True Films 3.0 - Kevin Kelly

The Man Who Skied Down Everest
Why not? Skiing down is no sillier than climbing up it. In fact it brings a
nice symmetry to Everest’s mad dream. One could say it sort of justifies
the deadly and unnecessary climb up. In 1970, long before conquering
Everest was a routine leisure event, Japanese champion ski racer Yuichiro
Miura decided he needed to climb up so he could ski down. He became
obsessed with the idea. It took years of preparations, a huge team of
scientists, and 600 overloaded Nepali and Sherpa porters to haul all the
gear, food, and cameras needed to make this crazy wish come true. It
wasn’t an expedition, it was an invasion. Higher into the snow Miura’s
obsession to ski down Everest cost the lives of 6 men on his team.
This film is hypnotic and meditative. What starts out as a gonzo prank
turns into an introspective zen journey, in part because of the cost of his
achievement. This moody film is the complete opposite of any ski movie
made since. There’s no exultation, no hurrah, no high-five grandstanding.
Instead Yuichiro Miura grapples with his own will, fear, and ambition. He
begins to wonder whether any achievement is worth the sacrifices, even
when freely given. He escapes the circle of questioning by skiing down.
This film might be better titled Zen and the Art of Daring. It’s powerful,
spooky.
By Bruce Nyznik and
Lawrence Schiller
1975, 90 min.
Available from Amazon
Rent from Netflix
The mile-long train of porters ferrying up supplies to base
camp (left). The insane angle of descent (below). The
parachute does not stop him in time. The body of one of
the porters who died is bundle up and dragged down to
base camp (below right).
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