Ned Kelly

In 1971, American Norman Dyhrenfurth led an expedition of 30 climbers from 13 different countries, including Don Whillans, Dougal Haston, Naomi Uemura, Pierre Mazeaud, Michel Vaucher, and others. This expedition aimed to simultaneously climb the southwest face and the direct west ridge. During the ascent, Indian climber Harsh Vardhan Bahuguna perished at Camp 3 in a storm. The expedition, already suffering from organizational problems, was severely tested after his death. The Americans decided, unilaterally, to abandon the west ridge. The Europeans, who had spent days equipping the route, were left out and felt relegated to the roles of route setters and porters. Frenchman Pierre Mazeaud, Swiss climbers Michel and Yvette Vaucher, and Italian Carlo Mauri then left the expedition. The Americans continued their ascent of the southwest face up to 8,350 meters before giving up.

The classic expedition documentary of the 1975 British Expedition led by Chris Bonington up the South West Face of Everest. The summit was reached by Doug Scott and Dougal Haston followed by an epic bivouac just below the summit. Sadly mountaineer and cameraman Mick Burke died near the summit a day later. Peter Boardman and Pertemba summitted a few days later and made a harrowing descent, finding the top of the fixed ropes only by chance. In many ways, this films records both the end of an era the of big British national expeditions and is the harbinger of a the new alpine style in the Himalaya.

David Attenborough examines the ways in which animals and plants adapt to their surroundings.