My father, David Isles, just died three weeks ago, never having seen this, to my knowledge. He talked about the film crew, and made attempts to find it, but I guess we neglected to check youtube often enough. I look forward to viewing this many times. Thanks! And hello to the families of other climbers, and the surviving climbers, themselves.
Condolences, Matt, on the loss of your father. Anyone committed to high altitude mountaineering is incredibly disciplined and almost superhuman. Preserve his equipment and treasure the memory.
@matthewisles6497 I am so sorry for your loss, Matthew. I'm sure your father had so many stories! Everest is not for the faint-hearted...I have the greatest admiration for those who've managed to conquer such a personal challenge - and survive the experience. High altitude mountaineers are a special breed of people! I sincerely hope that you can find solace in your grief. Kindest regards, from Australia.
Hi Matthew, I'd be happy to send you a DVD of this incase RUclips ever decides to take it down. They already have twice and I've had to battle out the supposed copyright issues, successfully so far. Our whole goal of uploading this is to share it with the world, and hopefully, any surviving climbers and their family. I'm glad you found the video, and am sorry to hear of the passing of your father. If you have Facebook or Instagram let me know your account so I can get your address privately and send you a DVD. Warm regards, David.
Thanks for uploading this video. I am so glad to see my late father in the video. He was in the Sherpa team and I still have some of his equipment from that expedition.
From watching these documentaries, older & recent ones, it appears to me, The Sherpas are used to the high altitude and can handle the mountain better than the most experienced climbers. They know when a climber needs to turn back too.
Wow, thank you so, so, much for uploading this. My father (Ned Kelly) was part of this expedition and was mainly behind the camera, but I have never seen this, what a christmas present. I was just going through notes I took about his life, he met Carlo Mauri in Italy 3 years before they took on this challenge. I've heard stories growing up about the loss of life and how incredibly difficult this was to shoot. We continue to be family friends with the one of the amazing Sherpas from this trek and their family to this day. My father passed in 2014 but this is so great to have and be able to watch whenever on RUclips ☺️
Your father gave this video to my good friend Dr. David Peterson, just before he passed away. We've worked so hard to find the families of these climbers to share it with them! This video exists online only because of your father. I am so happy to see this message from you! David has only the best things to say of your father.
You must be proud. I enjoyed the video as well. Shame about the american guys, who have been offered the adventure of a life time and moan about it (It was funny).. The production team really captured the whole spirit of the enterprise.
@@davidj87 great to hear! I’m so happy he at least had some time to get all his ducks in order before passing. As to your kind offer of the DVD we actually have one at my mother’s home, but as I live abroad, being able to access it via RUclips is incredibly handy without a DVD player, I haven’t been able to watch in full until now! Also feel free to message me if there is anything missing or anything of great interest. I’m looking at a few dvds now while I’m home and we have ‘magnificent mountain’, ‘Everest the hard way’ and most interestingly I’ve just seen a vhs titled Ned Kelly- ‘Sherpas of Everest’ 1971 (v poor condition). We’ve made sure to keep all of his documentation and piles of videotapes safe and sound, so we can still rustle around from time to time.
I started binging on Everest docs during Covid and can’t get enough. I’ve seen so many that I’m starting to recognize individual snowflakes on the mountain.
@@iluvweezies5688 I know about one person working for BBC I think, Polish, he was a cameraman over there, with climbing background so he was experienced in mountains. His name is Jerzy Surdel, he started climbing in 1951 (wikipedia).
I don't know if it was ever compiled but the American Jim Whittaker expedition of 1975 on K2's West Ridge is still to this day considered the greatest and most meticulous footage of high altitude climbing ever. The main cameraman climbed alongside or above climbers every time they went up. It almost looks staged. You could essentially teach someone to climb a big mountain with that footage. I haven't found much of it but there is supposedly footage the entire climb and it is just mind blowing to consider the undertaking, even these days. Some of it can be seen in The Savage Mountain at around 22:14. ruclips.net/video/TtykciWjKOk/видео.html
Only a few minutes in and clear that this is the best documentary about Everest that I've ever seen, and I've seen many. Also fascinating and sobering about how world culture has changed, and of course the culture of climbing. These people seem to have mostly really worked, sometimes for years, hard long hours at jobs that aren't high paying, to make the trip. They also show much greater awareness of the wealth gap between them and the Sherpa people who are helping them and making it possible. And ar a time when the wealth gap was much smaller than it is now, drastically so. It's much easier to respect these mountaineers than it is what's going on now. Their comments foreshadow what was to come, though I doubt even the most insightful among them could have fully imagined the present state of things, only because it would have been unthinkable to them.
Recently been watching Everest documentaries and films. This is one of the best Everest film I have seen so far. Absolutely harsh reality of climbing the mountain in circumstances where none of the fancy equipment exists. Full credit to Sherpas, they have heart, strength and stamina which one have no words to describe, respect to them. Amazing.
The footage of Whillans striding down the mountain like he was out on a Sunday hike, after three weeks pushing the route and producing a bottle of whisky is golden. As usual, started the expedition out of condition.but ended as the last man standing
Best documentary film ever! Camera work is incredible. Music soundtrack is so good I could listen to this with my eyes closed. I don't want to hate or judge any of these team members. I just can't picture myself at any stage in my life trying something so filled with danger, hardship and pain.
Watching this expedition that took place in 1971, now in 2021, fifty years ago, is pretty cool. The clothing, equipment, food, communication, and climbing techniques have changed so much since then. Thanks for uploading.
@@bonniebates185here in Brasil the peoples don't remove the cigaretes mouth and not respect medic order sadly this is true where live the cementery be full don't exist more space because he was construction in a place wrong next the an lake they the bodies stay obe above of others when my grandmother died give much work the place was tight
@@GreencampRhodie"Ouch!" Yah gotta have some A- alpha males out there , they. usually don't function well with too many in the same room, as they're in the "ether zone" And they tend to suck all the oxygen out , leaving little for anyone else! Lol
Something about the way the photographer so diligently panned from lower to higher, finally showed me the true mind numbing distances on this mountain. It makes all of the climbers who ever attempt it even more worthy of respect for me. .
At the first 8', I can say the porters are the heroes of the expedition! 3 week trek barefoot with immense loads off their heads- that is just super human achievement!! Thanks for posting this gem!
Hearing the listing of all the supplies was so interesting...no wonder so many people were required to carry it all!! An expensive adventure, to be sure! Of the numerous climbing videos I have been watching, it is this one from which I have learned the most...the narrative is fascinating! Video footage is the most challenging on RUclips!! After seeing all the difficulties and danger of descending with a dead, frozen body, I understand why Mt. Everest has become a human cemetery...too dangerous to recover the bodies...tragic reality. It seems to take as much courage to turn back as to keep moving up the mountain. Sherpas are awesome...beyond words!! Interesting that Sherpas were not described "climbers." With the realization that money is now the mountaineering qualifier, rather than advanced skill, I understand why the well established, most successful route has become such an overcrowded "highway' to the top...complete with traffic jams!! Thanks you so much for posting this video...much appreciated!!!
I've spent the day (I'm home sick) watching documentaries on Everest. Three things struck me about this one. 1. One of the men on the plane, flying to Nepal, talking about how it has taken five years to save the $500 "buy-in" for the trip. How his wife was left with $30 in her pocket and looking for a job. Today, 65K will buy you a spot in an expedition to Everest. Boggles the brain. 2. The amount of snow on the ground in this documentary as opposed to 2019. It's like a different mountain. 3. The elitist, colonial attitude of so many of the climbers towards the Sherpas. Thank you so much for providing this look into the 1970's.
@@juanitaduval9856recently died eigh mountaineers exist they been next ok peak and happen one avalanche I see on shorts here in RUclips I don't understand nothing of mountain but stay sad I don't judge they payment for one dream too went be recognize that is possible come up and overcome limit
@@RosettaStoned462 Back then it was about national pride. Teams from many different nations seeing who could get to the top first for that season. I feel no sympathy for the individuals who aren't real mountaineers, who go to be the first woman from their country who did this , or the first man from any country who would be the first either. They think of the mountain top being the only goal, they might make it, but then collapse and die on the way back down. Climbing any mountain.. The top is only halfway, if you don't realize that, you deserve to die and they do.
A great film. Love watching these older films and they really highlight the history and danger of climbing the Himalaya. I'm afraid I cannot understand how they can leave family and friends realizing they have a 1 in 10 chance of dying. Watched Chris Bonington's 1975 expedition where one died. They were happy to have got to the summit and on the other hand...oh well sad to lose a climber. Can't fathom it.
Chris Bonington wrote one of the best books ever about expedition leadership - accept you will make mistakes own up the them then move on , it was his life's dream to summit Everest , but he new as team leader firstly that was not his job his job was overall command and control he sacrificed his chance because he new he had better climbers in his team that stood the best chance now that is true courage
True Adventurers paving another path... some hard times. Truly an endurance test pushing themselves mentally, physically and spiritually... the mountain does not care it just goes on existing... nature in the raw... Excellent film by the way...
My dad (Dr. Duane Blume) was one of the climbers that met the plane. It is great to see this uploaded and in such a better state than the video we have. Must of came from you many years ago. Would love to have it on DVD. It is also great to see all the children of these climbers commenting. ❤
Wonderful documentary. What makes me sad is seeing how much snow has disappeared since the 70s. In the 70's the mountain and surrounding glaciers was covered in snow and now it's mostly rock. Sherpas are horrified from seeing dead climbers emerge from the ice.
The clouds produce the snow. The summit is above the clouds so most of that snow is from the hurricane winds blowing all the snow around. Although yes glacier is melting from global weather after the 70s.
Have watched countless documentaries and films on mountain climbing, and this is by far the best. Minimal musical soundtrack, instead the sounds of the expedition as they tackled the southwest ridge. Also worth noting the voice over for language spoken other than English, as opposed to Closed Caption. Amazing footage. Remarkable beings. Thank you for sharing this.
The best Everest documentary I've seen, & I've seen them all. The last real mountaineers that tried to climb the mountain. Now everything is done by the amazing Sherpas. That's why so many ppl can now submit everest, bc the Sherpas literally do ALL the work. While the so called mountaineers sleep the day away, & don't have to carry anything but themselves to the summit. The Sherpas are definitely the Kinfs of Everest! Great documentary!
Nepalese also are inclined physically to mountains with more oxygen in there blood. Generations of them evolved like as if a human evolved a third eye somehow. But they literally have more oxygen in there blood which takes away one of the biggest risks
Complete ignorant BS. Plenty of elite western climbers still climb Everest alpine style, aka alone without any Sherpa. The Sherpa set the ropes and carry supplies for the tourist climbers but it's still damn hard to get to the top, the Sherpa aren't carrying the tourists. I'm tired of this same 'Sherpa do all the work' comments on every video. People act like they are slaves when they get paid way way more than the average salary, that's why they do it.
1:22:52. And the Whiskey dude, don't be forgetting the whiskey lol Now, I'm fairly confident that between the two of us ..... if we re-watch the video carefully we'll be able to find that scene on the South Col, where they're all hitting the crack pipe before the final push to the summit.
@@HonestJunkie They probably were using coca leaf (maybe even cocaine) on this expedition. I know Mallory's era used coca leaf as it alleviates some of the symptoms of elevation sickness. I recall reading somewhere that opioids were commonly carried as well, both of which make way more sense than alcohol or cigarettes, lol. Think it was just codeine as going for a strong opiate that greatly depresses respiration is probably not a great idea at these elevations. So its quite possible it was being used here, as no one really looked down upon coca alkaloids until it became a fashionable drug in the West during the mid-70's-early 80's.
@@HonestJunkie you don’t know what you are talking about mate! Stop talking about things you have only read in books. Don Whillans (The Whisky guy) as someone called him and Dougal Haston are amongst the greatest mountaineers of their time. They didn’t need cocaine to climb you fool!
@@paulcawkwell5804 WTF!?!?!? DUDE ..... You gotta be fucking with me here ?!?!? I've just re-read my comment, to be sure (I mean it was a month ago) ... You know I was joking right??? You can't possibly believe that I was seriously suggesting they _smoked Crack on the South Col before setting off for the Summit_ ?!?!? You need to get rid of that broomstick you got jammed up ya arse dude ... live a little man, maybe you'll learn to laugh one day.
@@hellosweetheart3350 yup looks like the team which was climbing was hit by storm and he might have been exposed to severe cold and suffered frostbites and altitude sickness. He tried to go up to summit 6 years earlier on his previous expedition but failed due to a storm . This was his second and last attempt as shown in video ,maybe he pushed his body too far not realising the differences the last 6 years had on his body from his previous summit attempt. Sadly his brother suffered the same fate after 14 years climbing the same route .
@@harshtiwari7503 thankyou for explain what happened so sad that over time two brothers lost there lives on same part of Everest prayers go to there family 🙏🙏
Climbed two 6,000m (Chimborazo and Denali). Denali was my most strenuous, terrifying, and rewarding climb of all. Take my hat off to anyone with the skills and courage to climb eight-thousanders.
Really enjoyable. I’ve seen many films about Everest and that was by far one of the best even if they didn’t summit. Never seen so many sherpas featured, wow, the logistics.
1:03:35 Think about how crazy this is in perspective. This dude was pissed because his expedition was taking the "easy" route, because a whole Twenty Three climbers had ever made it to the summit from that route and so that was old and tired to him. lol. Almost five thousand people have summitted via that route now.
Or think how crazy today is from this perspective. Climbers of that day emphasized the Alpinist ideal of climbing either new peaks or new routes. What occurs on Everest today is more or less just another example of adventure tourism.
It’s funny how so many ppl are willing to save for the large amount of money just to be able to climb this mountain. But I belong in the small portion of ppl where even if you pay me, I wouldn’t do it.
I'd Iike to be at the top - I love snow, snow covered scenery etc and the view of being above the clouds - but I have no interest in the climbing part. If someone could deposit me on the top for say half an hour, then retrieve me, I'd be perfectly happy.
It takes a very brave and dedicated person to climb Everest. I have always been fascinated by the mountain and the people who risk their lives to climb it. I can't imagine what goes through climbers minds when they pass the bodies of people who died like Green boots who laid up there for years.
It’s not nearly as hard to climb as K2. There are many many bodies in the death zone probably dozens. They are frozen solid and mummified. Some have been pushed off the side into crevices etc.
Major Harsh Bahuguna's brother Major Jai Vardhan Bahuguna also died during his Everest expedition 14 years later. Strange thing they both died during their second attempt and near the same area.
Don arrives at camp 2, the Sherpa offers him coffee/tea : Don: “I got something better then that” *pulls out out whiskey* If I ever go to Everest , I am taking this guy with me, not that I drink but his sense of humor is perfect lol
these guys are WILD! today they only have 4 camps and take a longer but less dangerous route than the 6 camps in this video, these jokers were just chilling with minimal face protection and hand protection from the cold, straight BEASTS!
i'd remove the result of their attempt from the description. now i know they failed before its even started grrrr but was still an awesome documentary so thanks for the upload.
This is a great Everest documentary. They carried their comrade down the mountain 3 days, despite grave danger and at the sacrifice of their own successful climb. In modern times, it is common to leave a fallen climber where they meet demise. Some bodies are even used to identify a route.
Dont exaggerate. They remove bodies now and It was no different then. He died prior to the death zone. If he died on the summit he would have been left. Even now bodies are eventually removed
This is really a very good video. Still relatively early in the history of Everest but it does show quite well the risk, hardships and decisions that all face on any attempt to summit. I was sorry to see the French leave the way they did, but unless you have faced Everest, take care in making judgments.
Wow, thanks for putting this up. I was intrigued by the soundtrack and, without looking at the credits, could hear that signature Moody Blues sound which I found later to be the case. But I also heard Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin themes as well as something resembling Focus arrangements. If that was all the work of Renaissance then hats off to them.
As usual the sherpas are the true heroes the real mountain people. Much respect to them. The disrespectful attitude and arrogance towards them by some was disgusting. Glad the 9 left.
I was thinking exactly the same thing. What a bunch of rude condescending Sobs. The Sherpa offered him tea. Then a cup for his dumb whiskey, and that ungrateful fool didn’t even offer him a sip. Good riddance
The guy saying 'Since when do we let employees make the decisions?' Those Sherpas are way wiser at decision making on the mountain than the people they are guiding
Sherpa are naturally suited to high altitude climbing but they aren't better technical climbers or even as experienced in Alpine conditions than many foreigners are.
It was in hiding for almost 50 years. The BBC producer of this film, Ned Kelley, passed away a few years back, but before he did, he gave a DVD copy to my friend Dr. Peterson here in this film... we worked to convert it and get it put online so others could see what the experience was like before Everest became so commercialized. I believe only 20 or so people had summited the mountain prior to this expedition. I actually have a pair of the gloves from this expedition. :)
@@davidj87 well, he had a nip of whiskey when times got tuff 😁 jk..great guy, I agree with him, the food set up was stupi. And why chocolate bars?? Sugar rush then crash?
@@hellosweetheart3350 it’s very high in fat as well as sugar. Apparently it’s the most calorific thing you can eat. So it would be good to have with them.
Whether the Sherpa are paid or not, they should have a say in the route. 1) Their lives are on the line regardless of status. 2) They are the most experienced with their mountain. I’ll hold my tongue about the French.
![Kodak Black - Versatile 4 [Official Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/VcP_1Ua__vY/mqdefault.jpg)
Love these classic documentaries. No BS, just solid filmmaking.
My father, David Isles, just died three weeks ago, never having seen this, to my knowledge. He talked about the film crew, and made attempts to find it, but I guess we neglected to check youtube often enough. I look forward to viewing this many times. Thanks! And hello to the families of other climbers, and the surviving climbers, themselves.
Condolences, Matt, on the loss of your father. Anyone committed to high altitude mountaineering is incredibly disciplined and almost superhuman. Preserve his equipment and treasure the memory.
@matthewisles6497
I am so sorry for your loss, Matthew. I'm sure your father had so many stories! Everest is not for the faint-hearted...I have the greatest admiration for those who've managed to conquer such a personal challenge - and survive the experience. High altitude mountaineers are a special breed of people! I sincerely hope that you can find solace in your grief. Kindest regards, from Australia.
@@j.whiteoak6408Do you know Jesus is a messenger of God
Hi Matthew, I'd be happy to send you a DVD of this incase RUclips ever decides to take it down. They already have twice and I've had to battle out the supposed copyright issues, successfully so far. Our whole goal of uploading this is to share it with the world, and hopefully, any surviving climbers and their family. I'm glad you found the video, and am sorry to hear of the passing of your father. If you have Facebook or Instagram let me know your account so I can get your address privately and send you a DVD. Warm regards, David.
I bet it’s lovely for you to see matey
Thanks for uploading this video. I am so glad to see my late father in the video. He was in the Sherpa team and I still have some of his equipment from that expedition.
I'm happy that you found the video on here. :)
😔🏔🕊
That's great to have. The more I watch these, the more I feel the Sherpas are the best guys on the mountain.
From watching these documentaries, older & recent ones, it appears to me, The Sherpas are used to the high altitude and can handle the mountain better than the most experienced climbers. They know when a climber needs to turn back too.
How wonderful. Just lost my dad in June 2023 so I appreciate how valuable it is to see any footage or hear audio of them. All the best
Wow, thank you so, so, much for uploading this. My father (Ned Kelly) was part of this expedition and was mainly behind the camera, but I have never seen this, what a christmas present.
I was just going through notes I took about his life, he met Carlo Mauri in Italy 3 years before they took on this challenge. I've heard stories growing up about the loss of life and how incredibly difficult this was to shoot. We continue to be family friends with the one of the amazing Sherpas from this trek and their family to this day. My father passed in 2014 but this is so great to have and be able to watch whenever on RUclips ☺️
Do you climb?
Your father gave this video to my good friend Dr. David Peterson, just before he passed away. We've worked so hard to find the families of these climbers to share it with them! This video exists online only because of your father. I am so happy to see this message from you! David has only the best things to say of your father.
You must be proud. I enjoyed the video as well. Shame about the american guys, who have been offered the adventure of a life time and moan about it (It was funny).. The production team really captured the whole spirit of the enterprise.
Zkelly24... I can send you a DVD of this expedition if you would like.
@@davidj87 great to hear! I’m so happy he at least had some time to get all his ducks in order before passing. As to your kind offer of the DVD we actually have one at my mother’s home, but as I live abroad, being able to access it via RUclips is incredibly handy without a DVD player, I haven’t been able to watch in full until now!
Also feel free to message me if there is anything missing or anything of great interest. I’m looking at a few dvds now while I’m home and we have ‘magnificent mountain’, ‘Everest the hard way’ and most interestingly I’ve just seen a vhs titled Ned Kelly- ‘Sherpas of Everest’ 1971 (v poor condition).
We’ve made sure to keep all of his documentation and piles of videotapes safe and sound, so we can still rustle around from time to time.
I started binging on Everest docs during Covid and can’t get enough. I’ve seen so many that I’m starting to recognize individual snowflakes on the mountain.
Lol, I can relate.
Me too!!!
A word for the cameramen with the equipment they were using at the time: the shots, angles, flavour.... Incredible stuff
Very true
Yes yes and yes. whole film crew because how did they film from inside a crevasse?
@@iluvweezies5688 I know about one person working for BBC I think, Polish, he was a cameraman over there, with climbing background so he was experienced in mountains. His name is Jerzy Surdel, he started climbing in 1951 (wikipedia).
Present day equipment is superior, but, like you said, not the cameraman's techniques, style or flavor. This is a classic.
I don't know if it was ever compiled but the American Jim Whittaker expedition of 1975 on K2's West Ridge is still to this day considered the greatest and most meticulous footage of high altitude climbing ever. The main cameraman climbed alongside or above climbers every time they went up. It almost looks staged. You could essentially teach someone to climb a big mountain with that footage. I haven't found much of it but there is supposedly footage the entire climb and it is just mind blowing to consider the undertaking, even these days. Some of it can be seen in The Savage Mountain at around 22:14.
ruclips.net/video/TtykciWjKOk/видео.html
HOW on earth did the cameraman manage all the footage?!?
My greatest admiration !!👍👍👍👍👍❤❤
With the heavy equipment in those days that all required storage as well.
Only a few minutes in and clear that this is the best documentary about Everest that I've ever seen, and I've seen many. Also fascinating and sobering about how world culture has changed, and of course the culture of climbing. These people seem to have mostly really worked, sometimes for years, hard long hours at jobs that aren't high paying, to make the trip. They also show much greater awareness of the wealth gap between them and the Sherpa people who are helping them and making it possible. And ar a time when the wealth gap was much smaller than it is now, drastically so. It's much easier to respect these mountaineers than it is what's going on now. Their comments foreshadow what was to come, though I doubt even the most insightful among them could have fully imagined the present state of things, only because it would have been unthinkable to them.
This video displayed the size of the mountain better than any other video made about Everest.
Yes especially the angles of the climb
Crazy since they had huge cameras compared. 😅
Recently been watching Everest documentaries and films. This is one of the best Everest film I have seen so far. Absolutely harsh reality of climbing the mountain in circumstances where none of the fancy equipment exists. Full credit to Sherpas, they have heart, strength and stamina which one have no words to describe, respect to them. Amazing.
They certainly have the genes for it
The footage of Whillans striding down the mountain like he was out on a Sunday hike, after three weeks pushing the route and producing a bottle of whisky is golden.
As usual, started the expedition out of condition.but ended as the last man standing
Whillans was a beast!
I love the way these old docs are shot. I really enjoy this style of filmmaking.
That's right one backpack that's for everyone
Fully agreed.
Wish the world keep on producing people like these. They do not show too often these days.
Best documentary film ever! Camera work is incredible. Music soundtrack is so good I could listen to this with my eyes closed.
I don't want to hate or judge any of these team members. I just can't picture myself at any stage in my life trying something so filled with danger, hardship and pain.
Watching this expedition that took place in 1971, now in 2021, fifty years ago, is pretty cool. The clothing, equipment, food, communication, and climbing techniques have changed so much since then. Thanks for uploading.
Josh Stiltner::::::: Those old Arctic A frame tents were flappers in high winds but solid.
One thing that hasn't changed - the egos, arrogance & ignorance of the climbers.
Are climbers still smoking?
@@bonniebates185here in Brasil the peoples don't remove the cigaretes mouth and not respect medic order sadly this is true where live the cementery be full don't exist more space because he was construction in a place wrong next the an lake they the bodies stay obe above of others when my grandmother died give much work the place was tight
@@GreencampRhodie"Ouch!" Yah gotta have some A- alpha males out there , they. usually don't function well with too many in the same room, as they're in the "ether zone" And they tend to suck all the oxygen out , leaving little for anyone else! Lol
Something about the way the photographer so diligently panned from lower to higher, finally showed me the true mind numbing distances on this mountain. It makes all of the climbers who ever attempt it even more worthy of respect for me. .
Good old Don striding down the mountain with a bottle of whiskey like he’s out walking the dog. Legend!
At the first 8', I can say the porters are the heroes of the expedition! 3 week trek barefoot with immense loads off their heads- that is just super human achievement!! Thanks for posting this gem!
Shouldn't in t b " on their heads?"
Those were the Gurka's They were there to just carry to base camp and receive their pay and leave. They were not Sherpas but Porters that carry only
@@Mt.Everest.Sherpas are a people not a job.
one of the best climbing films ever. 49 yrs ago ..photography is amazing..Hero's all.
Seen a lot of Everest films.this was on of the best. Brilliantly filmed.
This is a good video. I was astonished, if not shocked, to see one climber casually smoking a cigarette, another lighting up a pipe! 🎉
I'd want oxygen tanks, and some very powerful Amphetamines😂
These are the times when life is Grand. Such a great documentary to give us a piece of positive history!
Know nothing of mountaineering or climbing but God damn those sherpas are badass, man. They're the real ones no doubt.
back then they weren't good climbers but they were brilliant load carriers at altitude. Now of course they are guides as well.
They're not paid nearly enough for what they do.
@@vindictivetiger how much does a Sherpa earn?
@@freileben8834 about 6 dollars a day, so sad.
The sherpa's are THE SHIT.......I give them ALL my respect.
Hearing the listing of all the supplies was so interesting...no wonder so many people were required to carry it all!! An expensive adventure, to be sure! Of the numerous climbing videos I have been watching, it is this one from which I have learned the most...the narrative is fascinating! Video footage is the most challenging on RUclips!! After seeing all the difficulties and danger of descending with a dead, frozen body, I understand why Mt. Everest has become a human cemetery...too dangerous to recover the bodies...tragic reality. It seems to take as much courage to turn back as to keep moving up the mountain. Sherpas are awesome...beyond words!! Interesting that Sherpas were not described "climbers." With the realization that money is now the mountaineering qualifier, rather than advanced skill, I understand why the well established, most successful route has become such an overcrowded "highway' to the top...complete with traffic jams!! Thanks you so much for posting this video...much appreciated!!!
I've spent the day (I'm home sick) watching documentaries on Everest. Three things struck me about this one.
1. One of the men on the plane, flying to Nepal, talking about how it has taken five years to save the $500 "buy-in" for the trip. How his wife was left with $30 in her pocket and looking for a job. Today, 65K will buy you a spot in an expedition to Everest. Boggles the brain.
2. The amount of snow on the ground in this documentary as opposed to 2019. It's like a different mountain.
3. The elitist, colonial attitude of so many of the climbers towards the Sherpas.
Thank you so much for providing this look into the 1970's.
It looks like more snow back then
Get well soon!!
@@juanitaduval9856recently died eigh mountaineers exist they been next ok peak and happen one avalanche I see on shorts here in RUclips I don't understand nothing of mountain but stay sad I don't judge they payment for one dream too went be recognize that is possible come up and overcome limit
Excellent video.. SALUTE to the Sherpas & cameramen!!
Agreed, these early cameramen did a great job with the equipment available. Sherpas? Always beast.
Hope I didn't hear "lazy bastards" directed towards some of the sherpas!!!!
This is "the Classic Everest Documentary" .One of the best Ive watched on EVerest and i devoured a lot 🙂
That was when climbing Everest was an Adventure that unique individuals undertook. Today is just about having enough money.
and ego
Gotta have an ego to do something like this.
Not all but most , climbing a new route or a difficult one is not just about having money
From the sounds of it, it was expensive then too.
@@RosettaStoned462 Back then it was about national pride. Teams from many different nations seeing who could get to the top first for that season. I feel no sympathy for the individuals who aren't real mountaineers, who go to be the first woman from their country who did this , or the first man from any country who would be the first either. They think of the mountain top being the only goal, they might make it, but then collapse and die on the way back down. Climbing any mountain.. The top is only halfway, if you don't realize that, you deserve to die and they do.
Great video. I love reading and watching all I can about Everest. That "Don't you know who I am?" climber from France is an embarrassment.
Thanks for publishing this amazing footage ... back before Everest has become sort of a Waikiki for the rich.
Don't think Everest is ever a walk in the park. But I get what you mean.
A great film. Love watching these older films and they really highlight the history and danger of climbing the Himalaya. I'm afraid I cannot understand how they can leave family and friends realizing they have a 1 in 10 chance of dying. Watched Chris Bonington's 1975 expedition where one died. They were happy to have got to the summit and on the other hand...oh well sad to lose a climber. Can't fathom it.
Chris Bonington wrote one of the best books ever about expedition leadership - accept you will make mistakes own up the them then move on , it was his life's dream to summit Everest , but he new as team leader firstly that was not his job his job was overall command and control he sacrificed his chance because he new he had better climbers in his team that stood the best chance now that is true courage
This is one of the best Everest docs I’ve ever seen. Thanks for posting!
I’m fascinated by Everest, and in awe of the people that not only attempt but summit!
I'm thinking of Irvine and Mallory...dressed back then, like they were taking a day on the Matterhorn.
They had wool an cotton gear
True Adventurers paving another path... some hard times. Truly an endurance test pushing themselves mentally, physically and spiritually... the mountain does not care it just goes on existing... nature in the raw...
Excellent film by the way...
My dad (Dr. Duane Blume) was one of the climbers that met the plane. It is great to see this uploaded and in such a better state than the video we have. Must of came from you many years ago. Would love to have it on DVD. It is also great to see all the children of these climbers commenting. ❤
That image at 42min 50sec of that valley was truly spectacular and scary as hell. Amazing programme!!
Amazing documentary, one of a kind . Thanks for sharing it
Wonderful documentary. What makes me sad is seeing how much snow has disappeared since the 70s.
In the 70's the mountain and surrounding glaciers was covered in snow and now it's mostly rock.
Sherpas are horrified from seeing dead climbers emerge from the ice.
1:18:32 Summit is bare rock
The clouds produce the snow. The summit is above the clouds so most of that snow is from the hurricane winds blowing all the snow around. Although yes glacier is melting from global weather after the 70s.
@ 20:30 Major Harsh Bahuguna earn everyone's respect.
Have watched countless documentaries and films on mountain climbing, and this is by far the best. Minimal musical soundtrack, instead the sounds of the expedition as they tackled the southwest ridge. Also worth noting the voice over for language spoken other than English, as opposed to Closed Caption. Amazing footage. Remarkable beings. Thank you for sharing this.
One of the best Docs I've ever seen
They wore a lot less than they do today. I hate being cold! They were tough
The best Everest documentary I've seen, & I've seen them all. The last real mountaineers that tried to climb the mountain. Now everything is done by the amazing Sherpas. That's why so many ppl can now submit everest, bc the Sherpas literally do ALL the work. While the so called mountaineers sleep the day away, & don't have to carry anything but themselves to the summit. The Sherpas are definitely the Kinfs of Everest! Great documentary!
Nepalese also are inclined physically to mountains with more oxygen in there blood. Generations of them evolved like as if a human evolved a third eye somehow. But they literally have more oxygen in there blood which takes away one of the biggest risks
Complete ignorant BS. Plenty of elite western climbers still climb Everest alpine style, aka alone without any Sherpa. The Sherpa set the ropes and carry supplies for the tourist climbers but it's still damn hard to get to the top, the Sherpa aren't carrying the tourists.
I'm tired of this same 'Sherpa do all the work' comments on every video. People act like they are slaves when they get paid way way more than the average salary, that's why they do it.
Damn, watching these people climb had me straight up anxious! Hands and feet sweating! I couldn’t do it!
This old movie still holds it's worth.
Beast mode. Up there Smoking Cigarettes.
1:22:52. And the Whiskey dude, don't be forgetting the whiskey lol
Now, I'm fairly confident that between the two of us ..... if we re-watch the video carefully we'll be able to find that scene on the South Col, where they're all hitting the crack pipe before the final push to the summit.
@@HonestJunkie They probably were using coca leaf (maybe even cocaine) on this expedition. I know Mallory's era used coca leaf as it alleviates some of the symptoms of elevation sickness. I recall reading somewhere that opioids were commonly carried as well, both of which make way more sense than alcohol or cigarettes, lol. Think it was just codeine as going for a strong opiate that greatly depresses respiration is probably not a great idea at these elevations.
So its quite possible it was being used here, as no one really looked down upon coca alkaloids until it became a fashionable drug in the West during the mid-70's-early 80's.
@@HonestJunkie you don’t know what you are talking about mate! Stop talking about things you have only read in books. Don Whillans (The Whisky guy) as someone called him and Dougal Haston are amongst the greatest mountaineers of their time. They didn’t need cocaine to climb you fool!
@@paulcawkwell5804 WTF!?!?!? DUDE ..... You gotta be fucking with me here ?!?!?
I've just re-read my comment, to be sure (I mean it was a month ago) ...
You know I was joking right??? You can't possibly believe that I was seriously suggesting they _smoked Crack on the South Col before setting off for the Summit_ ?!?!?
You need to get rid of that broomstick you got jammed up ya arse dude ... live a little man, maybe you'll learn to laugh one day.
Fucking stupidty
Thanks for sharing this. Ned was my much beloved (and favorite) uncle. Lovely to see this.
RIP Major Harsh 🇮🇳🇮🇳
I'm unclear on what really happened, he died of freezing to death but why? Was he far away from the group?
@@hellosweetheart3350 yup looks like the team which was climbing was hit by storm and he might have been exposed to severe cold and suffered frostbites and altitude sickness. He tried to go up to summit 6 years earlier on his previous expedition but failed due to a storm . This was his second and last attempt as shown in video ,maybe he pushed his body too far not realising the differences the last 6 years had on his body from his previous summit attempt. Sadly his brother suffered the same fate after 14 years climbing the same route .
@@harshtiwari7503 thankyou for explain what happened so sad that over time two brothers lost there lives on same part of Everest prayers go to there family 🙏🙏
14 years after this happened, major jai vardhan, brother of major harsh also died in his second attempt almost at the same place. rest in peace majors
RIP Majors
RIP to the Majors
Oh god that's real tragic. I don't understand what killed him was it the cold???
@@rachaelsimpson6991 yes it a sudden storm
😔🏔🕊
The Mountain Goddess blew all of their egos off her slopes and sent them all home with their tail between their legs.
You gotta respect the mountain, and mother nature.
As she should.
As you type sitting on a toilet
God
It's just mountain servere as it is .
Climbed two 6,000m (Chimborazo and Denali). Denali was my most strenuous, terrifying, and rewarding climb of all.
Take my hat off to anyone with the skills and courage to climb eight-thousanders.
Really enjoyable. I’ve seen many films about Everest and that was by far one of the best even if they didn’t summit. Never seen so many sherpas featured, wow, the logistics.
I agree with you . I love these videos.
@skeffyable Wonder why they didn't just leave the ladders permanently in place, then stuff wouldn't b needed to carry well not as much anyways!
Such a good mix of individuals who all seem like very interesting people
Don Whillans, after over three weeks in the “Death Zone” strides back down like a boss and says “How ya diddling?” - Absolute legend.
Spot on. And he fancied another go the same/next year. What a monster.
Unbelievable. What a bloke.
Whillans was a savage!
1:22:25
He's my hero , I'd highly recommend watching"Don Whillans last climb" on RUclips if you've not seen it already .Wonderful stuff.
This is so cool!
1:03:35 Think about how crazy this is in perspective. This dude was pissed because his expedition was taking the "easy" route, because a whole Twenty Three climbers had ever made it to the summit from that route and so that was old and tired to him. lol. Almost five thousand people have summitted via that route now.
Yes....sadly, the govt of Nepal has turned it into "Disney World".....
Or think how crazy today is from this perspective. Climbers of that day emphasized the Alpinist ideal of climbing either new peaks or new routes. What occurs on Everest today is more or less just another example of adventure tourism.
I’m Just Amazed With The People that Lived Back then, way way more Grounded than Now. Human to Human interaction is on another level!!!
Yet behind closed doors many beat abused molested their own children
It’s funny how so many ppl are willing to save for the large amount of money just to be able to climb this mountain. But I belong in the small portion of ppl where even if you pay me, I wouldn’t do it.
I think u r in the 99% bro
No...it is NOT a small portion. I wouldn't attempt to climb that thing for 1 million dollars or MORE.
Yea it’s beautiful but no way I would ever climb that 5 mile mountain
I'd Iike to be at the top - I love snow, snow covered scenery etc and the view of being above the clouds - but I have no interest in the climbing part. If someone could deposit me on the top for say half an hour, then retrieve me, I'd be perfectly happy.
It takes a very brave and dedicated person to climb Everest. I have always been fascinated by the mountain and the people who risk their lives to climb it. I can't imagine what goes through climbers minds when they pass the bodies of people who died like Green boots who laid up there for years.
I think he’s still there. He’s now covered in snow and rocks
It’s not nearly as hard to climb as K2. There are many many bodies in the death zone probably dozens. They are frozen solid and mummified. Some have been pushed off the side into crevices etc.
@@Grandizer8989 No, he was pushed off in 2015, but he'd been there for 20 years. That's a long time.
@@PrinceOfTheCity1 There are way more bodies on Everest precisely because it's not as hard to climb
@Davidsiracuse what was green boots real name?
Cameraman is amazing. Love the thrown in chatter as well.
Major Harsh Bahuguna's brother Major Jai Vardhan Bahuguna also died during his Everest expedition 14 years later. Strange thing they both died during their second attempt and near the same area.
Must be a conspiracy, 2 brothers died at the same mountain and only 14 years where in between.
@@freileben8834 must be a dumbass, moronic and nonsense comment this is. Stop eatting lead paint
@@freileben8834Sounds conspiratorial to me, wonder if JFK had anything to do with all this!
9:58 Am I the only one that hasn't skinny dipped at a family picnic? LOL
The best documentary so far.
Great, great documentary -- thanks for uploading.
Wow - phenomenal storytelling with top notch camera work and production quality.
Don arrives at camp 2, the Sherpa offers him coffee/tea :
Don: “I got something better then that”
*pulls out out whiskey*
If I ever go to Everest , I am taking this guy with me, not that I drink but his sense of humor is perfect lol
Alcohol thins the blood.
@@ClickClack_Bam it also lowers your core temperature. Would strongly advise against while mountaneering in cold conditions.
He was the only man returned strong.
You do realise we are talking ‘Don Whillans’ here?…. Not your normal superhero….. Don ‘The Villain’ Whillans.
Don will always be a legend in mountaineering folklore
Douglas Haston ....... on of the greatest ever. RIP.
I think this may spoil me for any of the more modern films. Just feels more authentic.
Very fine documentation, sincere and real. Worth looking.
Great documentary ! A tough mountain indeed ❤️
Best camera work on everest
RIP major harsh and rip to your brother 🙏🙏
Great documentary. Keep in mind that less than 30 years before, these climbers' parents had been trying to kill each other in WWII.
The only place I know of that has that much of a mood swing from before and during a trip is Vegas.
Don Williams was so underaed he did raroomori and the towers in peru. True legends RiP
This film is a classic!!!🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Superb documentary of a desperate expedition.
these guys are WILD! today they only have 4 camps and take a longer but less dangerous route than the 6 camps in this video, these jokers were just chilling with minimal face protection and hand protection from the cold, straight BEASTS!
Pictures are often shown of people bundled up. But reality is it isn't always cold
i'd remove the result of their attempt from the description. now i know they failed before its even started grrrr but was still an awesome documentary so thanks for the upload.
Damn I didn’t know it failed until I read your comment as I was watching
Fuckkkk
@@user-ct8my8rv9c my bad, ok change the description and delete my comment too ooops
Agree wholeheartedly
This is a great Everest documentary. They carried their comrade down the mountain 3 days, despite grave danger and at the sacrifice of their own successful climb. In modern times, it is common to leave a fallen climber where they meet demise. Some bodies are even used to identify a route.
Dont exaggerate. They remove bodies now and It was no different then. He died prior to the death zone. If he died on the summit he would have been left. Even now bodies are eventually removed
@@ThatSB no they aren't. do some research
No, those were not the summiteers. They was sherpas being used to bring the body back.
@@ThatSBThey do not remove the bodies. Wow, prior to talking down to someone do a little research! You may learn something!!
Love the aesthetic and vitality of the climbers. Amazing to see
They wouldn't believe the tech that's available now days Everything was so much harder back them Big Respect to the older generations 🙏
some of my most rewarding adventures have been international. this movie was a great find!
Excellent job. Thank you .
Great documentary Hats off to the camera people
This is really a very good video. Still relatively early in the history of Everest but it does show quite well the risk, hardships and decisions that all face on any attempt to summit. I was sorry to see the French leave the way they did, but unless you have faced Everest, take care in making judgments.
you're very right
Just how the French are. Not much for international brotherhood unless they need you to clear the Nazis out of their capital city
It may not be their nationality. Ego and entitlement are found in all nationalities.
Wow, thanks for putting this up. I was intrigued by the soundtrack and, without looking at the credits, could hear that signature Moody Blues sound which I found later to be the case. But I also heard Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin themes as well as something resembling Focus arrangements. If that was all the work of Renaissance then hats off to them.
The Sherpas are the lifeline of Everest! 🕊🕊♥️🕊🕊
Don Whilans "how ya diddling?" . .. what a Boss Man 💙
What a great mission and positive attitudes they had
I am so glad that I came across your channel! You have a new subscriber!
💛💛💛💛💛💛💛
As usual the sherpas are the true heroes the real mountain people. Much respect to them. The disrespectful attitude and arrogance towards them by some was disgusting. Glad the 9 left.
I was thinking exactly the same thing. What a bunch of rude condescending Sobs. The Sherpa offered him tea. Then a cup for his dumb whiskey, and that ungrateful fool didn’t even offer him a sip. Good riddance
For doing a job?
@@gcow8328 notice how they never call the kids who dig the minerals for their phones heroes such hypocrisy
Somebody always has to virtue signal about muh poor sherpas.
@@jojox5136 what phones? This is in 1971. They didn’t have phones
The guy saying 'Since when do we let employees make the decisions?' Those Sherpas are way wiser at decision making on the mountain than the people they are guiding
He had a point though…on an expedition you must have strong leadership…
"I'm not gonna porter for the other team, bye" = zero result expedition fail
Sherpa are naturally suited to high altitude climbing but they aren't better technical climbers or even as experienced in Alpine conditions than many foreigners are.
A crevasse seems less scary when you realize they sent a camera man down into it, to get the shots looking up from it😂
I climbed Mt. Whitney and my Sherpa was complaining the whole time about having to give me a piggyback ride.
Thank you very much for this episode I have not seen before...
It was in hiding for almost 50 years. The BBC producer of this film, Ned Kelley, passed away a few years back, but before he did, he gave a DVD copy to my friend Dr. Peterson here in this film... we worked to convert it and get it put online so others could see what the experience was like before Everest became so commercialized. I believe only 20 or so people had summited the mountain prior to this expedition. I actually have a pair of the gloves from this expedition. :)
@@davidjoiner461 Oh, this is so interesting. Feel free to share more details if you can!
@@davidjoiner461 Thank you....
@@davidjoiner461 so, is it true the brother, of the man who died, actually attempted the climb also and died pretty much in the same place ?
The end interview was my favourite, the guy with the bottle of whisky.
That was Don Whillans. The guy was a machine!
@@davidj87 well, he had a nip of whiskey when times got tuff 😁 jk..great guy, I agree with him, the food set up was stupi. And why chocolate bars?? Sugar rush then crash?
@@hellosweetheart3350 it’s very high in fat as well as sugar. Apparently it’s the most calorific thing you can eat. So it would be good to have with them.
Don Whillans. A hero! Read Jim Perrin’s biography of him. ‘The Villain’. Hard as nails and said exactly what he thought.
Whether the Sherpa are paid or not, they should have a say in the route. 1) Their lives are on the line regardless of status.
2) They are the most experienced with their mountain.
I’ll hold my tongue about the French.
The french ?
@@Alanofferdidn’t you hear what was said?