Rainier Films

This six-minute short film revolves around Bernd Arnold, the iconic barefoot climber from Saxony, who has logged over 980 first ascents in his 67 years. Now facing the phase of decline, he reflects on the power of psyche in overcoming fear. Before mainstream climbing brands, sponsorships, and magazines, Bernd was out on the rock pushing his limits. With no chalk, no protection, no shoes, and no rope, he has constantly walked the line between life and death. Why? As Camus once said, 'The struggle itself toward the heights is enough to fill a man’s heart.'

Mountaineer Dave Hahn has stood on top of the world 15 times —more than any non-Sherpa climber. But after 30 years as a guide, attaining the summit of Everest is no longer the driving force behind Hahn’s adventures. He recalls President Teddy Roosevelt’s words that 'It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena … who strives valiantly … who at the best knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly…' Hahn understands that the heart of mountain climbing is about the journey, not the destination.

Jim Ewing is a veteran rock climber and senior rope engineer at Sterling Rope, a prominent rock-climbing rope company. On Christmas Day in 2014, Jim fell over 50 feet to the ground in a climbing accident, a near-death experience that led to the subsequent below-the-knee amputation of his left leg. Before walking on a prosthetic, Jim was already climbing again, and before long, he began dreaming about his bucket list… In 2018, Jim joins Maureen Beck, a professional climber missing her left hand, to attempt the first all-adaptive ascent of the Lotus Flower Tower in Canada’s Cirque of the Unclimbables. Jim and Maureen hope to demonstrate that 'disabled' climbers are just differently –and equally–abled.