Everest Beyond the Limit on Discovery

[Keith_Henson]

Watched the tivo'd first episode of Everest: Beyond the Limit last night on the Discovery channel A mountaineering soap opera, it was pretty riveting--especially if you can skip the commercials.

 

 

 

 

EPISODE 1: SUMMIT DREAMS

Tuesday, Nov. 14, at 10 p.m. ET/PT

 

At three miles above sea level, the base of Mount Everest is already higher than any mountain in the Rockies. Since the human body needs to adjust slowly to rising altitude, it is a huge effort just to begin the climb. The expedition team makes seven overnight stops to get to Base Camp (BC) on the mountain's northern face and will take a full month to acclimatize their bodies before they attempt the summit. The air is thin and the climbers feel physically weak, but the camaraderie is strong.

 

As the team moves to Advanced Base Camp (ABC) at 21,000 feet to begin acclimatization climbs, they are shocked to discover how badly their minds and bodies cope. The air is so thin at ABC that helicopter evacuation is impossible.

 

The expedition members begin climbs up to a ridge at 23,000 feet called the North Col, scaling 1,000-foot ice cliffs along the way.

 

EPISODE 2: THE GATEKEEPER

Tuesday, Nov. 21, at 10 p.m. ET/PT

 

At ABC, more than 600 climbers prepare for summit attempts. All the climbers on Russell Brice's expedition must prove they're strong enough to climb from ABC to the North Col in less than five hours or he will not allow them to continue. Bouts of bronchitis and other altitude-related ailments call into question whether some climbers will be forced to head back to BC.

 

Carrying almost half their body weight in ropes, gear and oxygen, six Sherpas from Russell's team are sent ahead to rig four miles of safety ropes to the summit as the rest of the team continues to acclimatize.

 

Russell, who religiously checks weather forecasts every six hours, spots a period of light winds in two weeks' time that looks ideal for an early summit attempt. To make this window, however, he'll have to push both his Sherpas and climbers extra hard to be ready two weeks early. More than 130 bottles of oxygen and 90 tents will need to be shifted in preparation for moving up to the North Col — all without tipping off other teams at ABC. And, with a few team members continuing to have difficulty, Russell has tough decisions to make as summit day approaches.

 

EPISODE 3: TO THE SUMMIT

Tuesday, Nov. 28, at 10 p.m. ET/PT

 

With all high camps ready and a promising forecast, Russell splits the group into two teams for the five-day, 8,000-foot summit climb from ABC. The strongest climbers are assigned to Team One guided by Bill Crouse, including L.A. firefighter Brett Merrell, ER doctor Terry O'Connor and asthmatic climber Mogens Jensen. Led by guide Mark Woodward, Team Two includes double amputee Mark Inglis, Hollywood biker Tim Medvetz and Lebanese climber Max Chaya.

 

Sherpas will climb alongside the teams, and they are the climbers' best hope for survival if they get into trouble.

 

After leaving ABC, the climbers will spend one night in each of four high camps. Just after Camp 3, they will reach the death zone at 26,000 feet, where there is 70 percent less oxygen than at sea level.

 

On the eve of their departure, Russell strongly warns the group of the very real dangers that lie ahead. He reinforces that the Sherpas are not there to die for anyone's personal ambitions or ego — and warns them that he will withdraw the Sherpas if any of the climbers disobey his orders and put them in danger.

 

After taping personal videos for their loved ones, the teams set off in good spirits, but on the climb from Camp 1 to Camp 2, Brett begins to struggle. Will the firefighter be forced to abandon his summit dreams for a second year in a row, or will he continue, determined to place a flag at the summit to salute his comrades who perished on 9/11?

 

The climbers face extreme difficulties as they move from camp to camp. Will Mogens, an asthmatic, be able to cope without oxygen? Can Tim, consistently slower than the others and suffering from bronchitis, make it to the high camps? How will Mark's lack of mobility affect him? And will Russell's gamble on an early summit bid pay off for the team?

 

EPISODE 4: INTO THE DEATH ZONE

Tuesday, Dec. 5, at 10 p.m. ET/PT

 

Team One is the first to head into the death zone, where the extreme altitude shuts down digestion and the body starts to consume its own muscle tissue for energy.

 

After only a few hours at the top camp, Team One leaves in the darkness at 1 a.m. for the summit. Almost immediately, they are caught in a frustrating human traffic jam that stops them in their tracks. If they can't pass some of the slow climbers on the ropes ahead of them, they could run out of time…and oxygen.

 

The episode vividly shows the backups that occur at the top of Everest — a shocking row of people lined up on safety ropes — and the potentially fatal risks that inexperienced climbers pose to everyone on the mountain. As frostbite sets in and oxygen tanks empty, will Team One be able to summit and descend safely?

 

EPISODE 5: MUTINY ON THE MOUNTAIN

Tuesday, Dec. 12, at 10 p.m. ET/PT

 

Members of Team One cope with the aftermath of their summit attempts. Many climbers are in danger from frostbite in the minus 40 degree F temperatures.

 

Russell instructs Team Two, now at the top camp and ready to begin their summit attempt, to leave two hours early to try to beat the traffic. Although this might help, it also means an extra two hours in the elements before the sun rises on a very cold day. While some climbers make a strong start, others immediately struggle.

 

Two of the team's slower climbers create havoc on the mountain when they refuse to obey Russell's orders. Because 80 percent of all climbing accidents happen on descent, Russell and others in the lower camps become gravely concerned.

 

EPISODE 6: THE FINAL COST

Tuesday, Dec. 19, at 10 p.m. ET/PT

 

As everyone descends, the entire team suffers from the extreme cold. Frostbite affects more climbers on Russell's expedition than ever before.

 

For each one who made the trek, whether or not they made the summit, the most important trip will be the one home. The climbers reflect on this year's expedition and whether or not they'll return to the mountain.

 

Everest: Beyond the Limit

[genepires]

was on again this friday night at 8pm on discovery channel as well for you that don't feel like staying up that late.

 

Not a big fan of the everest books but i thought that this was a good show. So far not a lot of attitude and "radness" drama that one would expect after "into thin air". They had a rescue filmed of some guy with pulm edema which was informative to see how messed up one can get.

[Couloir]

I understand that Doc lives here in Portland and works up at OHSU. Chad, you work up there don't you? Do you know this cat?

[OrganDonor]

Looks like a pretty decent show. I'm curious if that dude with all the steel is gonna summit. Must be pretty painful trying to make it to the top with over 30 screws holding various body parts together, a couple plates, and a steel cage around your spine.

[scheissami]

Terry's a classmate of mine in the Emergency Medicine residency program at OHSU. Nice guy, with a good deal of experience in the Cascades; he was a ranger at Ranier for several seasons. If you live in PDX, a group of us are getting together at a bar in Multnomah Village to watch the shows every Tuesday night; PM me if you want more info.

[Lambone]

It was pretty good. kinda boring. you can tell they are making it into a reality type show drama.

 

if you missed it, here is the highlight:

 

"We are in Basecamp, I can't fucking breath up here and I feel like crap."

 

with about 10 commercials in between each scene.

[BillA]

Did anyone catch the final show? How about that French guys frostbite, pretty wicked. Hey scheissami, did we meet at the bar? I was there for half the episodes...

 

Bill

[Dr_Flush_Amazing]

 

NEVERnevernever........EVEReverever.........RESTrestrestrest....

 

 

 

[BillA]

Oh man, I've been saying that for weeks in a computer voice.

[gslater]

NEVERnevernever........EVEReverever.........RESTrestrestrest....

 

 

LOL. My wife is sick of me walking around the house repeating that over and over. Was sorta glad to see Frenchie lose some flesh; he was kind of an ass.

[prole]

Sickening Darwinian clusterfuck. "Get out of my way, I'm trying to summit, get out of my way I'm trying to get down, stop trying to save my life I have to get a picture for my sponsor!". Nothing to do with climbing.

[BillA]

Sickening Darwinian clusterfuck. "Get out of my way, I'm trying to summit, get out of my way I'm trying to get down, stop trying to save my life I have to get a picture for my sponsor!". Nothing to do with climbing.

 

Yeah, it really didn't seem to have too much to do with climbing. If things continue to go the way they are, and the standard routes keep getting more and more commercial traffic with people that have no clue what's going on, it's only a matter of time until some disaster way worse than 1996 (or this year) happens.

[gslater]

If things continue to go the way they are, and the standard routes keep getting more and more commercial traffic with people that have no clue what's going on, it's only a matter of time until some disaster way worse than 1996 (or this year) happens.

 

It's easy to envision a scenario with a couple of dozen people taking a big ride when their "fixed" line becomes not-so-fixed in response to someone falling. Everyone is so casual and out of it that I'm sure they'd all just get popped off the mountain.

[Valid ASB]

the show was pretty good but i thought it was really geared for the non climbing crowd. it did however remind me why i have no desire to climb everest. the mountain is dangerous enough but the people on it are just out of control.

 

btw - i was a bit confused about the climber who was left dying high on the mountain. i thought this was the autralian who was left for dead recently but ended up living. ABC did a big special on him and his family. i guess have some people mixed up

[JayB]

Seems like any guided climb would be just about as distasteful as the circus on Everest. Abdicate your responsibility for planning, skill, fitness, decision-making, routefinding, looking after each other, etc and what have you got left?

 

 

Seems like it'd be about as meaningful and satisfying as fly-fishing excursion where someone else hooks the fish and then hands you the rod.

[gslater]

Abdicate your responsibility for planning, skill, fitness, decision-making, routefinding, looking after each other, etc and what have you got left?

 

Would probably be cheaper just to hire someone to whip you while you spend a couple of months nearly non-stop on a Stairmaster.

[jimlup]

Abdicate your responsibility for planning, skill, fitness, decision-making, routefinding, looking after each other, etc and what have you got left?

 

Would probably be cheaper just to hire someone to whip you while you spend a couple of months nearly non-stop on a Stairmaster.

 

And add ... in a freezer with your head covered in a plastic bag. Thanks for the funny post.

[ryland_moore]

No, I believe there was a nother climber later in the season who was saved in a similar state, which brought more attention to Gary and crew becasue people were second-guessing his decision to leave the climber.

 

Bottom line, if you get yourself up there you'd better be able to get yourself back down or at least have a crew of sherpas to help you (not my belief, but standard practice on that hill...).

[OrganDonor]

Alls I can say is the last show as raw.

[Hendershot]

If you missed any episodes, they are doing a marathon on Dec 24th at 5pm. The hero of the whole show was Phurba, the head Sherpa. Phurba's team set all the fixed ropes that other teams used and saved Tim and Gerard's life. I'm not going to say much more for those who haven't seen it.

[OrganDonor]

Yeah the sherpas are insane. I couldnt imagine setting ropes on any mountain with a 120 pound pack on my back, much less Everest.

[gslater]

I'd climb with Phurba. That dude is a badass.

[TrogdortheBurninator]

My favorite lines

 

Phurba: "Tiiiim, you are soooo lazy"

 

two days later

 

Tim: "I'm heading up again next year with Phurba"

[prole]

Alls I can say is the last show as raw.

 

Yeah, nothing quite like watching people die before your eyes on TeeVee! We have officially entered the "Running Man" era of reality television.

 

One would hope that seeing all the garbage, fixed lines and bad attitudes would steer people away, but judging by the spike in the "climbing partners" forum in the wake of the Hood accident, it appears unlikely. Hey doctors, lawyers, and former Hell's Angels Ayn Rand fans, set your sights on bouldering V12 instead!

[Maestro]

I couldn't stand to watch that show as it aired. I had to tape it and watch it later so I could ff through the endless commercials. Has anyone timed the actual show time vs. the commercial time for that hour??