Everest: Beyond the Limit. Discussion Note ***WITH SPOILERS***

[king tut]

I've been hooked on Everest like a crack fiend ever since i read "Into thin Air". I can't wait for episode #2. The cynics will probably tear apart the next epsiode, but who cares. I have a feeling that they were never held enough as a child and now reside on pyschologist's couches talking about how they feel. Ignorance is bliss.

 

[jessbee]

I've been hooked on Everest like a crack fiend ever since i read "Into thin Air". I can't wait for episode #2. The cynics will probably tear apart the next epsiode, but who cares. I have a feeling that they were never held enough as a child and now reside on pyschologist's couches talking about how they feel. Ignorance is bliss.

Yes! Hopefully the cynics won't watch the next episode. I'm pretty psyched, should be good TV.

Of course I'm just super excited about everything because I'm backpacking in Hells Canyon this weekend....can't wait to see snow again!! Portland is so wet and warm.

 

[bikehikeskifish]

I enjoyed this episode. It was more focused on logistics and less on the seriousness of the endeavor. Amazingly, then Indian guy was conscious.

I liked that they spent a little time on the Sherpas, and how they fixed 17,000 feet (did I remember that right) of rope in so little time. It was amazing to hear all six of them on top in April (early). I found it unfortunately that there was not any scenes of them there. Clearly they had the Sherpa-cams from the ascent footage, but the story is not about the Sherpas so they can't very well show them on top first. It was cool to see how much the climbers respect them. And how about the feat of double-time setup of the 4 high camps?

I guess the other focus of this episode was Tim. It's still not clear which he'll go, but the 30 mile RT to base camp and back (was it 5000 feet?) was pretty impressive, followed by making the north col. You have to give him some respect for that.

Can anyone explain the caution about exploding O2 bottles? Something about hydrocarbons (did Russ say butter?) I did not quite hear it.


Tim

 

[smitty77]

You heard right.

Any type of "oil" in the prescense of compressed O2 gas can lead to an explosion. Never try to "lubricate" the threads on an O2 tank (which may be tempting to do at -40) or it will explode. I don't know enough of the science behind it to explain why (someone here much smarter than me could explain it), but we were warned early and often in EMT class the dangers of mixing any hydrocarbon with our medical oxygen bottles.

By the way, Sherpas rule to the max.
Smitty

 

[skiguy]

Credit to the Climbers holding the Camera

Aside from the storyline on this show my hats off to the guys that did the filming. There is some incredible quality in the filiming of alot of the on mountain climbing IMO. It is one thing to climb this thing let alone lug a Large Camera around and get the level of Videography seen here. Fogging lenses and freezing batteries along with self survival in a situation like this is an amazing feat.HERE is a link to a Video a friend of mine took this Spring on the North Col Route.bikehikeskifish this video shows some Summit shots but also will give everyone an idea of video from a Hobbyist(still amazing stuff though) vs. Broadcast Quality Video seen on this show.

 

[dms]

The sherpas are amazing as well, carrying all the supplies, setting ropes, setting up camps, cooking, even carrying the disabled "climbers" down for rescue. Without them there is no story to film.

 

[bikehikeskifish]

.HERE is a link to a Video a friend of mine took this Spring on the North Col Route.bikehikeskifish this video shows some Summit shots but also will give everyone an idea of video from a Hobbyist(still amazing stuff though) vs. Broadcast Quality Video seen on this show.

Very, very nice. I almost got dizzy thinking about camping at camp 2 and higher -- those tents aren't exactly level

Tim

 

[DougPaul]

It is one thing to climb this thing let alone lug a Large Camera around and get the level of Videography seen here. Fogging lenses and freezing batteries along with self survival in a situation like this is an amazing feat.

And then there is the IMAX camera used by Breashears, Viesturs, et al. The special light-weight version of the camera weighed 40lbs and a 90 second reel of film weighed 5 lbs. And he had to bare-hand load it. Add a heavy tripod, spare batteries, etc...
http://classic.mountainzone.com/climbing/everest/imax/

I don't have cable, so I cannot watch this series. But even if one finds the story line unappealing, I'll bet the backgrounds are very nice...

HERE is a link to a Video

Nice.

Doug

 

[keb]

I thought it was great. Not sure if I was meant to be lumped in as one of the cynics who were not held enough as a child (?) but I enjoyed both episodes. The filming is terrific and I just love being able to get that familiar with a place I will never go. I've been above 18 and 20K, but nothing like Everest. My main criticism of the first episode was the absence of recognition for the role the sherpas play. They definitely remedied that in the second episode.

The reality TV aspects seemed less, or maybe I'm just getting used to it. I like the drama of the team keeping their summit date secret to avoid a traffic jam more then what happens to the motorcycle guy. That said, I do give him credit for making up for his earlier nap.

I'm waiting to see if the Dane with asthma succeeds in summiting without oxygen! Another week of waiting............

 

[sleeping bear]

I'm having a tough time supporting anything involving Russell Brice (Expedition Leader), see attached link.
http://www.mounteverest.net/news.php?news=15288

I watched the first week's episode out of the corner of my eye while doing other things. I read the linked article above a couple of days ago and then watched the second episode last night. I'll probably keep watching it, but...

My question is, are Brice and his guides going to climb with their team or just watch them from ABC through a telescope the whole time? I'd say it's quesionable to let Tim the motorcycle man to go to Camp 1 with just 1 sherpa after he's already been having health problems. What would they do if he got really sick and needed to be rescued. Isn't that what clients pay for? To have a guide or someone there with them?

 

[Chip]

Pretty pictures and more power to them if that's what they want to do (was and is my impression) but I did find it odd that the other teams were referred to as "the competition" and that the early ascent plans might add that much more profit to the leader. As far as risk goes, the one guy was a fire-fighter who had drempt of this since he was a child, another guy survived the Hells Angels, a near fatal accident and has a successful business to finance the trip (albeit with a bag of cash ), so this is probably not that far out of line for them. Better than blowing their money or lives on drugs or gambling.

Accusations of "cosa nostra" secrecy, sub-standard oxygen, stolen gear and cut lines are certainly disturbing, but as long as guiding for a fee is legal, there's going to be purists complaining about tactics and guides looking for more business.

As far as people dying up there, space flight is safer, so death is an accepted risk by anyone. It looked like it took 15 of them and additional 2 1/2 hours to get that 1 guy from India down to ABC. Where was his team ? I'd understand if a team leader put a priority on his own members.

 

[dvbl]

You heard right.

Any type of "oil" in the prescense of compressed O2 gas can lead to an explosion. Never try to "lubricate" the threads on an O2 tank (which may be tempting to do at -40) or it will explode. I don't know enough of the science behind it to explain why (someone here much smarter than me could explain it), but we were warned early and often in EMT class the dangers of mixing any hydrocarbon with our medical oxygen bottles.

By the way, Sherpas rule to the max.
Smitty

Not passing this off as my own knowledge. This is taken from an "Oxygen Therapy" website.
Where things get really devastating though are where you combine oxygen with any form of hydrocarbon. Grease, oil, WD40, CRC, tape adhesives, alcohol - all wonderfully flammable things. If any of these substances find themselves in the workings of an oxygen cylinder valve or regulator, the resulting combination is technically called "a bomb". The detonator is the handle of the oxygen cylinder valve. Just turn it on, and pure oxygen rushes out of the cylinder with a pressure equivalent to the compression stroke on a diesel engine. The pressure first disperses and then compresses the hydrocarbon, but unlike an engine which runs on 21% oxygen, this is the pure stuff. The force created by even a tiny smear of WD40 going off has to be seen to be believed.

 

[bikehikeskifish]

Episode Three tonight 10pm

Don't forget: Episode 3 tonight at 10pm...

Tim

 

[likeitsteep]

thanks for the heads up every week. if it wasn't for you, i'd always miss it.

 

[Artex]

Just FYI for those of you who go to bed early: they reair the episodes on Friday at 8pm. I happened to catch it at that time last week. I'll chime in and say I really enjoyed the show. Well produced and fun to watch.

 

[Chip]

Aside from the storyline on this show my hats off to the guys that did the filming. There is some incredible quality in the filiming of alot of the on mountain climbing IMO. It is one thing to climb this thing let alone lug a Large Camera around and get the level of Videography seen here. Fogging lenses and freezing batteries along with self survival in a situation like this is an amazing feat.

I agree. It's easy to forget there's someone doing as much climbing PLUS all the work invloved with filming.

HERE is a link to a Video a friend of mine took this Spring on the North Col Route.bikehikeskifish this video shows some Summit shots but also will give everyone an idea of video from a Hobbyist(still amazing stuff though) vs. Broadcast Quality Video seen on this show.

This is an excellent video, I could watch film like that for hours. It looks like they had a perfect day.

 

[Orsonab]

I have to admit that I'm hooked, dubious ethics aside. I thought the first episode was actually the worst with it's cheesy narration; this seems to have slackened off a bit and the series has really improved over the last couple of episodes.

And yes, hats off to the camera crew who are working that much harder than the climbers themselves. I had the great fortune to film a documentary for a friend about rafting in the ANWAR and well remember having to race up a hill with a 16mm camera & tripod, grab a bucolic shot of the raft serenely floating down the river below us and then packing up and racing down the hill again in order to catch up with that same raft as the guide slowly chuckled to himself. Hard work but beats the hell out of working at the MuckyD's.

 

[Chip]

Watched it, taped it and will watch it again. FWIW, it's a heck of alot better TV than what's normally available. It would be interesting to see the un-cut version of this; there was only fleeting glimpses and references to the abandoned tents, tanks, garbage and, sadly, bodies there.

I liked that they followed last night with that "Man vs Wild" dude getting dropped of on a glacier and making references to Everest. He's got a decent resume.

 

[bikehikeskifish]

One thing is clear to me -- the camera guys are with the "climbers" the whole way so far. They have not switched to the "Sherpa cams". I'm curious to see if they will, as they actually summit. Next week we'll probably see the beginnings of the traffic jams on the top. They can't summit too quickly or they wouldn't have much material for the last show or two.

Have to feel for Brett (the fireman) -- dream crushed 2nd time around, although he got higher. He does point out the first rule of being a super-elite (athlete, Olympian, cyclist, etc.) -- Pick your parents I know, I love mine, but they gave me crap for genes

I was pleased they paid homage to the fallen members of the class of 1996. That was the worst year on the mountain, and the subject of Into Thin Air.

Tim

 

[DougPaul]

One thing is clear to me -- the camera guys are with the "climbers" the whole way so far. They have not switched to the "Sherpa cams".

The Sherpas may not have operated the cameras, but it is likely that they carried the cameras, camera gear, and/or camera supplies up and down the mountain. If there are scenes with a close-up of someone's mirror glasses, take a look at the reflection--you might see a bunch of people behind the camera.

On such films, a number of the camera operators, riggers, etc are often well known professional climbers. For instance, a number of well-known British climbers were used for the Eiger scenes in the Eiger Sanction. (One died.) Read the credits.

Doug