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One Of The Most Remarkable Survival Stories You Will Ever Read
Henry Blodget|Oct. 13, 2012, 11:41 AM|911,608
In 1985, two young British climbers, Joe Simpson and Simon Yates, became the first to ascend the west face of Siula Grande, a 21,000-foot peak in the Peruvian Andes.
What happened next has become the stuff of mountaineering legend.
The saga of the five days that followed is one of the most remarkable and inspiring survival stories ever. It’s also an extraordinary example of self-reliance, decision-making under extreme duress, and force of will.
One of the climbers, Joe Simpson, wrote a book about the experience called “Touching The Void.” In 2003, the story was made into a docu-drama directed by Kevin Macdonald. The movie was narrated by Simpson and Yates, with actors re-enacting the events in Peru and the Alps.
Both the book and movie are extraordinary.
Using still shots from the movie, I’ve told a very abridged version of the story below. If you don’t like spoilers, you can buy the book or movie here, or watch the movie on Netflix.
The saga began with a two-day hike from the nearest road.
The climbers, Joe Simpson and Simon Yates, established a camp about 4-5 miles from Siula Grande.
