It is the story of the conquest of Everest and what that achievement has meant to the world. We see climbers who have conquered the mountain and those who have died in the attempt. We meet the Sherpa people, examine the science of mountaineering in high altitudes, hear from expedition leaders and team members throughout their journeys, while cameras capture every peril along the icy peaks. Viewers will be reminded that Everest is a world of illusion, a world that becomes hostile in seconds, with vicious winds and man-killing ice shifts.
We see contemporary and historical footage of Edmund Hillary, the first man to conquer Everest, on May 29, 1953. Then Hillary as he returns to Everest to help the Sherpa people. We explore the face of Everest with famous teams led by the Frenchman Benoit Chamoux, disappeared on his 14th eight thausand metre peak. We struggle with Reinhold Messner as he becomes the first climber to ascend the mountain without oxygen and experience his trauma, as he passes through the so-called “Death Zone” and his glory upon reaching the ultimate peak.