Pete Athans

A fascinating look at the dangers of climbing Denali (Mt. McKinley, the 20,320 foot peak in Alaska). In this educational film, NOVA examines what it takes to survive a climb to the peak (and back!), and the physical challenges encountered by placing the human body in such high altitude with extreme temperature fluctuations. The film details what is involved in high mountain rescues and medical evacuations and follows a team of scientists and mountaineering experts that are investigating why so many people die trying to summit peaks around the world.