Disastrous West Rib Climb On North America's Deadliest Peak
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- čas přidán 8. 11. 2021
- The power and scope of McKinley, known as its American Indian name of Denali, should never be underestimated. In May of 1994 when I ventured here to climb this sought after peak, never could I imagine that Denali would thrash me that all it could muster. I was thankful to leave the mountain with my life.
Storm Over Denali is a first-person journal, filmed on a state-of-the-art at the time, Hi-8 video camera. Pollard was an assistant guide on this expedition, hoping to gain some experience for bigger peaks in the Himalayas. Basically, assistant guide could be read as the guy who cooks for all the clients and keeps a positive attitude when s*** hits the fan.
DEAR VIEWER: please excuse the goofy music, circa 1992, when there was zero choice for a person doing a film on zero budget. Nowadays, original music is a dime a dozen.....Cheers and thanks for watching!
Explorers Web review of Storm Over Denali by Andrew McLemore:
explorersweb.com/weekend-warm...
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"We were filming adventure and mountaineering documentaries before the popular, cutting-edge guys were even born, using Hi8 video cameras, no less!"
You might enjoy my Aconcagua film Power of the Mountain:
• Mountaineering Horror ...
NOTE: The music in this film is not mine and is used with the understanding that this film is purely for educational purposes, never to be sold or licensed.
This is dedicated to long-time friend of mine and mountaineers and human beings near and far, Daryl Miller, one of the good ones! www.adn.com/alaska-news/artic...
SUMMARY:
An ill-fated attempt to summit "Mt. McKinley", now known solely by the name of Denali, via the technical West Rib route, led by Marc Chauvin, was thwarted by a terrifying storm with winds at 150 miles an hour. The team's tent shredded in the high winds. They dig a snow hole to wait out the storm.
This film premiered at Mountainfilm, has never been broadcast.
Here is an excerpt from a review in the American Alpine Club Journal, written by Ed Darack:
"In Storm Over Denali, Thom Pollard, (the cameraman), writer, and producer, has created a very relaxed, almost intimate presentation of his 1994 attempt of the peak. Pollard narrates, and is even a member of the band that plays the background music...
Although Pollard’s team did not summit, Storm Over Denali shows us that this fact in no way detracts from the overall “mountaineering experience,” and in the process of failing the team shot some excellent coverage of the powerful storm that prevented their success. I commend Pollard not only for surviving a major storm that nearly wiped out another expedition on the West Rib, but for capturing the whole experience on film. This video made me wonder if I would rather summit a big peak in perfect conditions, or have the wisdom gained by trying my damnedest and still getting my ass kicked on a major endeavor."
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Connect with Thom Pollard:
/ thom.dharma.pollard
thehappinessquotient.buzzspro... - Sport
You might enjoy my REVIEW video of this film:
czcams.com/video/0hs5yTYz4Fw/video.html
Rewatching this one. ;-)
I hope you all enjoy this video, a deep dive into what a killer storm on Denali looks like.
I live in Palmer, AK and I truly admire those that get out and follow their dreams of climbing Denali. Thank you for the experience from my home.
Great post, I love the outdoors. Anytime I am going on a few days trip. I prep myself mentally and expect the worst. So I try to prep for that time if anything goes south which is usually the AK weather.
In the mountains the weather has its own mind like it knows it killed before. When an Alaskan winter storm hits.... The wind is soo damn cold, it starts to break you down physically and mentally.
The snow cave is my goto shelter, because the cold and wind is not very forgiving. It maybe -40 to -50 windchill idk but it's like 10 degrees inside of a snowcave 😁
@@deecawford Thank you Dee for watching, I truly appreciate it!
@@b01tact10n Thanks so much for watching and for sharing. A snow cave sure does the trick, doesn't it? Wishing you well in all your future adventures!
I’ve been up on Denali twice, once solo. This mountain holds special in my heart. To those who haven’t been, it’s different. It’s different in that you are close to civilization but unable to get help when shit hits the fan. You are on your own, you better be prepared. Great film.
Wow, cool....thank you for watching, and thank you!
A good fail and excellent wise leadership of Mark Chauvin. This is one example of why he has so much respect from the White Mountain, NH climbing tribe- especially his leadership on The Mountain Rescue Team. Oh, and BTW, Thom you are not to shabby yourself as a mountaineer and excellent documentarian. You guys have matured like a good wine and know how to make critical decisions in the mountains when it counts the most. That's in part why you get to enjoy some grey hairs (well.....!). Thanks for posting this film.
So true on Chauvin. Sometimes the idea of guiding makes decisions much more black and white. I hadn't watched this film in 20 years until last night and was reminded that we pulled all the ropes, so descent was not an option. Unfortunately, the humidity inside the snow cave shut the camera down....it was pretty gripping when Rodrigo tried to crawl into a 2-man snow cave that had three people inside already. Oh, regarding the gray hairs....they're white! LOL ...at least what's left of them!
This was incredibly well done! Thank you so much for sharing!
My friend, so retro, right? I had to borrow time in a tv studio to get this edited...those were the days when no one had a camera or a laptop or editing software. Boy have the times ever changed. Cheers and thank you!
Sorry if I leave multiple comments as I’m watching this amazing video. I have always loved how diverse Alaska is. Its heart warming to see people from other countries, cultures, and backgrounds to come together for a loved sport and adventure.
Thank you so much! I appreciate it....this video to me reminds me of my early days in the mountains. It's pretty retro, wouldn't you say? I'd love to re-edit this and get some better music in there, maybe a '30 years later' kind of thing. I appreciate you stopping by!
Great video! Thanks for putting in the hard work to capture this amazing glimpse of history on such an amazing mountain!
It's a trip back in time for me....almost 30 years ago....
Great job, great detail - well done guys. The call of the mountain will take you back again.
Colleen, truly appreciate it. I have toyed with the idea of re-editing the video and using some music that isn't too hokey....man, back then there was slim pickens! Thank you for watching!
Thank you for sharing such a wonderful account of a West Rib approach. Definitely one of the most difficult routes on Denali. I'm planning to climb Denali via the West Buttress route next year.
Glad you enjoyed it! Wayne, best of luck next season, Denali is amazing!
Many thanks for sharing this fine video and a glimpse into the feeling of being on the mountain.
Super pleased you enjoyed it! It's retro! Thanks so much Sean :)
Awesome video! Thanks for sharing this. I climbed the Cassin in 2022 and we somehow had amazing weather the whole expedition.
Very cool! We kept looking over at the Cassin thinking, 'hmm, that would be fun'. Congrats on the route AND the good weather!
I had already liked your video because this is your experience. But I love you even more for acknowledging the awful music. 😄 Cheers. 💜
And remember folks: once you fall real hard on your butt or get in a bad car accident and you blow-out your L3 or L4 in your lower back, you will likely never get to hike, climb, or any type of physical activity. Protect your butt people
Truly blessed to have the physical ability to undertake these adventures. Thanks for watching
Thank you!!Film super!!Люблю фильмы о восхождениях,восхищаюсь мужеством,настоящим альпинизмом(без шерпов),огромный риск,много снега,но вы на высоте,герои!!Не понимаю,что говорят,не знаю языка,но смотрю с огромным удовольствием!!Сильные,смелые и мужественные парни,здоровья вам,бодрости,новых счастливых восхождений,всего наилучшего!!
Thank you so much my friend, I cannot thank you enough! I am also thankful for google translate :) I am not sure, but possibly the Closed Captions would translate it for you in your native language? Take care and thanks again
Those clouds show some warning of weather coming. That ring around the sun to me means its gonna get damn cold! Soo awesome seeing such views, they are soo magnetic!
Daaaaamn they made a snow fort that saved their lives! I love that, I'm glad they made it back! I don't know how many snow fort/caves I've dug when I got weathered. It was just my thing to do when the weather turned on me. I'd stop my sled, and build one then get my gear inside and it feels soo warm vs meeting a storm head on!
I feel really at peace n secure when there is a bad storm and I'm protected by the snowcave😁
Great having you watch the video, thanks so much! I have often hoped to one day re-edit this and insert some additional commentary, use better music, and perhaps embellish it with some more history on the mountain (although keeping it pretty short). I appreciate your comment and super pleased that you enjoyed the video!
Just happened across the video. Well done Tom. I couldn't have imagined the fear that crept into each and every one of you. Amazing survival skills. Good job making it home alive. Well done sir
The weird thing is that I felt no fear at all....just total calm. Whenever I feel fear creeping in I hearken back to the snow cave and remember how at peace I felt with it all. If it happened today, though, yikes! Thank you for watching and thanks for your thoughts!
thanks for sharing Thom, this is an incredible film
Glad you enjoyed it! It's very retro...I'd honestly love to re-edit it someday....modernize it a bit. However, I'm sure I'd write it far less dramatic coming from a voice who since has weathered a fair share of these storms. But, perhaps using the same copy and just new music, modern photos... Thanks so much!
@@EverestMystery I might just have a soft spot for retro film festival flicks, but this nails everything: period score, great footage, mountaineering. I've not gone looking for many documentaries, but your capture of the conditions on the mountain are pretty amazing. I just can't imagine what that must have been like. I'm glad both parties made it down safely.
Great video! I lost a friend on Denali in the 90s. It was a shock, aside from the usual, because I had no idea she was there. She and her climbing partner fell. I never see her name on lists of those who died there. I'm not in touch with her family (she had a twin brother) so now it seems like knowing her was a dream. Glad you made it and what a tale you had to tell!
I'm so sorry that you lost your friend. Tragic. If you are inclined to, reach out to the Park Service headquarters in Talkeetna and inquire with them about your friend's name. If she passed on the mountain, she will indeed be in the books. Her name and her climbing partner's name should be added to the memorial in Talkeetna at the cemetery, if they are not there already. Somewhere in my files I have a slide of the memorial, with all the names of those who have died in the Alaska Range.... Thank you for sharing, I truly appreciate it. -Thom
@@EverestMystery You are a blessing. Thank you.
Idk how you guys can do it.... as a tower climber of 20 years in Northern climate I've spent some cold blizzard winter days on towers. And Idk how you can sleep up their and get any rest all the volume of gear you guys Cary is incredible. I've camped up on the bluffs where I live its about a thousand foot up 2 mile hike and a 40 pound pack wiped me out. I couldn't get a good night's rest as the rock floor pulled the temperature out of my down side. Idk how you guys do it. Maybe I'm just getting old and soft at 41.
Thank you so much, truly appreciate your comments! We had a big load of warm gear and huddling in the tents was sumptuous and warm....with the occasional blast of cold and discomfort. I'm pretty darn old now, and don't think I'd easily be lured back there for another go!
People don't realize that, although Everest has the highest summit, it already sits atop a high plateau. From sea level to summit, Denali is the biggest mountain on earth.
Yes, Denali is a gigantic mountain !
Lmao
Great narration , great climbing , great packing of gear , great colours .. thanks .
Thanks Owen, it's pretty cool to see this after 27 years! My writing has changed over the years...for sure, but the building blocks of a cool adventure of film were all there .Much appreciated!
@@EverestMystery building a snow cave just in case ... I hope you're enjoying a warm cosy day off .
@@lifesahobby it's much warmer where I am now, that's for sure!
This is absolutely incredible
Hey thank you so much. This is old school filming (well, not THAT old) using a Hi8 video camera.... I appreciate that you took the time to comment. Cheers!
You see so many expeditions especially to Everest where there are porters and other places where there are helpers of a sort. I notice Denali climbs do not have that. That’s unbelievable. That’s true mountaineering.
I truly enjoy the self-sufficient nature of these types of endeavors. Those adventures to indeed still exist... Thank you for watching!
I wonder if that have to do with economic conditions play any part in that? Even if there was a company that operates similar to those of everest, would they be able to get insurance for their employees nevermind life insurance, just for long and short term disability premiums would make it very difficult to be profitable
So many people bring their cash to Denali. No one is bringing their cash down. The jackpot should be huge by now.
In the 90's someone tried to pay BIG money to get an airdrop of hot pizza at the 14,000 camp on the West Buttress. It didn't work. I guess money buys almost everything, but not pizza on Denali! Thank you for watching
Wow . This was very interesting to watch. . thanks so much for sharing with us. 💯
Judy, you're too nice! Thank you....it's quite retro but does tell a story! Take care and thank you!
Если на Эвересте на 7000м бывает t -50,то на Аляске даже -70 бывает зимой на равнине(читала Д.Лондона ,,Костер",,,Любовь к жизни")Суровая природа,но и прекрасная,горы во все времена года-эталон красоты,стремления к высотам.
Yes, Denali is every bit like a peak in the Himalayas....more severe and extreme than most mountains of the same size. Thank you!
43.30 while you go on and on about how great yr doing, there's a expedition member that has fallen face first into the snow just outside the tent😒😱.... -🤷
That was Marc and Dave digging the snow cave....lol....does look like a bad juxtaposition with what I'm saying! About two hours later we crawled into that tiny hole they were digging out....
@@EverestMystery -thank you for clarification
6:10 The memorial is only half filled. Plenty of room left if you are so inclined.
Thank you so much for watching! I endeavor to return someday and visit the memorial. Oh and thanks for putting up with the cheesy 1990's music that cost nothing to use....if only to have the services and resources I have now!
Couldn’t watch with headphones because the sound mix is awful (narration only one side of stereo). Recommend remixing the audio :)
Totally appreciate it. The tapes are 30 years old but I do have the raw footage. This was edited at the outset of non linear editing and believe it or not was used in segments for a tv program in Massachusetts. I think the stereo was recommended for watching ‘on tv’. I’m honestly amazed at how many views it’s getting...the music is pretty funny (lame LOL) but a reminder of the era in adventure films & videos.
Hopefully you were able to get through it without headphones 😎✌️ cheers
More dogs than people? Sounds like a great place to live.
Where is that?
@@EverestMystery The beginning of the video has line describing Talkeetna as a town with more dogs than people.
@@StandedInUtah Ahh, thank you....I was probably kidding, but it does appear that everyone there has at least one dog. Talkeetna is a truly unique and awesome place. Thank you for watching!
Thought the same.. ;-)
What a story
Thanks so much for watching!
Climbed into bed last night ! Made it!!
Good video. Syrupy narrative.
I truly appreciate it. I endeavor to do an edit and get that music out of there, maybe do a review of it as I watch it again. Thank you
Have you been to the highest points in any other states?
Only a very few....New Hampshire on more than a dozen occasions, Vermont, Maine....New York....Connecticut, Massachusetts...I think that's all. Great having you here, thank you!
Sounding so rational, the guide explains the route……….total madness . But everyone is entitled to throw their life away however they wish. My only question, is I have wondered what is going thru their brains, when they’re on their way down the mountain in a big fall. Questions we’ll never know the answer to.
I think the people who lose their footing and go into a free fall lose consciousness pretty quickly. I watched a body fly by me on the Lhotse Face on Everest in 2016....pretty chilling.
Im sure your mind is probably more in shock
I would rather stay home near the fire place.
Stories like this make you feel REALLY, REALLY WARM by the fireplace ;)
Yo that intro music threw me off. It’s so inappropriate it’s funny
I intend to do a review video of this, get that old canned music out....the resources for 'free' music in 1993 were limited to say the least. Thanks for watching! Here's a review vid I did of my Aconcagua expedition: czcams.com/video/0hs5yTYz4Fw/video.html
leave the music in its history dude
Read the description?
I dont get why people climb these mountains and torture themselves .....
It's like anything....like training for a marathon, or competitive swimming, or a big hike....pushing through the pain and the occasional boredom brings one to places that many people will never see, which I guess is why it drew me in so much. I'm older now and see myself more as a person being in pursuit of some ego gratification...but always to me there was the spiritual side of the thing. Not sure if that made any sense at all! Thank you for watching, good having you here!
Please consider a different narrator. He's good but could be better.
Please consider a different commenter, annnnnd....thanks for watching?
@@EverestMystery it's a very good video. Thanks and appreciation.
@@jbar19 I did this video in 1993 on an A/B roll editing machine, using admittedly crap stock music (free) and had (still possibly do) miles to go in developing the voice. I'm def not upset in any regard and truly just playing around....conveying intonation and humor is often difficult on text and comments.... Thanks :)