Adam Ondra and Mammut venture into the ancient sandstone towers of Saxony, Germany, in this deeply personal 31-minute film. Ondra takes on Die Vertreibung der letzten Idealisten (XIIa / 8c), a stunning line by local legend Robert Leistner, submitting entirely to the region's 150-year-old ground-up ethic — no chalk, no rehearsal from the rope, nothing but raw climbing and consequence above the Elbe River.
What makes this film exceptional is the rare sight of one of the world's greatest sport climbers humbled and transformed by a climbing culture rooted in boldness, tradition, and restraint. Ondra's battle with sweaty hands, exposure, and the weight of history builds to a deeply meaningful ascent — and a tantalizing first encounter with Circus Maximus, a potential future testpiece that could redefine what is possible on sandstone. A must-watch for anyone who believes climbing is about more than grades.
Patagonia Ambassador Josh Wharton teams up with climbing partner Michael Larson and rigger Zack Smith for a remote adventure into Wyoming's Bighorn Mountains, where they set their sights on Spider Web Wall — an obscure and unforgiving backcountry objective. Their goal: free climb Mixed Signals, a 1,000-foot route rated 5.13c, complete with grass-choked cracks, unpredictable weather windows, and the full weight of an alpine approach.
This film captures the gritty, unglamorous reality of big-mountain free climbing — the kind where conditions are rarely perfect and commitment is everything. From working the crux pitch under uncertain skies to celebrating high on the wall after a hard-won send, Wharton and crew deliver a refreshingly honest field report that celebrates process over polish and wild places over crowded crags.
In this second installment of TAKEMOVIE's Lurking Fear series, Japanese adventurer-filmmaker TAKE tackles one of Yosemite's classic big wall routes — the 600-meter, 20-pitch Lurking Fear on El Capitan, rated C2/5.6. Shot with an impressive array of cameras including a Sony FX3, GoPro, and Insta360, this film brings viewers along for the full big wall experience: hauling bags, sleeping on a portaledge high above the valley floor, and pushing through the mental and physical demands of multi-day aid climbing.
What sets this film apart is its honest, ground-level perspective from a self-described amateur enthusiast who climbs entirely on his own terms. After a previous failed attempt documented on the same channel, this return to Lurking Fear carries real emotional weight. Whether you're a seasoned big wall climber or just discovering the world of Yosemite aid routes, the stunning vertical footage and immersive wall-camping sequences make this a compelling watch from start to finish.
British trad climbing occupies a singular place in the climbing world — sparsely protected, geologically raw, and governed by an unwritten code that has shaped generations of climbers. In this 27-minute film from EDELRID, athlete Robbie Phillips guides viewers through what makes trad climbing on the British Isles unlike anything else on the planet, weaving together personal stories from the past year including a bold first ascent on the Isle of Skye and a hard onsight deep in the North West of Scotland.
What sets this film apart is its depth of honesty — this isn't a highlight reel of sends, but a genuine attempt to communicate the culture, ethics, and gravity of a climbing tradition that outsiders rarely understand. The runouts are real, the commitment is total, and Robbie's passion for these cold, mossy crags is infectious. Whether you're a seasoned trad climber or someone curious about why anyone would climb this way, this film makes a compelling case that the British Isles might just be the most inspiring place on Earth to climb.
In the span of just two weeks, Adam Ondra achieves something almost unimaginable in the bouldering world: three separate 8C/V15 flash ascents. The video documents a whirlwind tour through Switzerland's Brione and Val Bavona sectors and Austria's Maltatal, where Ondra dispatches Lion's Share, Celestite, and the iconic Emotional Landscapes — a Klem Loskot testpiece from 2002 — all on first attempts. Along the way he also flashes two 8B problems as warmups and warmdowns, treating some of the world's hardest boulders like training exercises.
What makes this film essential viewing is not just the raw difficulty, but the emotion and honesty Ondra brings to it. He candidly discusses the ethics of flash attempts, the role of beta-sharing with Jakob Schubert, and the rare combination of preparation and execution required to pull off a V15 flash. Whether you climb 5.10 or 5.15, watching Ondra dial in a video call seconds before a flash attempt — and then execute flawlessly — is one of the most gripping things you'll see on a climbing channel this year.
In this first episode of Outside TV's Get a Little Out There, legendary free soloist Alex Honnold takes viewers on an intimate tour of his home turf — the rugged, sun-baked landscapes of Nevada. From the sandstone walls of Red Rock Canyon to the towering peaks of Mt. Charleston and the warm springs of Black Canyon, Honnold reveals a side of Las Vegas that most visitors never see, all while reflecting candidly on fame, fatherhood, and what it means to put down roots in the desert.
More than just a climbing showcase, this episode is a compelling portrait of one of climbing's most iconic figures in an unguarded moment — curious about alien lore, moved by ancient bristlecone pines, and quietly philosophical about human potential and the outdoor life. Whether you're drawn by the world-class desert routes or simply want to spend 22 minutes inside the mind of Alex Honnold, this is essential viewing for anyone who's ever dreamed of finding wildness just beyond their own backyard.
Arc'teryx Presents: Elsewhere is a meditative alpine film that follows Noémie Equy, Edgar Cheylus, Max Kroneck, and Loïc Isliker as they venture deep into the high peaks of the Swiss Alps. Far removed from the noise of modern life, the film captures the team camped beneath open skies, moving through a world defined by silence, scale, and the raw beauty of the mountain environment.
More than a film about physical achievement, Elsewhere is an invitation to slow down and inhabit the present moment. Directed by Isliker and Kroneck, the film has a poetic, introspective quality — carried by Equy's voiceover and Cheylus's writing — that elevates it beyond a typical adventure piece into something genuinely moving. If you've ever felt the pull of the mountains not just as a challenge but as a place to simply be, this film will resonate deeply.
Tim Kang takes on one of bouldering's most intimidating challenges in the mountains of Tahoe: a V14 highball first ascent he calls "Borrowed Time." The stand start version, "Code Black," was first climbed by Jimmy Webb in 2020, but the low start had never been completed — until now. Presented by Black Diamond and filmed by Vincent Khuu, this short film documents the physical and psychological weight of committing to a route where the consequences of falling are very real.
What makes this film worth watching is the rare combination of elite difficulty and genuine exposure. V14 bouldering is already at the frontier of human ability; doing it on a highball amplifies every move with consequence. Kang's measured approach and the stunning Tahoe backdrop make for a compelling watch, and the first ascent stakes give it a sense of history in the making.
K2 Chasing Shadows follows French alpinist Benjamin Védrines on his obsessive quest to set the fastest known time on K2, the world's second-highest and most unforgiving peak. After a harrowing 2022 attempt that nearly cost him his life, Védrines returned in 2024 to confront both the mountain and the psychological weight of his unfinished mission. Set against the brutal backdrop of the Karakoram, the film traces the evolution of high-altitude alpinism from Reinhold Messner's groundbreaking oxygenless ascent of Everest to the modern pursuit of speed and minimalism at the edge of human survival.
What makes this film essential viewing is its unflinching honesty about the cost of obsession. This isn't a straightforward triumph narrative — it's a portrait of a climber reckoning with fear, failure, and the compulsion to return to the place that nearly destroyed him. The North Face's production brings stunning cinematography to one of the most remote and dangerous environments on Earth, but the real draw is Védrines himself: raw, driven, and deeply human. Whether you're a seasoned alpinist or simply drawn to stories of extraordinary will, K2 Chasing Shadows is a visceral reminder of what it means to chase something that pushes you beyond your limits.
Open Minds drops into Switzerland’s Val Bavona with two of bouldering’s most influential climbers, Will Bosi and Dave Graham, on a mission to uncover future-classic lines in a valley packed with untapped potential. Alongside local legend Giuliano Cameroni, the crew blends vision, psyche, and experience to turn raw blocks into world-class problems.
What makes this film stand out is the contrast in styles: Dave’s relentless creativity and refinement against Will’s methodical, high-powered precision, all captured through the process of searching, trying, failing, and finally piecing it together. With a stack of hard ascents and a first ascent in the mix, it’s a motivating watch about curiosity, collaboration, and pushing the next wave of bouldering forward.
