Jim McCarthy

Fred Beckey is the legendary American "Dirtbag" mountaineer whose name is spoken in hushed tones around campfires. This rebel climber's pioneering ascents and lifestyle form an iconic legacy that continues to inspire generations.

"This documentary from local station KING-TV in Seattle, Washington, examines the history of Mount Rainier through narration, interviews, re-enactments, newsreel, and home-movie footage. Highlights of the program include the following: claymation showing the formation of the mountain; discussion of Hazard Stevens's and Philamon Van Trump's discovery of the mountain in May 1792; reenactment of the 1870 climb to the summit; the mountain's designation as a National Park; activities on the mountain in the 1920s and 1930s; Paradise Ice Caves; history of skiing and other activities on the mountain; 1969 time-lapse photography of the movement of the Nisqually Glacier..."