I didn't see a thread for this show, so I thought I'd start one. I guess it's a toss-up as to whether it belongs here or in Educational/Non-fiction, but I picked Candid Reality as it is a continuing real-life story.

I can't say why, but I'm an Everest junkie. Many people have died trying to climb it, yet there are still more who want to attempt it. Since last night was the first show, I didn't catch all the names of the climbers, but I did feel sorry for Terry the doctor. Even though he's not there officially, and is trying to climb it for himself, you just know that other teams are going to ask him for assistance, as happened last night.

I missed this last night, but have read some really great press articles on it. How often is it airing? It's six parts, right? every Tuesday?

Every Tuesday at 9 CST, and Discovery will probably rerun each episode a time or two during the week. Not sure how many parts it is. I know that the man who filmed it said it turned out a lot different from what he intended.

I am an Everest junkie also since reading Into Thin Air. I read and watch every thing I can find about everest. So, I found this show very interesting. I found the medical parts very fascinating. The one guy had an oxygen reading of 58%. The Dr said it was ok for there. If the guy was in the hospital we would be placing the man on 100% oxygen and thinking about intubating him. No wonder those people die so fast from mountain sickness. Many people seem very ill prepared to go up there. The guy with the metal plates in him won't make it far I think. I also think that anyone with the 40k can buy himself a place on an exhibition whether he is suited physically to go or not.
Of course, if I was younger, richer, and physically fit, I would think about going myself. But not without extensive training and climbing experience.

I've also become an Everest junkie since reading Into Thin Air, but the voiceover on this series is going to kill me.

This NY Times article may contain mild spoilers, but I love how it advices against watching in HDTV. I'm not sure I'd want to see extreme frostbite in hi-def.

Here's another article about it:

http://www.mounteverest.net/news.php?news=15279

Another Everest junkie here!

I dont know why, but Everest has always fascinated me and I read and watch anything I can on it.
I was really drawn into the show last night. I confess to even getting teary when the one man was given the artificial legs. I know I will be watching again next week.

I know there is a lot of controversy. No one can deny Everest has a dark side. Inspiring or heartbreaking. I dont know why it captivates me so much.

Oh, me too. That was so amazing.

I don't even think that I could explain to anyone why I am so interested in watching this show. I read Into Thin Air also, and that got me interested in Everest. But I can't think of something that I could say to anyone that would recommend them watching this show.

I guess if you get it, you get it, and if you don't, it's not for you.

I've read just about all the mountaineering literature, including Into Thin Air. I've watched all the documentaries and yes, I've even have a few DVDs (The IMAX movie, The Death Zone, The Search for Mallory and Irvine).

When I saw that one guy had so many metal pins and rods in his body I just knew he was going to have a difficult time of it. He seems so big and strong but I think the guy with no legs will make it before he does.

I thought the fact that they were taking the northern route interesting. I kept looking for the Khumba Ice Fall and was confused that they went to the advanced base camp so quickly. I had to slap myself for being so dense.

I don't want to climb the mountain but I wouldn't be adverse to trying to make it to base camp on the southern route.

Just found out that the first episode is being repeated tomorrow night (Fri) at 8.

Yikes, the article in that link that Plain provided was pretty critical. I know a lot of climbers dislike the way Everest has become a marketing opportunity for some people. Regardless, surely anyone who undertakes climbing Everest has to know they are taking their life into their hands.

I was surprised to see the thread for this show featured so prominently. It's also nice to see I'm not the only one who has a fascination with Everest, even though I'm not really interesting in climbing. The history, danger, and culture of the area are all very interesting. I was very excited to see they were going to be climbing the north face. I'll be glued to this series. I wish I had a high definition TV, the sights alone in that part of the world are amazing.

Re that link, I don't have a problem with people's opinions on Everest itself, but it seemed clear that they hadnt seen the show and to call it propaganda without seeing it first doesn't seem quite right. I will watch first before I decide. Whether folks should even climb Everest is a whole other thing, I guess.

My name is AlmondEyes, and I am an Everest junkie.

Thanks for starting this thread. As with other posters, Into Thin Air started it all for me. I''m a total bitch for mountaineering disaster books. Books on Everest, K2, Denali, the Seven Summits, etc. are like crack for me, much like trainwreck reality shows such as Chaotic and Being Bobby Brown. But I digress. I'm the best armchair mountain climber I know. Heh.

I like this show a lot, but I can do without the frantic, macho, call-it-what-you-will soundtrack that I suppose is meant to cue the rush of adrenaline.


Thanks so much for posting this, as I was also very confused about this. I was looking for the drama that was sure to ensue when they hit the icefall, and didn't understand why I didn't see it. I didn't realize they were taking a different route. That's what I get for trying to watch this show and cook at the same time.


Same here. I have absolutely no desire to die - oops, I mean climb Everest. But I would absolutely take a trip to Everest base camp, or even K2 base camp. Though Everest base is way more accessible.

Double ditto, AlmondEyes. Mr. DM had taped the episode so we could zoom through the 4 million commercials; too bad we couldn't edit out the cheesy music, too. While this isn't Into Thin Air quality stuff, it's still a pretty good show.
ETA tags

I heard an Everest summiteer give a talk a few weeks ago. I was attending a banquent for cancer survivors (I'm a four year breast cancer survivor) and this guy spoke. http://www.seanswarner.com/


He's the first cancer survivor to summit.

Very entertaining and very funny and kind of cute.

It looks like there's a regular repeat showing Fridays at 7pm CST, so I watched again paying more attention so I could match names to the faces. Terry does have the title of 'expedition doctor' so now I'm kinda confused as to whether he's on staff or is one of the paying clients. And the leader (Russell ?), doesn't he seem a little teary for this work? He seems to get worked up quite easily.

I don't have much background, I've only watched the movie Into Thin Air (which was on recently, BTW), not read the book. I didn't realize there were 2 routes, either. Can someone explain why you'd take one way versus the other? I'm also confused by the timing. They talk about a very small window when the summit can be attempted, but somewhere else they say the trip will take 2 months. Is most of that aclimatization to the altitude?

I haven't read any of the links yet, but if there was a warning about watching in HD, I'd have to agree. Seeing the frostbitten feet of the guy who lost his legs (Mark?) was sickening on normal TV.


Scoot over and give me some room. We can criticize their technique and decision-making.

Oh! My people! Fellow Everest junkies - I didn't realize how many of us there were. I mean, of the sort who don't actually climb mountains, but who know the routes (the icefall, the Yellow Band, the Hilary Step, etc.) like the backs of our hands. Oh, oh, oh! It's so good to see I'm not the only one!

I just got around to watching my recording of the first episode, and besides the adrenaline music, I thought it was well done. Oh, and calling these people "courageous" for doing something so completely stupid and unnecessary as trying to climb Everest. I mean, I understand why people do it, but that doesn't mean it isn't stupid.

I feel like we're getting to know the climbers pretty well, and I like seeing little previews of what's ahead for the climbers. Looking forward to tomorrow's episode.

I do wish they'd filmed a team going up the southern face, which is the one I'm most familiar with. Hey, maybe next year...



Yup, exactly, almost all acclimatization. There's that two weekish period when the weather clears, and summit bids are made then - the rest of it is conditioning, acclimatization, and hurry-up-and-wait. The actual summit bid generally takes less than 24 hours (if all goes well), if I'm recalling correctly (it's been a while since I've read about the better-known expeditions).

Edited because what good armchair mountaineer misspells "Hilary"? This one, that's who. Anyway, corrected. D'oh!

I agree! Very exciting, indeed. Though I'm sorry that we won't get to see the expeditions tackle the Khumbu Icefall or the Hilary Step, as terrifying as it looks.

It seems that the route the climbers are taking is less traveled than the more popular "Southeast Ridge" route. If I'm not mistaken, the Southeast Ridge route includes the Khumbu Icefall referenced upthread by Elfdream and the Hilary Step referenced by puckish, and is regarded as an "easier" path up the mountain than the more difficult one the expedition is attempting. I placed "easier" in quotes because, to me, there is no easy way up Everest. I guess it's different if you're a hardcore mountain climber. Not a pretend one, like me.

I think part of my fascination with mountain climbing literature and documentaries is that I absolutely don't understand why these people do it, especially since it usually winds up costing them so much. A lot of mountain climbing veterans seem to have lost a lot of friends in climbing accidents. Case in point - the guy on the expedition (don't remember his name) who lost his legs just above or below the knee from a mountain climbing disaster years ago. I mean, having escaped with my life would be incentive enough to never set foot on a mountain again. I suppose adrenaline junkies are made of different stuff, though . . .

Yeah, I don't have the drive myself. It looks like a perfectly miserable experience to me - coughing until you break ribs, diarrhea, bloody noses, sunburn and mild (or severe) frostbite, danger of heart attack or stroke, insomnia, the ever-looming danger of cerebral or pulmonary edema, dead bodies littering the whole way up, dead climbing buddies, those fucking ladders you have to walk across with crampons (sorry, "clipping on" is not enough safeguard across those crevasses for my taste), good likelihood you'll die in an avalanche or slip into a crevasse or getting caught in a freak storm if the altitude sickness doesn't get you - yeah, I just don't see myself paying $40K for an experience like that. And I think it's incredibly stupid. But I also don't think it shouldn't be done (which, usually I think stupid things should be avoided at all costs). I know some people have this drive, and so more power to them for subjecting themselves to this stuff. Better them than me. I'll watch from the safety and comfort of my sofa.

(That said, I echo that I would really like to visit base camp sometime. But no farther!)

I think another possible reason for choosing one route over another is permit allowances from China/Nepal. Like I said, it's been a long time since I read Krakauer, Boukreev, or Matt Dickinson talking about approaching Everest, but as I recall, there are limited numbers of permits for each side, lots of bureaucracy to slog through, and sometimes significant cost differences in going up one side versus the other. Aside from the technical differences in climbing the Southeast Ridge versus the North Face through the Col, which is also a significant factor, as mentioned above, in determining which route to take.

Some people like to be uncomfortable. I've done some small scale trekking up and down mountains, along the Appalachian Trail and through deserts and I like it. Its the sense of being 'out there' that is addictive. Its the challenge and the idea of pushing yourself to the limit. I would however draw the line at high altitude climbing. I like to watch and read about it but not actually 'do' it.

A good book to read about what makes these people tick would be Where the Mountain Casts its Shadow by Maria Coffey. Her boyfriend, Joe Tasker died on Everest and in this book she recounts the stories of people who died up there and the families they left behind. Its a very interesting read.

Another Everest junkie here.

I enjoyed the first eppie of this series, but I will admit that reading the article about the expedition leader has left me feeling somewhat ambivalent about tuning in next week. leaving someone to die? that's just wrong.

also as to the high def viewing experience? yeah, I was eating girardelli dark chocolate while watching last week.......big mistake........BIG. MISTAKE. I fear I will never again be able to look at a dark chocolate square without thinking "frostbitten toes".

See, I think basecamp looks like a vast wasteland and garbage dump. Anything past treeline gets a little too grim for me.


I haven't read the article because I don't want to be spoiled too much, but isn't this similar to the dilemma faced by the doctor last week? You've got 5-6 clients who've paid you $40K each for you to get them up to the summit. Where do your loyalties lie? It's not like the people on the other teams don't realize that this is a deadly endeavor. And if you leave your team, aren't you exposing them to more danger? Interesting ethical issue.


This made me blow snot on my screen. And now I won't be able to look at frostbitten apendages without thinking 'Girardelli dark chocolate.'

ETA: This is a link to a diagram of the north and south routes.

ETA: Now I've seen the 2nd episode and even on a show like this we have the promo monkeys at work, and making me very mad. You would clearly have thought from the promos that Tim was 'off the team', but despite Russell making numerous comments to that effect, he's still giving Tim a chance. The whole thing of Mark breaking his leg was made to sound like that was the end for him, when in point of fact he had a spare leg down at ABC, so big effing deal about that.

Again, I haven't been spoiled but I know there were deaths and injuries on several teams including Russell's. I wonder how much Russell's push to summit early with a good weather window contributed to that. Most of these guys (with Mogens the Danish guy being the single exception) seem to need all the time they can get to adjust.

Into Thin Air will be airing on Saturday at 5:00pm on the E drama channel.

I watch this show in disbelief. Too much cold for me to hike in and I like oxygen.

After the second episode, I was left wondering about the technical side of this show. I was amazed that the sherpas seem to go up and down Everest so easily - I know there had to be some time fudging there - but who was up there filming them setting up the base camps?

I don't think there will be, but I would love one or two episodes after the 6 telling us the technical issues of filming that high, how they were solved and any problems that cropped up on the mountain and how those were dealt with. A part of this could also be being introduced to the filming team and their prior experience with climbing (if any).

Looking forward to Tues!

There are dozens of us!

There might be another deciding factor on the route - traffic. Remember that the 1996 disaster was helped along (and to some degree caused) by the sheer volume of people on the South Route. By taking the road less traveled (the North face), climbers avoid the heavy traffic. Sure, it's a technically more difficult route, but they'll manage to avoid a lot of the gridlock on the other side of the mountain.

I believe the Sherpas had helmet-mounted cams, but I'm not sure if a Western cameraman went up with them to establish the high camps. Sherpas kick ass!

It's amazing the one fastest non-Sherpa climber (Mogens?) trained by wearing a 100-lb. pack. That's an enormous load.

I like Dr. Terry's vast array of hats - he's a nice fashionista. I hope he wasn't too traumatized by this season.

Where the Mountain Casts its Shadow is such an excellent, haunting book. Another one with more gore and less emotion is Eiger: Wall of Death, should that be your cup of tea.

Even after reading and watching obsessively, I still can't say why climbers are compelled to climb, but one striking thing I've noticed is that they all seem so alive in the mountains: pictures of climbers in the flatlands show them sporting these fake little smiles, but get them all roped up, jumaring up a steep icy pitch and blam! Giant grins, their faces light up.

Absolutely. For all the grief that the climbers are going through, it's a shock sometimes to remember that there are camera and sound guys that you never see who are going up and down the mountain with them. What happens if they need to take a breather? If they get cerebral edema?

Thanks to everyone for all the book recommendations, BTW. I'm sure I'll be reading some of them.

I'm happy to see so many others with a fascination with Everest. I have an interest in high altitude climbing in general, and Everest in particular.

I've also thought it a bit of an odd interest, because I could never climb like that even if I were in the best of shape (and I'm far from it). I don't do well at even moderate altitudes.

I'll be putting In the Shadow of the Mountain on my list. Into Thin Air was very enjoyable as a story. But I liked reading about the 96 expedition from different viewpoints. I've read Boukriev's book, one by a woman on the Mountain Madness team and one by the guy who was left for dead, but somehow got back to the tents: Beck Weathers (had to google that one.) Anyone know of any others?


I also read an account of a filmographer. He talked about the filming aspects, frozen equipment and the like. Although he never made it to the summit. I think this is it-- The Other Side of Everest: Climbing the North Face Through the Killer Storm By Matt Dickenson. An honest appraisal of it here http://www.gotterdammerung.org/books/revie...of-everest.html



Guess I should talk about the show as well.

What do you think the "sold" sign on the tent meant? Just a meaningless joke? I thought I heard a bit of an edge to the other guy's voice during that segment.

And why are we seeing so much of two or three people and so little of the others?

Maybe they're the first who will be voted off the mountain so they're getting their air time now.

Thanks for the book suggestions, everyone. If I can, I'd like to add my .02. Savage Summit tells the story of the five women who summited K2, all of whom are now dead from mountaineering accidents on K2 and other 24,000 + mountains. Amazing that so few women have summited K2. It's a very good story of mountaineering ambition outweighing things such as family, talent, etc. A sixth woman from Spain did summit K2 after the book was written, and she did so successfully. The hope is that she doesn't fall victim to the K2 "curse", as the mountain is alleged to be cursed for women given the fates of the female summiters before her.

Minus 148 details the first winter ascent of Denali, which . . . seems pretty insane to me, but there you go. Talk about two things that just don't belong together. The title refers to the wind chill experienced by the author at one point during the climb.

I understand that there is an excellent book on Reinhold Meissner. Does anyone have any insights on this that they would care to share?

And I agree that the Sherpas on this show just rock beyond all comprehension.

I believe two other women summited K2 this year as well. One was Japanese, and K2 was her first 8,000-er!

I think it was a joke from the LAFD guy, who was also joking about seeing Tim in court... like a running thing between them. Given the insanely uncomfortable surroundings, I'm impressed that the LAFD guy is so cool.

I've read both the Boukreev book and the Dickenson book about the '96 season, and enjoyed them both. Into Thin Air is what got me onto my Everest fascination, and it was well-written, but I think Krakauer is a bit of an ass, and I think he really did Boukreev a disservice in his account of that season on Everest, so it was good to read Boukreev's side of the story.

I tried to read Beck Weathers's account, but I found it an intolerably treacly, self-indulgent read and put it down before I finished. I understand Beck got a new lease on life after that terrible season, and I admire him for having saved himself. I also think that he's justified to feel iffy about the ethics of the other climbers on the mountain that season, though I generally think that on Everest and other highly technical, highly dangerous high-altitude climbs, you kind of have to have an every man for himself mentality, and that anyone who goes into the Death Zone has to accept that other people might not have the strength or wherewithal to do any heroics beyond saving themselves. But I still found Weathers's account unreadable, just really crap writing, even though I find him much more likeable and sympathetic than, say, Krakauer or even Boukreev.

I don't know about that, but it did seem like he was always pointing out in his book what a superior climber he was compared to everyone else who was there at the time. That got on my nerves a bit.

It seems like most of the Everest junkies here got their start from Into Thin Air. What drew my interest initially was the Mallory/Irvine mystery. That's why I'm so excited they're climbing the north face.

I'd also recommend High Adventure, Edmund Hillary's book, since I don't believe it's been mentioned yet.

A Slender Thread and Everest: Along at the Summit by Stephen Venables are good.

I was fascinated by the Mallory/Irvine mystery as well as the story behind 'Into Thin Air". There was so much back and forth sniping between Krakuer and Boukreev over what happened that I just concluded that neither one remembers correctly as they were both probably victims of oxygen deprivation!

There are two books by members of the Norgay family that I liked. "Touching My Father's Soul' by Jamling Norgay and Tenzing Norgay and the Sherpas of Everest by Tashi Norgay. Touching My Father's Soul is also a great introduction to Tibetan Budhism.

This isn't about Everest but I also have the book and movie Touching the Void. Its one of the most amazing stories I've ever read.

I think you'd fit right in on Russell's team. At last count we've got:
1) a guy with no legs below the knee
2) a guy with asthma (although he's kicking everyone's ass)
3) a guy with a steel cage round his spine and numerous pins in both legs/feet
4) a guy who had a cancerous kidney removed 2 months ago

I'm sitting here watching from the comfort of my lazyboy, but I can't understand this. Russell is supposed to have high standards for accepting clients, but from here it sorta looks like the standard is a check for $40K.

It did say something about the members of his team having to prove technical climbing skill before being accepted. Maybe something about experience with high altitude climbing as well, I can't remember for sure. But yeah he has what would seem like iffy prospects.

I guess that could be his strategy, though. Take some that are marginal and eliminate them before summit day. Fewer people to look after during the most dangerous part of the trip. I'd have a tough time telling someone who paid that kind of money that they're off the team. Still, better broke than dead.

Does it seem that everybody and his brother wants to be the "first" of his group to summit? First asthmatic, first octogenarian amputee, first person dragged by their hair.

Yes, Sherpa do kick ass. I trekked in Nepal in March of 2003 and stood in amazement watching 50,60,70 year old women zip past me on the trail while carrying 4 cases of coke on their back. There were also teenage boys lugging loads of 5 10ft 2x8" boards up the trails. They can make the trek from Lukla (where an airstrip is located) to base camp in 2-3 days where as it takes westerners about 2 weeks. The trip I took was the "Everest Adventure" trek offered by Wilderness Travel - http://www.wildernesstravel.com/itins/evstadv.html )

Re: the show. If that article from mounteverest.net is correct about Brice, then he is the scum of the earth, exactly the sort of person that is detested by Sherpa like the guide I had. His Sherpa probably worship him because he pays them more than other companies due to them having to lead inexperienced idiots up the mountain.

As for people wanting to at least get to base camp, just getting there is a trial. At the time I went, I was 33 and in pretty good shape. Our trek started out from Lukla at 8900' and by the time we got to Namche at 11,300', I had a headache that would last for the entire next week. You also wake up about every two hrs at night to pee. The hiking isn't all extraordinarily hard as long as you go slow and steady. AMS can hit you at any point above about 10k' and it doesn't matter if you've done it before -- you can be fine one time and totally screwed the next. I like to think that I could have made it to base camp but who knows. I hiked w/ a group of Brits who were on their way to base camp and following up w/ them later they said that a couple didn't even make it there and had to be brought down in compression bags. So, there you go.

I've got some photos on the web if anyone cares to see what the terrain is really like .... http://www.pbase.com/tmeyer/nepal

Cool, timesamillion. I trekked in Nepal as well, but not on the Everest route. I'm an Everest junkie as well, but wasn't able to ctch the show the first time around- the Tivo is now set to pick up any reruns. My response to the altitude on that trek (cerebral edema at about 9,000', had to basically crawl down the trail in the dark since they were unable to find anyone among local villagers on such short notice to carry me down) cut short any future Everest plans, unfortunately!

I stumbled upon this book because it was right next to Into Thin Air at the library. I checked it out for the illogical reason that while both of the library copies of Into Thin Air were incredibly skanky (as only library books can be), this one was pristine. I read it over the weekend and enjoyed it. It covers the same season '96 as Into Thin Air from the North side. Some nice color pictures and maps.

And the author, Matt Dickenson, did summit, one of only 2 members of the team (along with 3 sherpas) who did.

A-ha! I've found the Everest people! I kept looking for this in Non-Fiction and Educational shows and I was very disappointed in thinking that no one else was watching!

I've been fascinated by Everest since I was in college. I took a class on India and we spent a good deal of time also discussing Nepal and I have been dying to go ever since. This was the time that Into Thin Air was playing in IMAX theaters. My husband (then boyfriend) and I went to see it and it blew us both away. I read the book and I really couldn't tear myself away from it. I will definitely read some of the other suggestions in this thread.

I read the mounteverst.net article and now I don't know what to believe about Russell. It's very interesting that in the article Russell's oxygen is deemed questionable. Scary stuff. I also find it surprising that the article claims that no one helped the independent British climber who died on the mountain, but we saw Russell's team doctor, Terry, helping the Indian climber.

I find it really disturbing that there is so much garbage on Everst. It seems like there is crap everywhere like used oxygen tanks and other equipment, it makes me sad.

I, too am in awe of the Sherpas. Not only are they practically superhuman, but they seem to have really great attitudes as well! Their strength and adaptations to the altitude are truly amazing.

Well, that's due to me. I'm never sure where the line between Non-Fiction and Candid Reality lies.
Anyway

Was Into Thin Air shown in IMAX? I thought that there was a separate movie (don't know the name) that was shot for IMAX during the '96 season.

It's so cool to see that there are so many Everest/mountaineering junkies on TWoP! And though I am jealous of you folks who trekked to Everest base camp, it sounds like it takes a pretty harsh toll on the body. timesamillion, I have seen the Everest Adventure trip offered in the Wilderness Travel travel catalogue, and have always been intrigued.

I remember a movie in IMAX theaters documenting Ed Viesturs and his climb on Everest that coincided with the 1996 tragedy, shot specifically for IMAX, but I too don't remember the name. I think it's the movie referenced by Bunky. I think they paused their expedition to assist in the rescue efforts.

Hi everyone,

Great to see this thread!

So, if you want lots more info and everest and this climb, go to the Discovery Channel Everest site here: discovery.com/everest.

Full disclosure: I'm the website exec producer.

The camera people have great stories. There are videos and diaries on the site, more added every week.

As for Russell, I'll leave that up to you all to decide after you see the whole series. Remember, there are always several sides to every story. FYI: Russell refuses to give info to mounteverest.net editors... grudge maybe?

Trisha

My boyfriend asked me to DVR this for him and I am loving it. I don't really get the drive to climb mountains (I did not make it up Half Dome due to a fear of heights) but I love back packing and camping. The folks who want to climb Everst fascinate me. 1) There is the very real chance of death 2) It strikes me as beign really, really painful 3) It takes so much time 4) It takes so much money.

I understand the mountaineers who get their kicks climbing mountains and make the attempts solo (or as close to solo as you can go on Everest type mountains). The people who want to be the first, try new routes, and just generally enjoy climbing mountains. There has to be a real rush to tackeling these things. I don't get the folks who take so much time off and pay so much money in order to have someone bring them to the summit. It seems to me that many of the ethical dilemas that have occured on Everest have occured because guides feel like they have to bring their clients to the top. They put them in dangerous situations (see the Indian team on this show never mind the other examples that have been published) and have to make decisions about how to handle the inevitable situation were someone is in toruble and do you help or not.

I was happy to see that Brice has standards for his team and is prepared. Terry did not summit last season because he was not able to acclimatise. Brice makes sure there is extra oxygen and regulators at all of the camps. The articles that I have read have not made it clear what happened so it is hard to say that Brice screwed up (yet).

I really like Terry. He seems to be pretty level headed. He wants to go to summit but he understands what happened last year and seems to have accepted it and is trying to prevent this from happenign again. I like how he interacts with Tim, who seems to be Terry's polar opposite.

Tim seems like an interesting character but I am not sure he is sane. Climbing Everest right after such a serious injury? I get that he is driven to live his life to the fullest and prove that he can do anything (his motivation makes sense to me) but to do it so quickly? Same for the team member who had a cancerous kidnedy removed from the front so he could carry a back pack. Two months ago. Couldn't you wait a year? Or is there a fear of the cancer returning that makes you want to do it now. Maybe the close call makes you dread putting anything off.

I am liking the young Dutch school teacher. (OK so I suck with names). Carrying 150 pounds of water on a daily 10 mile hike? Are you insane? I carried a 35 pound pack and was not sure that I would want to add too much more weight to it. That is impressive and some serious dedication. I hope he is able to make it to the top. He certainly shows that you can do anything if you properly control your asthma. Hopefully they briong extra oxygen for him just in case he needs it.

The Sherpas rule. You have to wonder what they are really thinking about the tourists climbing the mountain. They seem to go up and down it effortlessly yet it takes the tourists weeks to be able to make the climb and even then it is very difficult for them. The one Sherpa who had to carry the Indian climber down to base camp. I could not imagine a 14 mile trek with a man on my back.

Mounteverest.net's article doesn't say exactly where the dying climber had collapsed, but I've read several instances of climbers passing other compromised climbers high on Everest and leaving them for dead. It's been my understanding that a real rescue high on the mountain is very difficult, if not impossible, because people can barely manage to drag themselves along in that high altitude, let alone someone else. I thought this was one of the understood risks of climbing the mountain.

The act of filming the climber then leaving him for dead could certainly be considered in poor taste.

I can't begin to understand all the difficulties and ethical questions of running a guide service on Everest. I know most climbers dislike the commercialization of the mountain. Whatever Mounteverest.net's objections, this series has been fascinating.

mortrisha You want to avoid signing your posts, that is violation of the boards rules.

A few questions: Who proposed the show, ie did Brice come to you guys or did you go to him? Did Discovery have any say about who was included on the team?

The article sounds to me to be written by folks who think that climbing Everest has become too commercial and who do not like Brice. It is clear they do not appreciate what Brice and his team are doing. I had noticed that Brice does not seem to be making any of the climbs himself. I am guessing that he needs to aclimatize and would have to go to the camp at the Col. Someone has be responsible for the logistics, it appears that person is Brice. I have no problem with Brice using guides and the Sherpas to get his clients to the summit. If he as able to work a deal where he distributes weather reports and the like, all the more power to him. I guess I am too much of a capitalist for my own well being.

I remember from reading Into Thin Air, that a wealthy socialite (at least I think that's how she was referred to in the book) was essentially carried to the summit of Everest on the back of her Sherpa during the '96 season because she was too exhausted/sick to make it. I'm sure she told everyone she summited, but there is no way she would have made it on her own. It absolutely amazed (and disgusted) me that she basically paid someone to carry her up the mountain.

Tim seems to have everything working against him. He is such a big guy and his motorcycle injuries were obviously severe. However, I can't help but like him. I understand Russell's concern that he is probably a liability to the team, but I do hope he summits. The Danish school teacher is adorable and seems to be amazingly strong. I have a soft spot for LAPD guy. I hope he makes it this time. When I first started watching, I was really afraid that one of the "main characters" would die on the mountain. I hope that isn't the case.

Whatever the truth is about Russell, he really seems to care about the Sherpas on his team. I know he couldn't do this without them, and I know he knows that, but he does really seem to care about them and I like that.

Thanks for the tip, ProfCrash! I'm not normally a big poster. I was excited to see that TWOP was talking about the show. I love this site.

I didn't work on the show at all, just the Web site. The production company (Tigress, from England) brought the program to DSC. I do know that DSC had NO say about who went on the climb -- these were Russell's clients, already signed on. Climbers did have to sign waivers in order to be included on the show.

I can't speak for why Russell does anything, but I must say I have grown to greatly respect him. He's been guiding on the north side for more than 10 years. He is the best, for better or worse. Of course, that doesn't mean everybody likes him or agrees with him.

There are two movies about the 1996 climbing season:

Everest is the IMAX movie which follows a team on Mt. Everest. If I recall correctly from the Into Thin Air book, they called off their summit attempt (and maybe helped with rescues) during the blizzard, but summitted a few weeks later.

Into Thin Air is a TV movie, based on the book, that seems to have been made pretty damn quickly after the book came out.

I clearly need to rent both and fast-forward through all the gratuitous extreme frostbite shots.

The crew of Everest did summit. I have watched the DVD (boyfriend owns it and loves Into Thin Air hence my DVRing this program). I know they halted their initial attempt to summit in order to help with the rescue but they did make it to the top. It is a pretty good flick.