The Adventure Blog Takes a Look at Everest 2: Beyond the Limit

The Adventure Blog has put up a nice review covering the first episode of Everest 2: Beyond the Limit.

He says most of the first episode was climber introductions and getting to basecamp.  I posted the climber biographies of everyone taking part in this season’s series yesterday, but if you didn’t catch it, you can by clicking HERE.

Kraig did mention a couple of things of interest:

One early, compelling scene showed Tim standing amongst the memorials erected for climbers who have died on the mountain. The monument that he is standing next to is clearly labeled with the name of David Sharp, the climber who died last year on the mountain under controversial circumstances. Some people blamed Brice for not helping Sharp, and reportedly as many as 35 or 40 climbers stepped over and around Sharp as he lay dying in the snow. I was personally critical of the show last season for glossing over the controversy and barely touching on it in the shows final episode.

He then went on to talk of the appearance of Maxut and Vissily–the first two to make a successful summit this year.  Although Maxut and Vissily were not a part of the larger Himex–Discovery Channel Expedition, they none the less made the program for circumstances that I can’t relate here without giving a ’spoiler’..tune in next week to find out what all the drama was about…

Many of us who followed the Discovery Channel Expedition, as it was occuring this past spring,  can kind of see that the program is pretty much going in line with what took place.  This first episode was very early on in the Expedition.  The next few episodes should pick up the pace and get everyone’s hearts beatin a little faster..

Everest 2: Beyond the Limit–An Inside Look at the Team

Just a last minute reminder to have your DVR’s ready as the premier of Discovery Channel’s second season of Everest: Beyond the Limit airs tonight at 10pm eastern. (check your local listings)

This season promises to be a great one.  Yesterday I posted the Official Discovery Channel release about the upcoming season, and while I am at it, I thought I might give you a rundown of the climber’s involved in this season’s program.  This release is also coming from The Discovery Channel.

Team Profile of Everest 2: Beyond the Limit:

RUSSELL BRICE
Expedition Leader, Himalayan Experience (New Zealand)

This will be Russell’s 18th year on Everest, and as expedition leader for Himalayan Experience, no one knows the risks quite like he does. In his own words, “80 percent of my friends are dead.” Controversy surrounds the ‘King of the Mountain’ following the 2006 expedition – the second deadliest season on record, and Russell is known as a tough leader. Though climbers pay a $40,000 fee to join the Himalayan Experience team, Russell has final say as to whether or not climbers progress far enough to actually attempt a summit.

ROD BABER
Climber (England)
Rod Baber, 36, gained a Guinness World-Record for ascending the 47 European summits in the shortest time. In between summits, Rod now runs a climbing center in the west of England, where he and his colleagues teach anyone from corporate business teams to young offenders how to deal with heights and fear, instilling interpersonal skills in their charges along the way. He’s planning to make the first ever cell phone call from Everest’s summit.

BETSY HUELSKAMPClimber (California, USA)
A Los Angeles-based journalist, 46-year-old Betsy interviewed Tim Medvetz last year following his 2006 attempt, and was inspired to give it a go herself. Her motto has always been, “if you are not living life on the edge, you are missing the view!” Betsy has been featured in motorcycle documentaries (on Discovery Channel, TLC, National Geographic Channel and Travel Channel) and writes for numerous biking magazines. She’s an ice climber, trekker, bungee jumper, diver, Kung Fu black belt, and has worked much of her adult life as a personal trainer.

MOGENS JENSENClimber (Denmark)

A former elite Iron Man, Mogens Jensen is a chronic asthma sufferer who is determined to summit Mount Everest without supplemental oxygen. A schoolteacher turned professional mountaineer from Denmark — a country with no mountains — Mogens attempted to summit in 2005 and 2006. Last year on entering the Death Zone, Mogens was hit by altitude sickness – and for almost two weeks after he returned home, he continued to suffer blurred vision and loss of balance. Is he dangerously obsessed? This year, Russell wants him to abandon his ambition to climb without oxygen.

TIM MEDVETZClimber (California, USA)

A fun-loving risk-taker who designs Harley-Davidson motorcycles in Hollywood, California, Tim Medvetz stands 6’5″ (a disadvantage for high-altitude mountaineering) and has a metal cage around his spine, metal plates in his head and his left leg is held together with pins and rods — the result of a near-fatal bike crash. Tim surprised everyone last year by making it as far as camp 4, before falling victim to summit fever. Climbing too slowly and running low on oxygen, he engaged in a heated argument with Russell Brice, who ordered him to turn around. Tim credits Russell with saving his live, but how far will he push himself to succeed this year?

MONICA PIRISExpedition Doctor (England)
Born in Oxford to Spanish parents, she is truly bilingual. Monica Piris spends her summers rock-climbing in the Spanish Pyrenees, her winters skiing and ice-climbing, and in between earns the money to fund her hobbies by working as a locum doctor in English emergency rooms. In 2006, she completed a Diploma in Mountain Medicine – and her trip to Everest is the next step in her ambition to become a specialist high altitude doctor. She will follow Russell to North Col, from where she can best monitor the team’s health. Along the way, she’ll tend to numerous climbers on other expeditions who fall ill while trying to reach the summit.

DAVID TAIT
Climber (England)
David is planning a world-first “double-traverse” of Everest with Phurba Tashi. His goal is to summit from the north side, then descend down the south side, where he’ll reverse and climb up the south side and down the north. David first attempted a summit in 2004, but his body just couldn’t cope with the extreme altitude. In 2005 as part of Russell Brice’s team, he made it to the summit. That year, David’s climbing buddy, Brett Merrell, went through the same disappointment David had a year prior. David could relate and offered to pay for Brett to try again – and he did in first season of Everest: Beyond the Limit. David’s generosity stretches beyond other climbers. A millionaire fund manager, he is on the board of the NSPCC (National Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Children). Abused as a child himself, David plans to raise money for the charity close to his heart.

PHURBA TASHISherpa
Phurba is Russell’s most experienced Sherpa – his lead guide, or “Sirdar.” He has summitted Everest an incredible ten times. He is Russell’s eyes, ears, arms and legs on the mountain. Incredibly strong, even at high altitude, he is entrusted absolutely with the climbers’ safety. Last year Phurba was on the spot to deal with two climbers’ near mutiny on summit day. This year Phurba will be attempting the double traverse with David Tait – if successful, an Everest first.

DARIUS VAICIULIS
Climber (Lithuania)
A cell phone dealer from Kaunas, Lithuania, who works across Eastern Europe, Darius climbed Cho Oyu three years ago with Russell Brice. Darius is married with children aged 11 and 3. His family is worried about his latest adventure, but supportive. “I tell them it is my dream – I have to go.”

KATSUSUKE YANAGISAWA
Climber (Japan)
At the age of 71, Katsusuke hopes to become the oldest person to ever summit Everest.

FRED ZIEL
Climber (California, USA)
Fred is a physician and family man from South Pasadena, California, where he runs the local Diabetes Care Program. His passion for climbing and mountaineering dates back over 30 years, and he’s completed successful ascents on both rock and ice throughout North America and Asia. This marks his third trip to Everest.

Everest 2: Beyond the Limit–The Official Press Release

Everest 2:  Beyond the Limit kicks off tomorrow night at 10pm Eastern Time on Discovery Channel (check your local listings for exact time.)

Many of you will know that I have a big interest in this year’s Everest 2: Beyond the Limit series.  Back in May of this past year, I followed along as Russell Brice made one more epic voyage to Mt. Everest, along with the Discovery Channel Team.  I had the opportunity to interview David Tait, a member of this year’s team, back in May. 

Now it is time to kick things off and see how this epic adventure plays out as, once again, The Discovery Channel takes us back to the world’s highest peak with it’s much anticipated second installment of Everest 2: Beyond the Limit.  Here is an overview of the series–along with a brief description of the members.  I will be posting a second part to this shortly, with a bigger–more in-depth look at the Expedition members, as well as the “Official” Everest 2: Beyond the Limit video trailer.  Harness up and get those DVR’s ready–this promises to be one great season!

The Official Discovery Channel Press Release

SECOND SEASON OF EVEREST: BEYOND THE LIMIT PREMIERES

ON DISCOVERY CHANNEL BEGINNING TUESDAY, OCTOBER 30

 

– Companion Four-Part Series AFTER THE CLIMB, Hosted by Phil Keoghan, Features A

Round-Table Discussion with Everest Mountaineers –

– Discovery’s Everest Website Wins 2007 Online Journalism Award –

 

(Silver Spring, Md.) – Discovery Channel sends its most advanced high-altitude cameras once again to the world’s tallest mountain to document an epic climb where ambition overrides agony, exhaustion — and the chances of survival. EVEREST 2: BEYOND THE LIMIT, the second season of Discovery Channel’s acclaimed series, documents the grueling April/May 2007 summit attempt by an international group of climbers. Airing in eight parts, the series makes its world premiere on Tuesday, October 30, at 10PM ET/PT, and airs every Tuesday at 10PM through Tuesday, December 18. Its companion website www.discovery.com/everest received a 2007 “Online Journalism Award” this week for best use of digital media, and it brings visitors an intimate look at the dangers on the mountain through interactive Sherpa-cam video-players, games and webisodes.

New this year, beginning November 27 at 11PM ET/PT and airing following the last four episodes of the series, viewers can catch the world premiere of AFTER THE CLIMB, hosted by Phil Keoghan (The Amazing Race). This four-part series features amateur climbers from the 2007 climb, joined by an illustrious pantheon of Everest mountaineers, for a candid conversation about climbing the mother of all mountains, their individual climb experiences, their motivations and concerns about attempting something so dangerous, whether technology and willpower are enough in the face of the power of nature, whether any of them could survive without the Sherpas, and more.

The 2007 climbing season was the busiest yet, as more climbers than ever before faced the extreme conditions on Everest in an attempt to fulfill a dream. Seven lost their lives, most did not reach the summit, and those who did will never be the same.

For EVEREST 2: BEYOND THE LIMIT, a 17-member production team followed an expedition of climbers and professional mountain guides, organized and led by New Zealander Russell Brice. Throughout the eight-hour series, viewers go on a journey with the climbers, gaining a unique insight into the physical and mental strength needed to conquer Mount Everest. High-resolution Sherpa-cams give viewers a unique insight into the dangers of the mountain and what climbers go through for the chance to briefly stand on top of the world.

Returning this year are asthmatic Iron-Man competitor Mogens Jensen from Denmark, who once again tries to summit without supplemental oxygen, and Hollywood motorcycle enthusiast Tim Medvetz, who had to be talked into turning back last year only 350 feet below summit. Joining them are several climbers new to EVEREST: BEYOND THE LIMIT, including Katsusuke Yanagisawa of Japan who, at 71 years old, wants to become the oldest man ever to summit Everest; Monica Piris, from England and the team’s high altitude doctor; Betsy Huelskamp, a Los Angeles-based journalist who interviewed Medvetz after his failed 2006 attempt and was inspired to try the climb herself; David Tait, attempting a world-first double traverse to raise money for a charity close to his heart; and Phurba Tashi, Himalayan Experience’s most experienced Sherpa who accompanies Tait. Other climbers include Rod Baber from England and California physician Fred Ziel.

Discovery Channel’s award-winning EVEREST: BEYOND THE LIMIT fan site, www.Discovery.com/Everest , will once again feature immersive Sherpa helmet-camera segments, this year with even greater functionality. Visitors can also watch webisodes, meet the climbers through video profiles and interviews, explore Mount Everest through video clips from each camp and read exclusive journals from crew members who also risked their lives to tell the story of their fellow climbers.

EVEREST: BEYOND THE LIMIT is produced for Discovery Channel by Tigress Productions. Dick Colthurst is the executive producer for Tigress. Mark Allen is the executive producer for Discovery Channel.

Discovery Communications is the number-one nonfiction media company reaching more than 1.5 billion cumulative subscribers in over 170 countries. Through TV and digital media, Discovery’s 100-plus worldwide networks include Discovery Channel, TLC, Animal Planet, The Science Channel, Discovery Health and HD Theater. Discovery Communications is owned by Discovery Holding Co. (NASDAQ: DISCA, DISCB), Advance/Newhouse Communications and John S. Hendricks, Discovery’s founder and chairman. For more information please visit www.discoverycommunications.com.