14 Peaks documentary is out today

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SpencerVT

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The documentary about the climber who scaled all of the World’s 8,000 meter mountains in like 7 months.
I am looking forward to watching this!
 
The documentary about the climber who scaled all of the World’s 8,000 meter mountains in like 7 months.
I am looking forward to watching this!

Thanks for the post on this. I had totally forgotten about it. Looks good.
 
This documentary is AWESOME. Highly recommend watching. Great story, cinematography, music, etc. Very well done story about a pretty amazing guy and team.
 
Amazing film! Very interesting to learn that Nirmal "Nims" Purja, the climber featured in this film, was the photographer of that famous Everest bottleneck photo that most people are familiar with.

Thanks for posting, SpencerVT!
 
Jimmy Chin is a fantastic cinematographer with an impressive resume. Looking forward to this.
 
Jimmy Chin is a fantastic cinematographer with an impressive resume. Looking forward to this.

Whelp, I misunderstood his role in the film. The above is true, just doesn't apply.

Great movie!
 
We watched it last night and enjoyed it as well. I have to say, however, that either he had one fantastic stroke of luck after another or they simply didn't show the delays, hardships, or turn backs. It also seemed that (most of?) his crew was the same for the endeavor but the spoils are his alone.

Tim
 
We watched it last night and enjoyed it as well. I have to say, however, that either he had one fantastic stroke of luck after another or they simply didn't show the delays, hardships, or turn backs. It also seemed that (most of?) his crew was the same for the endeavor but the spoils are his alone.

Tim

I had a similar thought, re: the crew. I am curious how many were with him the entire time.
 
None of them were there the whole time, although a number of them did multiple peaks. Mingma Gyabu (David) Sherpa did a bunch and became the youngest climber to complete the 14 when they summited Shisha Pangma. Both of them also were in the Nepali crew that did the first winter accent of K2 in January of this year.
 
We watched it last night and enjoyed it as well. I have to say, however, that either he had one fantastic stroke of luck after another or they simply didn't show the delays, hardships, or turn backs. It also seemed that (most of?) his crew was the same for the endeavor but the spoils are his alone.

Tim

That is actually pretty common. Climbers and such that play a support role, treat that as a profession in its own. If you looked at a lot of the companies that guide Everest, you would see many of the same names in support roles for many expeditions.
 
That is actually pretty common. Climbers and such that play a support role, treat that as a profession in its own. If you looked at a lot of the companies that guide Everest, you would see many of the same names in support roles for many expeditions.

Except, this is different. The underlying theme of the movie was just that: Western & European climbers get the glory while the sherpas do the work. Nims, being Nepalese and being close to the sherpas personally, if any of them HAD done the same peaks I would've expected just as much of the same recognition in this case (That being said, it appears not all of them did so it's a moot point).
 
Except, this is different. The underlying theme of the movie was just that: Western & European climbers get the glory while the sherpas do the work. Nims, being Nepalese and being close to the sherpas personally, if any of them HAD done the same peaks I would've expected just as much of the same recognition in this case (That being said, it appears not all of them did so it's a moot point).

I understand that principle, but the Sherpas on expeditions are "working" they are not out for glory, they out for a paycheck. Not that they don't deserve some glory, don't misunderstand me. Many a Westerner has stood on a Himalayan summit, because of the work of the Sherpas and only because of that work.
 
I have to say, however, that either he had one fantastic stroke of luck after another or they simply didn't show the delays, hardships, or turn backs.

Tim

I'd imagine it was a function of being a movie versus a miniseries. Even as brief as it was the movie was 1h 41min. I doubt they wanted to waste too much time showing everyone sleeping in an airport, grabbing breakfast in Katmandu, etc. Would have loved to have seen this made into a mini-series where more of the details could be shared but I suppose that wouldn't have been as commercially viable. Just the logistics of planning all the travel and supplies must have been staggering and could have filled an entire movie. Even with the good fortune (which you'd expect is a given to pull of something this crazy) this is still pretty impressive.
 
Does anyone know if a book has been written or is planned for this? Would be cool to really take a deep dive into the project in a way that is too limited by a movie.

EDIT: Apparently there is a book. Went to Project Possible website. It's apparently only in Europe though. Have to do a little more research I guess.
 
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I'd imagine it was a function of being a movie versus a miniseries. Even as brief as it was the movie was 1h 41min. I doubt they wanted to waste too much time showing everyone sleeping in an airport, grabbing breakfast in Katmandu, etc. Would have loved to have seen this made into a mini-series where more of the details could be shared but I suppose that wouldn't have been as commercially viable. Just the logistics of planning all the travel and supplies must have been staggering and could have filled an entire movie. Even with the good fortune (which you'd expect is a given to pull of something this crazy) this is still pretty impressive.

If logistics are interesting to you, you should pick up some of Chris Bonington's early Everest and Himalayan expedition books. While dated, they are amazing in detail and the struggles of the earlier expeditions are quite fascinating to read. Just getting the gear to base camp, verses the ease of todays expeditions is monumental.
 
When I did a brief foray into "expeditionary mountaineering" 30 years ago, I learned exactly what Sierra said about logistics.

>90% of the work is at home, planning the expedition and fundraising.
>90% of the work after that is getting to base camp with your health and gear intact.
>the remaining 1% is actually climbing the mountain and getting back down.

The only way you avoid that formula is with big government or big private sponsor funding.
 
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