Climbing Mount Everest

Submitted by ShellyB on May 25, 2011 - 6:48pm

The short climbing season for Mount Everest is coming to a close in the Himalayas, and here in Denver my family has become totally hooked on the Discovery Channel's Everest: Beyond the Limit series. We have blazed through both Season One and Season Two in less time than it takes to climb the mountain itself.

The climbers literally risk life and limb in their attempts to reach the top of the world. I especially liked the recognition and appreciation shown for the amazing Sherpas who risk their own lives to help these climbers not only make it up the mountain, but perhaps more importantly make it back down alive.

Watching the Everest series inspired me to read Jon Krakauer's book Into Thin Air detailing his own experience climbing Everest during the infamous 1996 season. In one night several of his expedition teammates lost their lives when a storm blew in trapping them on the mountain and another was so horribly frostbitten it is unbelievable that he actually survived.

The IMAX movie Everest, narrated by Liam Neeson, films another expedition trying to make it up the mountain that same year. This team had the extra challenge of bringing along those heavy IMAX cameras and film.

The Nova documentary Everest the Death Zone is narrated by Jodie Foster and also follows climbers (two of whom were involved in the IMAX production) up the mountain while looking at the science behind what actually happens to the human body at such great altitudes.

I am certain the view from the top of the world must be phenomenal but I prefer to live this experience vicariously. How about you?