Meru - Cool Mountain Climbing Documentary

Woodwork

Woodwork

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Just found a really cool film about some attempts to climb Meru -- a mountain that had never been climbed -- led by Conrad Anker, one of the greats, who also discovered the body of George Mallory on Everest. (Mallory was killed on Everest in 1924, but it's not known whether he ever reached the summit; if he had, he would have done it almost 30 years before Hillary and Norgay.)

I don't know how many of you all are mountain climbers as well as tree climbers but the topic has always interested me.

Anyway, this film has some GREAT footage and interesting commentary. You can watch it here:

tubitv.com

Meru (2015)

Visually stunning and emotionally powerful chronicle of the obsessive drive of 3 climbers set to take on the dangerous Mount Meru in the Himalayas.
tubitv.com tubitv.com

These guys are definitely hard core.

Jeff
 
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I love reading and watching films about mountain climbing unlike my ex, who sent me this text a year or two ago when there was a big traffic jam on Everest making the news:

"I'm so sick of Mt Everest climbers.
It's so 1990s. Litter and trash and overpriced gear.
Just shut up people. Fly over it and look down. Lame!"

:LOL:
 
Yeah, I'm not much of a climber myself, all I know is that what looks "steep" from below looks insane when you're on it!

Another madman, Dan Osman, may he RIP (I may have posted this before; if so, apologies):

 
Bob Bob said:
Meru is a great documentary. I've owned the DVD for years and have watched it many times. The hardships they overcame to acheive their goal is amazing.
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X2. Jimmy Chin is a National Geographic photographer amongst many other things and was the main cinematographer for Free Solo. A super cool guy in every way.
 
Yeah, about halfway through, I realized I had watched it before. Just as riveting the second time through.

I was especially impressed by the pitch they called "the house of cards" near the top, where it was all this broken up huge blocks of what looked like andesite, that rang as if it was hollow and was ready to come crashing down at any time...crazy.
 
ghostice said:
These climbers are amazing. Another of my favourites is Ueli Steck's climb of N face of the Eiger in 2 hrs, 22 min (gasp!). Sometime if you're ever there, or even at the Hotel Bellevue des Alpes Kleine Scheidegg at the base, look up and see what a truly amazing feat this was. Hats off to these folks ! RIP Ueli.
Eiger Speed Climb
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Scenery there is impressive! Years ago, did a ski vacation to the Jungfraujoch, rode the Jungfrau Railway, etc. We stayed on the outskirts of Interlaken (elev. 560m), which makes looking up at a nearby 4000m peak quite a sight.
 
Somewhere I read (maybe in the New Yorker) a real interesting story about climbers attempting the most difficult route up El Capitan in California. Apparently there's one side of that thing that offers almost nothing for you to hold onto -- it sounds like a vertical wall of glass-smooth granite -- and getting up it was a real job...

ETA: I just looked for the story to provide a link...it may be about Alex Honnold's free solo climb of El Capitan...
 
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Woodwork said:
Somewhere I read (maybe in the New Yorker) a real interesting story about climbers attempting the most difficult route up El Capitan in California. Apparently there's one side of that thing that offers almost nothing for you to hold onto -- it sounds like a vertical wall of glass-smooth granite -- and getting up it was a real job...

ETA: I just looked for the story to provide a link...it may be about Alex Honnold's free solo climb of El Capitan...
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I watched Free Solo on an IMAX screen. Best format ever, for that film.

I love Jimmy Chin. All those guys are super cool, but Jimmy is my favorite. I wish movies were just about him, but he's too modest.
 
Dan Cobb said:
Scenery there is impressive! Years ago, did a ski vacation to the Jungfraujoch, rode the Jungfrau Railway, etc. We stayed on the outskirts of Interlaken (elev. 560m), which makes looking up at a nearby 4000m peak quite a sight.
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Wengen and Murren are outa sight beautiful, as is Zermatt and also Val Tournache over the divide in IT. I was so impressed with the Swiss electric rail and lift systems that even let an 80 yr old couple out (with canes) on high mountain trails one Sunday, when my wife and I were out too. Here in Western Cant-ada we seem to have a philosophy of exclusion in our mountain parks areas, making access longer and more difficult, highly regulated (insanely so) with allsorts of rotating area closures and more and more expensive with all manner of user fees and permits and campground fees etc. It is totally exclusionary, whereas the Alps are inclusive for all to enjoy (and some of the Italian huts have showers!!!). And if you go, clubs like the Austrian Alpine Club - UK Chapter offer inexpensive membership add ons that give you insurance for medevac if you ever needed it, as well as Swiss hut discounts etc. They have a marvellous system over there, in addition to great scenery. Another fav is the Aiguille du midi cable car at Chamonix-Mont-Blanc. Skiing off the Aiguille du midi is awesome, as is the Haute Route. Multiple trips and years passed by and I am still totally blown away.
 
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