project Himalaya website for a few years and enjoyed watching him in action. The peace portion of the video was a bit superficial, but the scene of Dudu holding the Palestinian flag on the summit while talking to Ali was inspirational. It is expertly filmed and and well paced with excellent narration and background music.

1. Michael Palin Himalaya (Episode 3)

Directed by John-Paul Davidson and Roger Mills Shown on TV in 2004. Six episodes. 352 minutes. BBC. Extras include 31 minutes of interviews with Michael and 124 minutes of deleted scenes. Episode 3 Annapurna to Everest (59 minutes plus 29 minutes of deleted scenes) features Annapurna, Kathmandu, and Everest North Base Camp (17 minutes plus 4 minutes of deleted scenes).

From Kathmandu they travel by road and cross the Friendship Bridge into Tibet, reaching the plateau just north of Nyalam at Milarepa's cave. They cross high mountain passes on the Roof Of The World to the Pang La and its view of Everest and the high mountains. Along the way they watch a Tibetan village festival, before arriving at Rongbuk Monastery to watch the monks and nuns chanting their sacred texts, and the perfect views of Everest. After staying at the spartan Rongbuk Guesthouse run by the monks, they trek to Everest North Base Camp, with yaks carrying their luggage. A yak herder family prepares food, and Michael tries the chang.

The scenes of the Rongbuk Monastery and Everest North Base Camp are spectacular. Everest shines in the cold clear weather. The yak herders are nicely portrayed. Beautifully filmed. Nicely paced. Michael Palin is very entertaining.

2. Nepal: Himalaya-Trekking im Reich der Achttausender

Welt Weit. 40 minutes. 2005. In German. Trekking with DAV Summit Club. This DVD also has the trek to Muktinath in the Annapurna region (20 minutes), and a bonus feature visiting Calcutta, Darjeeling, and Orissa in India (27 minutes). The film starts with the flight from Kathmandu to Lukla, and then trekking via Phakding and Monjo, showing the trail, yaks, and mani stones, and a great view of Everest just before reaching Namche Bazaar. They continue their trek to Tengboche, and see the colourful Mani Rimdu festival. They continue to Pangboche with views of Nuptse, Lhotse, Everest, Makalu, and Ama Dablam. There are photos of the view from Kala Pattar and of Base Camp. On the return they visit Khumjung and Thame.

Even though the video is in German, it is easy to know where they are. The filming is very good. The mountain views are very good, although I was disappointed there were no film from Kala Pattar or Base Camp.

3. Tibet: Himalaya-Trekking im Reich der Achttausender

Welt Weit. 54 minutes.  2006. In German.  Trekking with DAV Summit Club. This DVD has a bonus feature taken from the Welt Weit Nepal Himalaya-Trekking im Reich der Achttausender video featuring a trek from Jomsom to Muktinath in Nepal (20 minutes). This film follows a group of German trekkers as they drive from Shigatse over the Pang La (with views of Makalu, Everest and Cho Oyu) and on to Kharta. They trek for four days from Kharta over the 5100m Doya La, and then drive to Rongbuk and Everest Base Camp. From Everest they drive to Cho Oyu Base Camp and then trek towards Cho Oyu Advanced Base Camp, climbing Balung Ri (6050m) on the way.

The first 7 minutes of the video are boring as the tour leader performs a monologue. The filming is Tibet is very good with good scenery. I liked the scenes of the local people, their primitive houses, the yak herders, and nomads. I especially like the scenes with the children who bubble with enthusiasm and fun. The film of cloudy Everest at sunrise is very good.