'First Ascent' on Travel Channel

[jman]

http://www.neverstopexploring.com/blog/2010/11/first-ascent-to-air-on-travel-channel.html

The Travel Channel has picked up ground-breaking documentary series 'First Ascent' for U.S. television from adventure filmmakers Sender Films, marking the first series dedicated to rock climbing ever to be aired on U.S. television.



Episode 1 features The North Face athlete Alex Honnold is taking the high-stakes sport of free solo climbing to new heights. Climbing truly massive walls without a rope, and zero chance of survival if he falls, Alex is calm and fearless. But attempting the 2,000-foot wall of Half Dome, the greatest free solo ever attempted, will finally teach Alex the meaning of fear.



Episode 2 features The North Face athletes Renan Ozturk and Cedar Wright as they accompany their friend Sean Leary across South America to the wild peaks of Patagonia on a journey of the heart. Their mission: to attempt a first ascent, and spread the ashes of Stanley’s girlfriend, Roberta from the summit, thus granting her dying wish.



'First Ascent' will begin airing on The Travel Channel on November 4th at 9 pm EST (7-9 MT) as four back-to-back episodes in a two-hour block, then will repeat immediately after. The entire six episode series will be regularly scheduled through the remainder of 2010 and into next year.



"The series is our proudest achievement yet, a culmination of years of production, with storytelling and cinematography that take our work to a new level," said Nick Rosen of Sender Films, "It’s also the first of its kind to be broadcast on television worldwide."



According to Cathryn Garland, The Travel Channel’s Head of Acquisitions, “‘First Ascent’ is one of the most visually stunning, jaw-dropping adventure-travel series we’ve ever seen. We knew we had to have it.”



'First Ascent’ has already aired in over 100 countries around the world, including on National Geographic Channels in Europe, Asia and Latin America, BBC in Scandinavia, and Red Bull Media in Germany.



Want a sneak peak? Peter Mortimer and Nick Rosen of Sender Films will be appearing on Last Call with Carson Daly on late Wednesday night, Nov 3, to promote the airing with a behind the scenes look at the 'First Ascent' series.



The complete First Ascent Series DVD Box Set is available at www.senderfilms.com.


http://www.neverstopexploring.com/blog/2010/11/first-ascent-to-air-on-travel-channel.html

[CarpeyBiggs]

wow. impressive. a lot of footage from these trips can be seen in "the sharp end" as well. the stuff with dean potter on the eiger and the colorado guys on the shaafat fortress. i've only seen the banff trailers, but it looks mighty good.

[jman]

wow. impressive. a lot of footage from these trips can be seen in "the sharp end" as well. the stuff with dean potter on the eiger and the colorado guys on the shaafat fortress. i've only seen the banff trailers, but it looks mighty good.

Yea I enjoyed the Sharp End too. The Eiger is fun to watch, although I've seen another special with NG on base jumping with multiple shots and a 1st person POV which was suspensful.

Anywho, this will be good to finally watch this....and I'm looking forward to the ice-climbing episode very much!!

[Deathcricket]

Oh looks cool! Link me up the torrents when they pop up.

[jman]

Oh, the first episode has some great footage of Moonlight (in Zion), especially the crux!

[Ryebrye]

I've got my dvr recording them whenever they are on. I got 4 yesterday.

I was going to watch them with my 4 year old, but as I started watching the first one and realized that one was all about free soloing I decided "hmmm... maybe not." I don't want to let him grow up thinking free soloing is cool for him to do... Now, when he's old enough that the part of his brain that says "That's cool for someone else to do but not for me" fully develops I'll let him watch that one ;) [Unlike that Alex Honnold guy, he didn't start to stand at one week old or anything crazy like that]

I did show him the one with Chris Sharma though and he liked it.

I went back and watched the first one - I'm pretty sure I was more nervous watching him on moonlight buttress than he was while he was climbing it. Pretty sick stuff.

[Jaxx]

I have been DVRing them as well. [spoiler alert] The episode on Mt. Edmund is super sad.