Mountaineering is one of the most exhilarating and dangerous pursuits known to humankind. Scaling sheer rock faces, battling extreme weather conditions, and pushing the limits of physical and mental endurance – it’s no wonder mountaineering has inspired so many incredible films over the years. From nail-biting documentaries to Hollywood blockbusters, here are the 25 greatest mountaineering movies of all time.
1. Touching the Void (2003)
Widely regarded as one of the best mountaineering films ever made, Touching the Void re-enacts the harrowing ordeal of Joe Simpson and Simon Yates on Peru’s 6,344m Siula Grande in 1985. The gripping footage and emotional interviews make this a must-watch for any fan of climbing movies.
2. Meru (2015)
Meru follows three elite climbers – Conrad Anker, Jimmy Chin, and Renan Ozturk – on their attempt to make the first ascent of the notoriously difficult Shark’s Fin route on India’s Meru Peak. With stunning visuals and an inside look at the mentality of big wall climbing, Meru is a modern classic.
3. Free Solo (2018)
This Oscar-winning documentary chronicles Alex Honnold’s unprecedented free solo climb of Yosemite’s El Capitan – a 3,000 foot wall of sheer granite, without ropes or safety gear. Free Solo is a heart-pounding, vertigo-inducing film that gives a glimpse into Honnold’s unique mindset and meticulous preparation.
4. The Alpinist (2021)
The Alpinist profiles the late Marc-André Leclerc, a visionary solo climber known for his bold alpine ascents. Blending interviews, archival footage, and white-knuckle climbing sequences, the film captures Leclerc’s pure love of the mountains and the risks he took to pursue his passion.
5. Everest (2015)
Based on the tragic 1996 Mount Everest disaster, Everest boasts an all-star cast including Jason Clarke, Josh Brolin, and Jake Gyllenhaal. While it takes some creative liberties, the film offers a chilling depiction of the perils faced by commercial climbing expeditions on the world’s highest peak.
6. The Summit (2012)
In 2008, 11 climbers lost their lives on K2, the world’s second-highest mountain. Through interviews with survivors and never-before-seen footage, The Summit pieces together what happened on that fateful day and reflects on the allure and danger of high-altitude mountaineering.
7. North Face (2008)
North Face dramatizes the 1936 attempt by two German climbers to scale the infamous Eiger Nordwand, urged on by Nazi propaganda. While the love story subplot feels contrived, the climbing scenes are spectacular and the period details fascinating.
8. The Beckoning Silence (2007)
In The Beckoning Silence, Joe Simpson (of Touching the Void fame) travels to the Eiger to retell the story of Toni Kurz’s tragic 1936 attempt on the Nordwand. Simpson’s personal connection to the story, having nearly died in the mountains himself, adds emotional weight.
9. The Wildest Dream (2010)
The Wildest Dream intercuts the story of George Mallory’s ill-fated 1924 Everest expedition with Conrad Anker’s 2007 attempt to recreate it, wearing period gear. The film offers compelling insight into Mallory’s motivations and the enduring mystery surrounding his disappearance.
10. Sherpa (2015)
Sherpa spotlights the unsung heroes of Himalayan mountaineering – the Sherpa people who risk their lives to support foreign climbing expeditions. Centered around the 2014 avalanche that claimed 16 Sherpa lives, the film examines the complex relationship between Sherpas and the commercial climbing industry.
11. Beyond the Edge (2013)
Using a combination of archival footage and dramatic recreations, Beyond the Edge recounts Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay’s historic first ascent of Everest in 1953. The film captures the epic scope of the expedition and the personalities of the men involved.
12. The Dawn Wall (2017)
The Dawn Wall documents Tommy Caldwell and Kevin Jorgeson’s 19-day free climb of El Capitan’s Dawn Wall – considered one of the hardest big wall climbs in the world. With years of planning, setbacks, and sheer determination, it’s an inspiring story of perseverance.
13. Cerro Torre: A Snowball’s Chance in Hell (2013)
Patagonia’s Cerro Torre was long considered unclimbable, until Cesare Maestri claimed a controversial first ascent in 1959. Cerro Torre: A Snowball’s Chance in Hell follows climber David Lama’s obsessive quest to find a fair way to the top of the peak and the mountain of doubt surrounding Maestri’s climb.
14. K2 (1991)
Loosely based on the 1978 American expedition to K2, this adventure drama stars Michael Biehn and Matt Craven as climbing partners forced to make tough decisions when disaster strikes. While K2 takes liberties with the facts, the high-altitude cinematography is impressive.
15. Vertical Limit (2000)
When a climbing expedition goes wrong on K2, a man (Chris O’Donnell) must assemble a rescue mission to save his sister (Robin Tunney) and her team. Vertical Limit is a big-budget thriller packed with explosive set-pieces and dramatic mountaineering sequences.
16. Cliffhanger (1993)
Sylvester Stallone stars as a retired mountain climber forced back into action when a group of criminals stash their loot in the Rocky Mountains. While the plot of Cliffhanger strains credulity, the climbing stunts are impressive, with several scenes filmed on location in the Italian Dolomites.
17. Seven Years in Tibet (1997)
Based on a true story, Seven Years in Tibet stars Brad Pitt as Austrian mountaineer Heinrich Harrer, who befriends the young Dalai Lama after being imprisoned in Tibet during World War II. The film features stunning Himalayan scenery and a nuanced portrayal of Tibetan culture.
18. Everest (1998)
Not to be confused with the 2015 film of the same name, this Everest is an IMAX documentary about the 1996 Everest disaster. Filmed during the climbing season, it includes footage of the storm that claimed eight lives, as well as awe-inspiring panoramas from the summit.
19. The Eiger Sanction (1975)
Clint Eastwood directs and stars in this thriller about an art professor and former assassin blackmailed into one last job – joining a climbing team to identify and kill one of his companions. The Eiger Sanction features extended climbing sequences on the Eiger and Monument Valley, performed by Eastwood himself.
20. The Mountain (1956)
Starring Spencer Tracy and Robert Wagner, The Mountain tells the story of two brothers who agree to guide a man to the wreckage of a crashed plane on the upper slopes of a mountain in the Swiss Alps. The film features thrilling climbing and rescue sequences set against stunning alpine scenery.
21. The White Tower (1950)
In this drama, a group of international climbers attempt to scale a dangerous peak in the Swiss Alps known as “The White Tower”. Featuring an ensemble cast led by Glenn Ford and Lloyd Bridges, the film grapples with themes of masculinity, nationalism, and the compulsion to climb.
22. Third Man on the Mountain (1959)
A Disney adventure film set in 1865, Third Man on the Mountain follows a young Swiss man determined to scale the Citadel, the mountain that claimed his father’s life. Featuring stunning on-location cinematography in the Alps, it captures the danger and allure of traditional mountaineering.
23. The Ascent (2010)
The Ascent is a Russian film based on the true story of Soviet climber Anatoli Boukreev, who saved the lives of three stranded climbers during the 1996 Everest disaster while working as a guide for a commercial expedition. The film focuses on the moral dilemmas Boukreev faced on the mountain.
24. Nanga Parbat (2010)
This German drama tells the story of brothers Reinhold and Günther Messner and their ill-fated 1970 expedition to the Himalayan peak Nanga Parbat. Nanga Parbat explores the strained relationship between the brothers and the controversy that followed the tragic climb.
25. Dying for Everest (2007)
Dying for Everest is a New Zealand documentary about the 2006 climbing season on Everest, which saw 11 deaths. The film takes a critical look at the commercialization of Everest and the risks climbers and Sherpas take in pursuit of the world’s highest summit.
From tales of triumph to sobering accounts of tragedy, these 25 films capture the many facets of the mountaineering experience. They showcase the physical challenges, the mental fortitude, and the inescapable allure of climbing the world’s great peaks. Whether you’re an armchair adventurer or a seasoned climber, these movies offer a window into the rarified world of high-altitude mountaineering and the extraordinary individuals who pursue it. So grab some popcorn, settle in, and let these films transport you to the roof of the world.
