Cerro Torre: A Snowball's Chance in Hell (2013) - full transcript

To free climb: Climbing only on
the rock's natural structures,
without using artificial aids.

Yesterday, I had a dream.

I was in a climbing gym somewhere,
a run-down gym, totally shabby.

Some climber walks in
wearing crampons and a helmet.

Behind him I can see
a snowstorm raging.

I think,
"I'd love to climb the Torre now, too!"

So I open the door,
get crampons, an ice axe and stuff,

and suddenly I'm
right in the middle of the Ice Towers.

It was so weird!

Cool dream.

Weird.



It all began with the dream

to take part
in an expedition outside Europe.

From that moment on

the dream

became a nightmare.

A heavy snowstorm had frozen the wall.

My foot slipped.

I tried to hang on with my right hand,
but that slipped too.

As I was slipping, I managed
to grab hold with my left hand.

That was the most dangerous moment,
because I nearly fell off the mountain.

Every story about Cerro Torre

begins with the mystery
shrouding its first ascent --

a secret known only to
Cesare Maestri and Toni Egger.

If I could, I'd go back
and delete the mountain from my life.



There is question as to whether Maestri
had actually done his route

in 1959 with Toni Egger.

Toni Egger is dead.
There's no witnesses,

no pictures...

...and only his story.

The alleged ascent with Toni Egger,

if it actually took place, would be

the greatest ascent

of this mountain ever.

Cesare Maestri will
go down in the history

of mountaineering but also
in the history

of question marks.
Was he really up there?

Was he really the first
to climb Cerro Torre or not?

If someone says
they have done something,

then you take everything on trust.

But, unfortunately, there are
always the black sheep.

There was doubt
about our first expedition.

We didn't want to leave
any uncertainty,

so we went back.

If Maestri wants to save face,

he'll have to attack the Torre
one more time.

I don't think anywhere in the world
is there a mountain anything like it.

It is unique.

It is everything
you would dream of wanting.

And as a sort of last challenge,

as a most inaccessible point,
it should be unclimbed.

He returns to the mountain
with 1.500 pounds of equipment.

The centerpiece of his new strategy
is a massive piece of machinery --

a 180-pound
gas-powered compressor

designed to drive
a heavy-duty power drill.

Maestri will perforate the Torre's
raw granite walls with metal bolts.

This time around,
he will leave nothing to chance.

Most heroes,
when you actually meet them,

are not as heroic
as one might imagine.

The public love heroes,

but, sure, there are a few,
but not many.

You want to do the first free ascent
of the 1970 Maestri route.

Reinhold Messner
at International Mountain Summit

You don't need a film crew or a camera.

Just do it,
and if you succeed, you succeed.

This film that could come out
in two to three years

is going to be totally
different on the big screen

from what you're doing now.

We won't see you go there and fail,

adding bolts to mount cameras,
the helicopter flying in and out.

In the film we'll see you start at
the bottom and finish on the summit.

Fantastic! We all applaud that,
but it has nothing to do with reality.

We did it! Yeah!

Don't you think that the film crew

or the guys from Red Bull are taking
advantage of you on Cerro Torre?

Reinhold, I think we have
a little misunderstanding here.

♪ Well, I feel
just like a child ♪

♪ Yeah,
I feel just like a child ♪

Reaching the top isn't so important.

It's just for fun.

♪ Well,
I feel just like a child ♪

♪ From my womb to my tomb,
I guess I'll always be a child ♪

♪ Well, some people try
and treat me like a man ♪

♪ Yeah, some people try
and treat me like a man ♪

It's a combination of things
that uniquely characterize him.

An Austrian mother,

a Nepalese father, a Sherpa,
and Sherpas are renowned

for being very strong,

physically as well as mentally.
Peter Habeler
1st ascent of Mt. Everest without Oxygen

And this is all evident in David.

♪ Yeah, I need you to help me
comb my hair ♪

I don't play soccer, because climbing
is quite different from playing soccer.

It's not a team sport.

♪ ...To come keep me amused ♪

♪ From my cave to my grave,
I guess I'll always be a child ♪

♪ Well, I need you to help me
reach the door ♪

♪ And I need you to walk me
to the store ♪

♪ And I need you
to please explain the war ♪

♪ And I need you... ♪

Heavy climbing under the heater,
that's his way of playing.

♪ ...Tell by my smile
that I'm a child ♪

I saw at once
that he has extraordinary talent.

He has a great sense of balance
and no fear whatsoever.

He moves really well on the rock.
Incredible.

♪ Could you first pull out a
book and read me some of that? ♪

♪ 'Cause I need you
to make me take my nap ♪

We always thought it was in his genes.

"Himalayas and stuff.
That's where he got it."

But basically it's all in the head.

He doesn't care.
If he can't reach, he jumps.

It's unique, because
no climber has ever won both titles,

- let alone at the age of 16.
- David Lama...

He is at the top of his sport,

and he's at the top
of his climb.

He's got it!
David Lama wins the world cup!

- David Lama, ladies and gentlemen!
- He climbs everything on earth!

David lama has taken
the world cup...

The Austrian Spiderman: David Lama!

This is history in the making.

The youngest ever
Climbing World Cup Champion...

Making him the youngest ever
climbing World Champion.

He could be
at the very top of his sport

for many, many years to come.

The question I asked myself is:

can I climb on the Cerro Torre
like I do in competition?

In 2009 David Lama announced
he would ascend Cerro Torre
via the Compressor Route --

Climbing using only the rock's natural
structures, and using bolts and ropes
solely for protection should he fall.

This is called free climbing.

Many people say
it's impossible to free climb up there.

Maybe it's not possible for them,
but for me it is.

You will not climb
the Cerro Torre free -- period.

Jim Bridwell
2nd ascent of the Compressor Route

Done.

I've been there
a number of times.

It's a challenging place
to climb.

We imagined
it would be different, a lot easier

than it really was.

Quick, mark it!

- Clapperboard...
- Mark it!

- Mark it.
- Use your hands.

Damn, my feet are freezing!

Conditions are bad,

seemingly nothing uncommon
in Patagonia.

David and Daniel leave some gear
at the base camp

and leave the valley
as quick as possible.

Seven hours later they
are back at the El Chaltén.

I puked all night. No sleep.

Puking and shitting.

We're staying here.

Daniel feels like shit.
There's no point in going up today.

You only have
a few days' window

when climbing is possible,

and you have to make certain
that you are in a position

to use those few days
to best advantage.

I'm recording.

- No?
- Yeah, ready to go.

Thomy Dirnhofer
Director

Let's lift off.

Me and my crew -- we can make
use of the favorable conditions.

Markus Pucher and two guides
prepare the Torre for filming.

But knowing the history of the mountain,
we should have done things differently.

In the winter of 1970,
Maestri drilled some 300 holes,

along the southeastern ridge
for rope ladders.

Rather than repeat his fated route
with Toni Egger on the north face,

he ignores Torre's
natural rock structure,

and now chooses a straight line
to the top.

During your first ascent in 1959

there was no photographic documentation.
Do you have any now?

The main documentation

is the 70-kilo compressor
that remains just below the summit

as an eternal testimony

to the ascent we accomplished.

This time no one can dispute
Maestri's great sporting achievement.

This ascent
of the impossible mountain

would later go down in the books
as the Compressor Route.

To this day, the 180-pound
compressor hangs

only a rope's length beneath
the summit of Cerro Torre.

To make sure
that everybody realized

that I had been
on the compressor,

I broke the pressure-release
valve off the thing,

put it in my pocket, hoping
I could make it down alive.

Alongside Maestri's bolt ladder,
we drill a new set of holes

to enable the filming David's free
ascent on the Compressor Route.

We are here to film --

The end justifies the means.

In a way, that is why I found
it so upsetting that, you know,

that man has imposed his will on it

by drilling his way to the top.

Daniel is up and running again,
and the weather looks good.

We head back in.

This time, we leave base camp behind us and
climb straight up to the Col de la Paciencia --

the col of patience.

- Hey, you know what would be cool now?
- What? - Kaiserschmarrn pancakes!

Kaiserschmarrn?

I can think
of lots of cool stuff right now.

Yes, I think it'll work out tomorrow.

So we can get up there on the summit.

- Good night, David.
- Night.

Good night, Daniel.

Is that the Banana Crack?

No idea. Shall we get the map out?

Our first attempt just didn't go well.

I had to pull Daniel up. Then I had
the camera in my face all the time.

It's always there, it's irritating.

So, how's it going, David?

Ask me again when I get down.
Right now I'm pissed off.

It's too hot now. I have to get down.

We have to get down now.

The ice is coming down all the time.

Yeah... this is pretty crap.

Nothing went right.

We only got to the Bolt Traverse.

Just when the climbing started
to get interesting, we had to turn back.

It's doubtful whether we can make it
up this year. The walls are so iced up

that our chances aren't good.

And once in the other direction. Quick!

When the weather isn't right,
you're just vegetating.

It hasn't been right for a month
and a half, so that's how long

we've been killing time down here.

You drift on a raft,

but you don't paddle.

Come on, let's have a barbecue.

This song tells

the story of the ascent of Cerro Torre...

Toni Ponholzer
13th season in Patagonia

up to where it is today.

The ascent of the original route
is still a mystery today.

We came here over the vast sea

To the fight for the peaks of the world

And the climbers move there

With their gear

To the goal that we set ourselves

Wild guanacos go with us

Across the Pampas' lonely heights

And from afar we can see

The Cerro Torre's distant peak

This is the most dangerous
place I think I've ever climbed.

Mountain of our desires...

Suddenly that climbing gym dude

wants to climb Cerro Torre.

One day you'll be ours!

If the conditions are right
I can climb it really fast.

You will not climb
the Cerro Torre free.

¿Qué hora es?

What time is it?

Time is up... Game over.

David Lama will not climb
the Compressor Route free,

and we have rigged the mountain for
a film shoot that never got under way.

Dirni thought he could
shoot the film in six weeks

and head back home
with a complete film.

But it doesn't work like that.

Instead of a historical
alpine adventure,

we bring back home a
shit storm of epic proportions.

The things said on the Internet were
a justified attack on me as a climber.

DAVID, YOU RIDICULOUS CLOWN.

I went to Patagonia all full of myself,

saying I could free climb the world's
hardest mountain just like that.

But if I hadn't been down there,
no film crew would have been there

and no bolts would've been placed.

In the end
I was the moron with the power drill,

just like the one 40 years ago.

The first year I went down
with Daniel, a good friend of mine.

But then I realized
I need a top alpinist at my side.

So I just called Peter.

I answered the phone and David said,

"Got time for a project, Peter?"
"Yeah, where?"

"In the Tre Cime." "Cool, that's real
close. What are you planning?"

"Bellavista."
And I said, "An awesome project.

I really want to be on board."

♪ The biggest dreams must die ♪

♪ Whenever
they will come alive ♪

What I appreciate about Peter
when we're out climbing

is not having to say much,
and he doesn't say things like:

"Look, there's a chamois."
I don't give a shit about chamois.

We both live to climb,
and we get on really well.

It worked well so I asked him

to come with me to Patagonia
the following year.

So we're going back again.
But this time we agreed beforehand

not to place any new bolts
and not to fix ropes.

The plan is that the film crew
will aid climb on Maestri's bolts

like any other climbing party.

Base camp

It's fogged up, the stupid thing.

- Better now?
- Yeah, it's okay.

That's good.

Who cares! Tomorrow we're going up.

I think it'll be okay for two days.
A two-day weather window

can't just disappear within 12 hours.
That just won't happen.

The route I'd always planned
goes from the Col de la Paciencia

along the southeast ridge to the summit.

At first it's easy,

past the Banana Crack
to the start of the Bolt Traverse.

And where Maestri's bolt ladder
turns away to the right,

my free climb goes to the left
up the ridge, into the Ice Towers,

and up to the base of the Headwall.

From the compressor,

where Bridwell aid climbed straight up,

I'll have to find enough structures

to free climb it.

Everything's good for a moment,
and it can change real fast.

Puffy cloud out
over the Yellow Continental.

15 minutes later,
the whole sky is slate gray

and it's blowing
80 miles an hour.

David for Markus. Over.

Down at base camp we'd
received a new weather report.

Markus Pucher
film crew alpine guide

But we couldn't reach the guys
up on the Col.

It's ten past two in the morning, David.

I wonder
what the conditions will be like today.

For goodness' sake!
Pull on blue, please.

Okay.

This really sucks!

Is it worth it?

No, man...

Am I nuts?

- At least you feel the same as me!
- This is brutal.

Awful conditions.

Look at it. Incredible!

All the forces of nature
are present and evident

and working against you.

Overnight,
the weather has changed.

Now the whole upper section is
covered with ice and is unclimbable.

The rest of the mountain hides
behind a thick curtain of fog.

We circle around the Torre
several times,

without a trace of David and Peter.

Okay, Peter!

This is shit!

All the cracks were icy.

And the ice kept
coming loose when the sun came out.

I did know that to finish the project

I'd have to go beyond my limits.

But at the start I wasn't aware
how far beyond I'd have to go.

Look how much ice there is.
That's really terrible.

There's too much
of that stuff hanging overhead.

We've no chance of reaching the summit.

Yeah.

Ten meters higher than last year.

First ten meters further,
then ten meters below.

And now in between.
It's a good start at least.

- Once we were 100 meters short.
- Yeah. - It's okay.

At least we know
we're really going for it this year.

Because we have
a few tons of ice above us.

There's so much of it. Nobody
knows how well the ice actually holds.

New year, new partner,
same old story --

turning around
at the Bolt Traverse.

Every pitch sucked.

- Every single one.
- Even the easiest. - Yeah.

If you come down here for a month
and a half just to do the Torre,

it'd drive everybody nuts.
That's just the way it is.

Of all Patagonian summits,

the Cerro Torre is the one
most exposed to the weather.

It always takes a few days
for the ice to clear out again.

TUESDAY
El Chaltén

Yeah, it's really shit again.

It's really rough down here.
We've been here 20 days...

Three weeks.

And still nothing.

We'd need a really good weather window.

- No point in going up there again.
- None at all.

We know that way by now.

I know it better
than the classics back home.

Maybe we can do something else
for the next two days.

What I really didn't want
was to hang around the village

and watch all the others

climb whichever peaks,

while we wait despairingly for
the weather to be right for the Torre.

WEDNESDAY
on the way to base camp

So we used a two-day weather window
to try the Poincenot.

THURSDAY
summit Poincenot 3002m

So how long have we been gone?

Half past 12...

- 22 and a half?
- Yeah. - Give or take.

22 and a half hours.

I'm so happy right now!

Just sitting here.

And then we went for a drink or two.

THURSDAY
El Chaltén

FRIDAY
El Chaltén

Good morning.

It's time to get up
and go to work!

No.

Yes, right.

How did I get here?

Bouldering mat?

I'm in David's bed!

- I tied you to the bed, Peter.
- I'm tied up? Am I crazy?

What's the weather like, Peter?

Awesome weather.

- Really awesome.
- You fell out of bed last night.

Really?

Then you were lying on the edge,

so I thought I'd better tie you down.

- Bullshit.
- No shit!

Pure bullshit.

Get up, man!
I brought you the weather report.

Wanna have a look?

This is the window

that we climbed in,
but it's too late to head out now.

It's too late now.

This is really shit,
us being stuck in El Chaltén.

Yeah.

Go climb something, locos!

- We have to get going now.
- Yep.

Let's go!

David and Peter
now have little time left.

Maybe the last chance
FRIDAY

to reach the summit this year.
SATURDAY

The film team stays behind.

We have the helicopter and the
climbers have their two cameras.

Hanging just below the compressor,
I got confused,

because I was a meter away,
and I thought,

"What's happening now?"
Couldn't get any rope from below.

Oh, god.
I know what happened.

Out of rope.

They did two pitches at once,
and now they're out of rope.

Now Peter got to start climbing.

It's strange when you have no anchor
above or below.

- You know if someone falls...
- Falling's not an option. - No.

With that ice thing over there,

you have to get a hold on the right
so the ice is between your feet.

You know if any part breaks off,
it'll hit your partner head on.

Climbing the Bridwell pitch from the
compressor onwards, that was really cool.

We said, "Who's gonna climb
the Bridwell?" And you said, "Climb it."

I have enough fuel for two more hours,
but at some point we'll run out of light.

Okay, good. We'll... I reckon we'll reach
the summit in 30 to 45 minutes.

- Okay, guys.
- How we looking?

I think we're going to make it.

BRIDWELL PITCH
final pitch below the summit

I think our question up here is,
can they do it in 15 minutes?

It will take 35 minutes
till both are on the ice.

- We're screwed.
- Why?

Well, because I don't think
Pablo will fly that late.

It's getting cold.

But we'll manage.

Peter is now four meters
from the summit plateau.

But everything is covered with ice.

And now we're screwed again.

But I don't think we're giving up now.

You bastard!

I called the mountain all kinds of names.

- You can't turn back
four meters from the summit. - No.

There's no turning back up there.

It'd make you sick
for the rest of your life.

Where are the guys, Tom?

They're now at the top of the Headwall.
I have five minutes flying time left.

At the compressor I put on the crampons,

so I could run across
the last snowfield.

And I sprinted up there.

I was so exhausted on the plateau.

I had an aider hanging out on the left,

and on the summit plateau
I thought, "Should I put it away?

No, keep going!
Stick the axe in, left, right."

♪ Can't hear
the mumbling complaints ♪

♪ Where cannons rust ♪

♪ Swim against the current
with trust ♪

♪ Running up hill ♪

♪ In the morning
when waters are still ♪

♪ Ropes are cut ♪

♪ Unclear patterns
when eyes are shut ♪

There were two little ice mushrooms.

I wasn't sure which was higher.
This one or that? That one!

Then up you go.
Yes, it's higher! Cool.

Saturday
12th of February 2011 - 22:05

♪ Can't hear
the mumbling complaints ♪

♪ Where cannons rust ♪

- We did it!
- Cool.

The greatest moment was
standing on the summit,

looking around and seeing
I am on top of the Torre.

On the ice mushroom. The sun is setting,
Fitz Roy is disappearing in the dark.

It was a terrific moment.

One of the best
mountain moments I've ever had.

♪ When eyes are shut ♪

No way.

The Maestri route --
you have both there, right?

You call that free climbing?

The Headwall pitch --
you have these aluminum dowels.

We left all the pitons in.

Rope, knife blade, stuff like that...
copper heads.

No.

Unless you change the route.

♪ Faded to the grain ♪

That's it for today.
Now we just have to free climb this thing.

Anything you want to add, Markus?

Listen up, Peter!

Give the Torre my regards,

and when you rappel down,
stay awake, alright?

Yeah, will do. Good night. Ciao!

All the best. Take care!

I think in the first two years
the Torre wore me down so badly

that when I stood on top
at the end of the second year

I really didn't care
if I'd free climbed my way up

or pulled myself up on the bolts,

because it was the first time I realized

how hard it is
to reach the summit at all.

I think that was the moment

when I stopped being a sport climber
and became an alpinist.

SATURDAY
rappelling Compressor Route

SUNDAY
rappelling Compressor Route

Watch out for the end of the rope!

I can't see a thing.

The moment of truth comes
when you start to pull the rope,

to pull the rappel.

That's why I always carry, like,
a 200-foot, 7-millimeter rope

in the bottom of my pack.

Gives you that maybe
good extra chance.

You lost the rope,
you lost your life.

I grew up as a sport climber and
as such the first thing you learn is:

Never put your finger in a bolt.

If you fall, it'll be cut off.
Just as I never questioned that rule,

I never questioned the rules of
climbing competitions, which for years

ruled my life in a way.
And so the first time

that I stood on top of the Torre,

I also realized for the very first time

that I wasn't in a gym anymore and
the Torre isn't a competition venue

with 1000 spectators, and a referee

with a stopwatch.
There's no one watching you.

You're on your own,
at best with your partner.

Therefore there are no rules,
and it's your attitude that's decisive.

Climbing is, to me,
is adventure, excitement.

The one thing lacking
from civilization.

Bad thing.

- Fred!
- What?

I need some copper heads
and the copper-head pounder.

That's me.

And it's in French,
which I don't really speak.

But this means "genius."

This means "fool"
or "crazy" or "mad."

So it means
"The Crazy Genius of Rock-Climbing,"

or "climbing."

Grimpeur.

And this just says "legend."

"Jim Bridwell."

I've never taken LSD
or marijuana climbing.

I mean, while I'm climbing.

Nah, that's not true.

Climbing is way more
than just sports.

It's all about the thrill,
the experience, the whole nine yards.

♪ The only thing you see ♪
♪ You know it's gonna be ♪

♪ The ace of spades ♪

♪ The ace of spades ♪

So it's an evolution
that takes place,

and the participants are the ones that
propel it forward with --

what's propelling them, though?

The quest for perfection.

If David manages to free climb up there,

then...

he'll have shown everyone
how it's done, and that it can be done.

You haven't got
a snowball's chance in hell.

MONDAY
El Chaltén

Hey, Peter!

I think we've got it.

What did he say?

Charly said, on the 19th.

The 19th is Thursday.

Today's the 15th.

So this is the actual Headwall.

Here, I'll leave
the Compressor Route.

This is the same
as the Bridwell.

And then I'll climb to up here.

And the Bridwell is here?

- Bridwell -- you can
actually see a rope here. -Yeah.

- This is like 5 to 10 meters.
- Okay.

- I might have to place a bolt here.
- Yeah.

And then climb this section,
'cause this might be hard.

- And -- yeah. If these are loose.
- And especially if this one's iced up,

then it's getting really nasty,

and you don't want to take
a 20-meter fall out there.

From the top of Cerro Torre.

- So you're going up there
the day after tomorrow? - Right.

- And you go up tomorrow? - We go up
tomorrow, and the day after that

we could already get to the shoulder.

My job is to shoot climbing
footage of David and Peter,

and I had a number of questions,
Lincoln Else
cameraman & rock climber

like I do for any climbing job.
Lincoln Else
cameraman & rock climber

And one of
the most important questions was

"Well, who would I be climbing with?"

Cerro Torre
TONI EGGER MEMORIAL CHAPEL
El Chaltén

One day you'll be ours!
TONI EGGER MEMORIAL CHAPEL
El Chaltén

When I broke my foot one day
Toni Ponholzer
now filmteam member

my father taught me
all three chords I know.

He's as sort of quintessential
badass Patagonian climber

as you can be.

I'd spent some time
in the Bridwell camp.

We were sitting by the huts
and lying around in the sun, you know?

Rice, pasta, potatoes...

It was the same every day!

We hadn't had
meat for ages. So we thought,

"We could eat these mice.
They live off grass and healthy stuff."

So we gutted them like a butcher would.

Then we salted them
and threw them into the frying pan.

Six mice, very tender, very nice!

Someone called, I didn't recognize
the number so I picked up.

I called up Markus...

"Are you Markus?"
"Yeah, sure, but which Toni are you?"

I was looking for a partner
for Cerro Torre's north face.

It's obvious why. Who is going?

I showed him some photographs
and he got excited.

This is Toni Egger's route.
Straight up Cerro Torre's north face.

Everybody knows Toni Ponholzer.

He's been going to Cerro Torre for
years. He's a real Cerro Torre veteran.

With Toni there are
three of us now. Lincoln Else,

Toni Ponholzer and me.

What drives me to climb the north face

is that I keep thinking of Toni Egger.

He's no longer alive.

He can no longer tell the world
if he got to the summit or not.

I want to take his route,

and either finish it for him
or repeat it, so there's finally someone

who can speak up for him,
"The route can be climbed.

Let me find my peace!"

The container isn't big.

It has four beds, a bathroom in the
back and a common room with a kitchen.

How gross! Two or three flies, huh!

- Peter, let's set a new world record.
- You can live quite well.

Real luxury for a mountaineer.

No more tent. You have a container,
which sounds kind of strange,

but that's a luxury for us.

Okay, that's it.

Having a dry room
with electricity and hot water

where you can stay...
It's simple, but it's okay.

TUESDAY
El Chaltén

It's hard waiting down here.

You bet.
There's nothing before Wednesday?

No.

No, I really don't think
it'd be smart to...

- Do anything before then.
- To do anything before then.

Don't you think? Rationally speaking?

It just sucks that
the weather's great for mountaineering.

Not perfect for the Torre in fact,
but great for mountaineering.

We'll do the Torre on the 21st,

Exupery on the 22nd
and Fitz on the 23rd.

We'd better do something at all.
We've had a good week

of reasonable weather.
That's what's so crap,

that really pisses me off.

I'm really sorry,
but we came here for the Torre.

Welcome back. This is
"National Geographic Weekend."

I'm Boyd Matson.

Usually, when someone does
a first in mountaineering,

is the first to stand
on top of a famous peak,

they get all the talk.

All the conversation
is about the climb up.

But here's a story that's gotten
almost as much attention

for what happened
on the way down.

Hayden Kennedy & Jason Kruk
back in base camp

Pretty much climbed the start
of the Compressor Route.

Well, how I would describe it
is that we just wanted to --

I just wanted to ignore the line
that Maestri climbed.

I remember sitting in silence
up there.

And then I remember Jason
just kind of being like,

"So, what about those bolts?"

Hayden and I managed to remove
the bolts off the entire Headwall.

So we cleaned about 125 bolts.
But there's still over 200 left there.

So there's a lot more work
to be done.

We just used our ice axes
and levered them out.

This is just a huge chapter
in history.

And you
were going to write it, no?

The ultimate goal
is to respect the mountain.

I will call the police.

Yeah, that's right.
There was a mob.

The question remains,
did Maestri curse the mountain?

Put a Macumba spell on it?

We sent a unit round right away.

I think
we're both surprised that --

a lot of people who know us
are surprised

that we'd do something
like this.

But it's just because, you know,
we really believed in it.

I guess the main reason
why we chopped the bolts

is to give the mountain
the respect that it deserves

and to set an example

that it is a really hard
mountain to climb.

To chop the Compressor Route --

it has created one of the great
firestorms on the Internet

that I've ever been privy to.

You just decided to take it
upon yourselves

to clean the mountain and make
it back to the challenge it was,

and that's where
the controversy begins.

Those bolts don't make the adventure.

Luis Pablo Soto jun.
Permanent resident

What makes the adventure is yourself.

You have to know
how to put your mistakes aside

and choose another way.

WEDNESDAY
El Chaltén

David?

- I'm afraid we have to wake you up.
- Because?

- We have some news.
- Which is...

Here's what happened.
Markus Pucher gave me a call.

A Canadian climbing team came down,

and apparently they aid climbed
the Compressor Route

- but without using Maestri's bolts.
- Yeah.

And...

they removed all Maestri bolts
in the Headwall.

Who cares?

No, I really don't care.
Then I won't use them either.

- Why did they do that?
- They thought they had to.

Just like I think

I have to free climb
the Compressor Route, basically.

What David doesn't consider,

without the help of Maestri's bolts,
there is no way for the film team

to cover his climb on the Headwall...

Good morning, gentlemen.

...Except...

You have the west face,

and you have a little ramp here
going down to the glacier.

- Yeah.
- But then we will scout a spot

where we can drop these guys
on the ground.

The film crew's new plan is
to choose a different route --

The line of the Torre's
uncontested first ascent in 1974.

It was Casimiro Ferrari

who discovered
the Torre's true soft spot --

the iced-up west face.

The Ragni di Lecco expedition went down
in history for making the first ascent

of Cerro Torre via the west face.

Okay, let's go home.
Okay, let's go. Perfect.

Sitting in the helicopter,
boom, boom, boom, boom.

Because you know tomorrow
you climb up there.

- Yes.
- You know?

And Markus Pucher
is just the right guy

to lead the film team safely
to the top within 48 hours.

It'll be amazing if we succeed,
and both teams get to the summit.

We'll meet on top and film the guys.

We'll go up on Friday
past the Bolt Traverse.

- Yeah?
- We'll bivouac there

- and go up on Saturday.
- Okay, good.

We'll go up from the back on Friday
and bivy up there.

We'll show them,
they think we aren't doing anything.

- Really?
- You bet.

So that's the plan.

But one thing that I've learned
here in Patagonia

is that whatever plan you make
is gonna change.

So we'll see how things go.

Your rope... good. Ice screws...

THURSDAY
El Chaltén

We'll leave some stuff behind,
so we're a bit lighter.

Hey, the weather is so cool.

So this is it. What we've
been waiting for for three years.

It's so cool. I can hardly believe it.

- Markus. - David? - See you up there.
- See you up there.

Okay, Markus,

- have fun on the west side.
- You too.

I'll think of you
as I ax my way up through the ice.

- West face, east face, right?
- Exactly. - Great. Cool.

- Okay, ciao.
- Ciao.

- We've never seen the mountain like that.
- With so little ice? No.

The Headwall is so clean.

Okay, David, let's do it!

You bet.

Alright.

- Fingers crossed.
- If you ever let us go.

It's your turn now. It's all yours!

Once Peter and I
had crossed the hanging bridge

and set off towards the Torre,
we knew this was our chance,

one we had to take, one we wouldn't
get again for the next five years.

What is your plan
for the mushrooms?

- Do we need wings or anything, or no?
- No. No, no, no.

- 'Cause it's all --
- Yeah.

I haven't climbed down here before,

so it's humbling to get to climb
in Patagonia for anyone,

especially someone
who's gonna come down here

and then try to go up
on Cerro Torre.

BASE CAMP

- Right now it's... - Three hours.
- Quarter to ten. No, quarter to eleven.

A three hour break.

- I'll put my gloves on tomorrow morning.
- Really? - Yeah.

- For the start.
- Not me. - It's good to start with.

- No, I don't like it.
- I do. - No.

Like an old married couple!

We came up really quickly today.
FRIDAY
before sunrise

Yes, it went really great.
FRIDAY
before sunrise

It didn't take us more than 90 minutes.

- No, it didn't.
- Probably less.

Now we'll put on all the gear
and on we go!

Now we twiddle our thumbs. We have to
wait for six hours to stay on schedule.

We were way too quick.

4.5 hours to the shoulder is great.

The helicopter drops off
the film team behind the Torre,

at the foot of the west face.

It looks tough.
It's challenging, steep, covered with ice

and mixed terrain in between.
If you're not familiar with it,

if you're a rock climber,

then it's very daunting.

We actually set off with a camera man
who knew nothing about ice climbing.

We had to figure out whether to
use the American climbing terms

or the German climbing terms,

and I think we ended up
with sort of a hybrid of both of them.

Toni, how goes it?

Oh, it goes good.

Meanwhile, David and Peter
have reached the Bolt Traverse

under prime conditions.

You want an extra-romantic panorama pan?

An incredible panorama pan.

- I'll start with you, okay?
- Okay.

But then in this direction,
so you can see Loch Ness.

- Alright.
- Okay.

Ooooh. This is so beautiful.

Here is Fitz Roy and Poincenot.

And Little Raphael.

And over there is Loch Ness.

The Bolt Traverse.

The first pitch that
no one's free climbed yet, right?

- Till now.
- Yeah.

That'll have changed in 30 minutes.

Let's hope so.

The first chalk on the Torre.

- Okay, Peter?
- Okay.

The first pitch on the Bolt Traverse
is extremely difficult.

You have to keep
your weight over your feet.

You stand on very small footholds

and you have really bad holds
for the hands.

That makes it all really difficult.
You have to climb very precisely.

Terrific, David.

- How's it going?
- Good!

While on the Bolt Traverse,
climbing around the edge, I looked up.

I saw this thin crack.
From the way it ran up,

becoming so narrow

you couldn't even get your fingers in,
it became clear to me

I would really have to dig deep.

It's pretty difficult here.

Okay.

David climbed really well
until he got to the difficult bit.

I could see it would get even tougher,
but he didn't say anything.

But you could see from his moves
that this was a major challenge.

Come on. I got you.

It's okay!

Damn tough here!

Afterwards I thought,

"I don't really get the feeling
this is possible."

It's no use. Let me down, Peter.

Okay.

You only get the chance to free climb
the Torre about every five years,

because the weather's rarely right.
You can't keep messing about

trying to free climb one pitch.
You have to get through it quickly.

You have to have faith,
not hope.

Faith that there's something
beyond you.

Hope is delusional.

I can imagine that the crucial point

is the variation of the Bolt Traverse,
not, as others say,

up in the Headwall.

Okay, let's have a look
at the west face.

When we get to there,
to this last 50 meters,

I stay there
and I was thinking, "shit."

The last stretch was a vertical wall.

There was water running down,
ice falling off...

Markus and I looked at it... Jesus!

How are we ever going to get up there?

If you want to free climb the Torre,
you must go at it with all guns blazing.

Okay, Peter.

That's it, David!

Keep going.

Keep going!

Come on.

It's okay, David! Sock it to him!

Keep going!

- Yeah, terrific!
- Yes!

Yes, cool!

I'll go round to the anchor, okay?

Hello, Markus, what's your plan?
How's it going with you?

It's going well. We're at

the first ice mushroom.
We're going up there now.

I got to the top.

I was all alone.
The two guys were still down below.

I saw the sun go down,
and my eyes welled up. It was incredible.

There's nothing you can do.
You're up there, and suddenly

it just moves you to tears.
It's amazing.

Peter, David, if you can hear me, we'll
make one more approach then fly home.

See you tomorrow
with the latest weather report.

Guys, have a great night and,

yeah, have a blast!

Now we're ready for the night.

In our sleeping bags,

a nice sitting bivy.

Enjoying the sunset.

The place where they bivouacked
looked really uncomfortable.

I kept thinking of them.
I'm sure it was a rough night.

film crew
arriving at summit plateau

I was thinking back over the last
20 years I've been here in Patagonia.

I thought, "Okay,

I didn't come up the north face,

but I really am where I wanted to be."

Here I have a flag.

Of?

Of Toni Egger.

Yes.

Remember Toni Egger?

I always carry with me.

Yeah, yeah.
Cool. Yeah.

- It's good, huh?
- Uh-huh.

Perfect.

It's really great.

This is the only flag I have.

SATURDAY
21st of January 2012

Now we go in.

Now we go in on the bivouac.
The bivvy they had.

You see the bivvy?

Are they still in bed?

I can see where they had
a piss -- yellow snow.

Certainly, you're gonna come
to those situations of choice

where you better know yourself
or you're gonna die.

When you're pushed to your limits,

it's more likely to stay in your memory

than if you go jogging
on a treadmill somewhere every day.

Then you can't just pick a moment
from your life and say,

"Wow!
I really pushed myself to the limit."

It's all loose flakes
and loose blocks, and...

you can't afford to make a mistake.

The rock quality is not too good.

- Really?
- Yeah.

- Well, is it crumbling?
- Yeah. It looks pretty loose to me.

Hey, what's that over to your left?

I don't know.

That's something else.

- Now we're up at the compressor.
- There it is, two or three meters away.

There it hangs.

- Just one more pitch. Thirty meters.
- Not bad.

Then we've redpointed the Torre.

Hundreds of people
have climbed up the bolt ladder,

but the route should be done
as a free climb.

The difficulty is just phenomenal.
It's there to be climbed.

You know,
I'm sure you can do it.

I'm sure it will be.

Okay, gentlemen.

Now, the next pitch
is the big question.

This is going to be tough, Peter.

Okay.

These flakes are unstable.
They're loose and hollow. You never know,

if you fall off with one, it might pull
out the next one and the next one.

It could hit you from above
or cut the rope or whatever.

I think Peter saw the long runouts
between the placements there were,

and he could well have been scared.

He has to decide.
It's first terrain.

New terrain,
so he doesn't know where to --

I cannot tell you.

When I was 5 meters
from the summit snow-field, not knowing

whether to go left across the slabs
or right onto the loose block,

and I felt how terribly wobbly it was,

that's when I thought,
"OK, you just have to hold now."

Yeah, we're keeping --
we're eyeballing him,

but we do another turn.

We're waiting.

Don't worry about the skids.
In case he's falling, I got it, at least.

Yes, Peter!

Yes, sir!

Without placing one single bolt.

David, you're an animal!

Yes, baby. Yes.

Oh, that feels good.

You only want to have climbed
something like that once in your life.

Cool.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

That's it.
That's all.

- Thanks, Peter.
- Terrific, David.

I believe that the skills
I brought from competition

were the final building block
in free climbing the Torre.

Hey, guys!

During my first two years
I lacked the alpine basis

that I needed in order to
put the final building block in place.

I'm really happy for you, guys. Yeah!

We're still going up there, right?

The reason I chose the Torre was

that I was looking for something
where I could learn, and where...

I could get involved
in something I wasn't part of at first,

where I could learn a lot

and discover so much about myself.

It was cool standing up there
with Toni, Markus and Lincoln.

They're really cool guys.

Standing up there with such cool guys
isn't something you can take for granted.

It's really cool,
the five of us standing up there.

But it wouldn't have mattered
if there had been ten of us.

Everyone had given
their all to be up there.

And everyone shared the same joy.

Actually that's the summit.

I gotta do this now.

I think everyone wants
to try and do their best

and maybe set new standards.

But what it's all about
is what you experience as you try.

One generation thinks,
"Oh, it's all done."

Then the next generation finds
something new.

I survived.

All we had to do was get down
to tell the tale, and we did.

- What a cool mountain to ski down!
- Just what I thought while climbing up.

Okay, Peter. I'm going down here!

Right, David, have fun.

Anybody that knows me knows
that story's not true,

'cause I wouldn't waste a dog,
throwing it over the edge. I'd eat it.

Keep on shooting,
I'm not that picky.

- In the edit...
- You throw it away.

And snow!

Hit Toni with the snow!
And more!

Even more!

Yeah, right!
And some fog!

- And cut!
- Dirnhofer, piss off!

Then
this really big chunk

hits his head.

"Oh, ow. My head!"

Ice screw -- bam --
hit me right in the face.

He had a tear
in his lip this size.

So I say to him...

"Oh, it's not so bad.
It looks good."

Hey, guys, are you ready

for another day
in wonderful Patagonia?

First you do your stuff,

then we'll climb
the north face!

It's quite a steep pitch.

- But you climbed it, right?
- Sure we did!

Or did you go up
in the chopper?

- No, we went up from
the glacier. - I see!

What did you think?

You only go up in a chopper now?

From the age of 50, yeah.

Chopper and jet plane.

And I only allow myself
one frame per day.

So it really means contemplating,

when am I actually going to
depress that shutter?

That means I'm not using
that motor drive

or the ability to just fill
cards and thousands of pictures.

It means Red Bull pays me
for 10 days. They get 10 pictures.

"Oh, my god.
The bolts are gone."

And I was just like,
"Really? But..."

No, we don't really have
a special climbing style.

We just go for it. Full throttle.
That's our style.

Let's play a proper game!

♪ Tometon, tometon, tometon ♪

♪ Ay, ay, ay, ay,
ay, ay, ay, ay ♪

♪ Tometon, tometon, tometon,
tometon, tometon, tometon ♪

Jim Bridwell
July 29, 1944 – February 16, 2018

David Lama
August 4, 1990 – April 16, 2019

Subtitles by MehrAzar & derpolsper