Best Mountain Climbing Movies (Top Picks At A Glance)
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Who here loves climbing things!? We definitely love rock climbing around here! But, we’re confident that none of us would ever attempt the things that the people in these movies do! The fact that someone has scaled a 900-meter wall without any safety equipment is simply insane! These climbers really push beyond the limits of what should be humanly possible.
We have gathered the best, most thrilling, inspiring, and tragic mountain climbing movies out there! So if you are into mountain climbing, then you have come to the right place! So please enjoy this selection of mountain climbing movies we have put together for you.
1. Meru
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For the first mountain-climbing movie on this list, we have Meru! This film is based on a crazy true story about three men attempting the impossible!
Offering breathtaking landscapes and plenty of heart-pounding moments, we definitely recommend giving this one a watch if you haven’t already!
Meru Movie Description
This isn’t the first time Conrad Anker, Jimmy Chin, and Renan Ozturk attempt to climb Mount Meru. In 2008, the three men gave the daunting mountain a try. H
Wanting nothing more than to reach Meru’s peak, the three of them returned to attempt to climb the dangerous mountain once again. However, this second attempt may end up being harder and deadlier than the first.
2. Everest
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Another excellent mountain climbing movie! Everest is a beast of a mountain and the pinnacle of every mountain climber’s career. This film is absolutely amazing and shows you just how daunting and dangerous climbing Mount Everest can be!
This movie has thoroughly convinced us to never try something like this! We’re fine watching others attempt to conquer this behemoth. Give it a watch, we highly recommend it!
Everest Movie Description
Multiple commercial expeditions at the base camp of Mount Everest prepare to ascend the enormous mountain. However, they will soon find out that this climb may be the last climb of their lives.
As the climbers reach the summit and begin their descent, a massive storm unexpectedly strikes the mountain. With little to no supplies and low on oxygen, the climbers now suffer and fight for their lives as they continue to try and climb back down the 29,029 ft mountain.
3. Free Solo
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This man has to be one of the craziest people on the damn planet! What he achieved was utterly insane. It’s like the guy has a death wish or something!
Alex was the first person to ever attempt to climb this painfully challenging and terrifyingly dangerous wall – heart-pounding drum roll – without any gear whatsoever! This film is remarkably intense and definitely worth a watch! Find out whether Alex fulfills his dream of free soloing El Capitan.
Free Solo Movie Description
No one has ever before free soloed the famous 900-meter El Capitan rock face. However, one man has only one goal and aspiration, to be the first to ever do so.
His name is Alex Honnold, a professional rock climber who has accomplished many incredible feats during his career. After years of intense and daunting training, Alex Honnold is now ready to climb El Capitan with nothing but a chalk bag on him.
4. Mountain
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This is an absolutely beautiful movie! The film explores man’s desire to scale these majestic monstrosities. Set to stunning music, this mesmerizing film exhibits gorgeous mountains from around the world and some of the men who have conquered them. Give this a watch, you won’t regret it!
Mountain Movie Description
Journey through some of the tallest, most impressive mountains in the world as Willem Dafoe narrates. Enjoy the stunning scenery while cultivating an understanding as to why mountain climbing is actually a thing. In the not too distant past, mountain climbing would have looked like a crazy man’s idea.
However, now, it is a popular sport beloved by scores of climbing enthusiasts and professionals alike. Many take the journey not only for the chance to experience some of the most beautiful scenery mother earth has to offer but to also feel more alive by facing the brink of death.
5. The Summit
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Sadly, based on a true story, this is the most gruesomely heartwrenching movie on this list. If you’ve heard about the unfortunate incident that happened on K2 in 2008, then you know just how intense this movie will be. Give it a watch as we highly recommend it if you haven’t seen it!
The Summit Movie Description
Noone expected that reaching the summit of K2 would end up being such a horrific disaster. But when 11 climbers die or disappear – as if they were never there – dreams quickly devolve into despair.
This disaster is now known as the deadliest 48 hours on K2 and one of the worst sets of events to happen in the history of mountain climbing. Follow the treacherous story of the climbers who experienced this tragedy.
6. The Dawn Wall
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Here we have another set of crazy guys performing the impossible! Watching the tiny little grips that these rock climbers have to hold on to is insane! It’s incredible how such a seemingly unattainable feat can be overcome with perseverance!
Give this a watch to experience the harrowing journey of two rock climbers as El Capitan tests both their fortitude and resilience.
The Dawn Wall Movie Description
Tommy Caldwell and Kevin Jorgeson, professional rock climbers, attempt to climb the incredible Dawn Wall in Yosemite National Park. The wall stands at an insane 3,000 feet and seems nearly impossible to climb. However, the two climbers are more determined than ever.
For Tommy, this climb is more meaningful than any other he has ever made. After losing a finger in an unfortunate accident with a saw, he must now prove to himself that he can still fulfill his dream despite the setback.
After extensive training and preparation, he now plans to free climb the monumental Dawn Wall and accomplish the goal he’s worked so incredibly hard towards.
7. Touching the Void
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We really do not know what we would do if we ended up in a situation like this! This would literally be one of the worst possible situations that anyone could ever find themselves in. The film is very intense, and if you haven’t seen it go watch it now!
Touching the Void Movie Description
Joe Simpson (Brendan Mackey) and Simon Yates (Nicholas Aaron) manage to reach the summit of Siula Grande, located in the Peruvian Andes. However, as the two climbers will soon find out, the descent of the mountain will be more treacherous than they could have ever expected.
When a storm hits and Simpson breaks one of his legs, the climbers end up having to make some of the most difficult decisions they have ever had to make.
The films above are our top picks for the absolute best mountain climbing movies you can watch. However, we completely understand that 7 movies simply isn’t enough for movie fanatics like you!
So we’ll be listing all the other awesome mountain climbing films we went through that were just barely beat out by the movies above. We’ll also be listing movies specifically about Mount Everest!
10 More Epic Mountain Climbing Movies
- 14 Peaks: Nothing Is Impossible (2021)
- The Last Mountain (2021)
- Edie (2017)
- The Summit Of The Gods (2021)
- K2 (1991)
- Devil’s Pass (2013)
- The Climb (2002)
- The Mountain Between us (2017)
- Vertikal (1967)
- 127 Hours (2010)
The Best Climbing Movies About Everest
- Beyond The Edge (2013)
- Everest (1998)
- The Himalayas (2015)
- The Wildest Dream (2010)
- The Man Who Skied Down Everest (1975)
- Sherpa (2015)
- The Climbers (2019)
- Into Thin Air: Death On Everest (1997)
- The Conquest Of Everest (1953)
- Poorna: Courage Has No Limit (2017)
