The True Story of Tragedy and Perseverance Behind Everest: The Other Side
A documentary capturing the emotional journey of skiing Everest's dangerous north face.
1Shifting Focus to North
While most Everest expeditions target the south side, directors Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin shift the narrative to the mountain's north face. This documentary explores the technical challenges of this route, which stands at 29,031 feet. The film premiered at the Venice Film Festival and hit theaters on October 30.
2A Partnership Cut Short
Jim Morrison and Hilaree Nelson, both elite ski mountaineers, originally conceived the plan to climb and ski the north face together. Their partnership began in 2015 during a Makalu expedition. Tragically, Nelson died in an avalanche on Mount Manaslu in September 2022, forcing a complete reassessment of the project's future.
3Navigating Personal Grief
Morrison faced significant personal loss, having previously lost his wife and two children in a 2011 plane crash. Following Nelson's death, the filmmakers debated whether to continue the project. Ultimately, Morrison decided to proceed, viewing the expedition as a way to honor Nelson's legacy and process his own profound grief.
4Filmmaking Under Pressure
Vasarhelyi and Chin, who were married during filming, faced professional and personal conflicts as the story evolved. The documentary required a more candid approach than originally planned. After a seven-month production break, the team committed to capturing the reality of the journey, transforming the film into a study of human resilience.
5Technical Expedition Logistics
The 2024 expedition involved dozens of staff, including cooks, camp managers, and cinematographers. The team established an advanced basecamp at 18,100 feet, with additional camps reaching toward the Hornbein Couloir. Climbers performed multiple rotations to acclimatize their bodies to high-altitude conditions, which are essential for surviving the 9,000-foot ascent.
6Initial Setbacks and Failure
The first 2024 attempt was aborted after climber Yukta Gurung suffered a broken leg. Unfavorable weather conditions further complicated the mission, leading the team to retreat. Despite the disappointment, Jimmy Chin encouraged Morrison to return, emphasizing that the goal remained achievable if the team regrouped and prepared for a second attempt.
7Return to the Summit
In September 2025, a team of 12 climbers, including a recovered Gurung, returned to Everest for a seven-week expedition. On October 15, 2025, the group successfully reached the summit at 2:00 p.m. Morrison spent 45 minutes at the peak, where he spread some of Nelson's ashes before beginning his descent.
8The Laborious Ski Descent
Skiing down the north face took four hours and five minutes of intense, stop-and-start effort. Morrison noted that buckling boots at 29,000 feet was physically exhausting, requiring frequent breaks for oxygen. Every turn carried the risk of a catastrophic mistake, making it the most dramatic run of his professional career.
9Emotional Peak Completion
Upon reaching safety on the glacier, Morrison experienced an overwhelming emotional release. He described the achievement as a collective effort involving his teammates and the support staff at base camp. The successful descent served as a symbolic completion of the goal he and Nelson had originally set out to achieve together.
10Humanity and Audacious Dreams
The documentary highlights the human paradox of dreaming audaciously while possessing the grit to execute difficult goals. By documenting both the physical feat and the internal struggle, the film illustrates how extreme sports can mirror universal experiences of loss and recovery. It stands as a testament to perseverance in extreme environments.
Original article: TIME — The True Story of Tragedy and Perseverance Behind Everest: The Other Side