The Hardest Line Of Jeremy Jones’ Life

Below is account of Jeremy Jones' final line in the Himalayas written by Ryan Dunfee in TGR's digital feature Hard Beauty: The Search for Shangri-La." Higher TV", an Outside Television show about the making of Jeremy Jones' Higher, has recently been nominated for two Sports Emmy Awards in the categories Outstanding Serialized Sports Documentary and Outstanding Camera Work. Enjoy the selection below. 

RELATED: TGR & Outside TV Nominated For Two Emmy Awards

"As Jeremy worked his way down, he discovered that the sun from the day before had baked the face firm, and on nearly every turn, his ice axe was all that was holding him from falling completely off the face, which was beginning to steepen as it went down. His edges were out of their depth in holding him in the worsening snow, and all below him was bergschrund followed by a glacier lined with crevasses and seracs. This was not the dream spine run he came for. This was pure survival.

Forty-five excruciating minutes later, Jeremy rode around the bergschrund, took a few turns in the apron, and collapsed on the glacier below. Despite the anticipation and excitement of the crew’s early successes, the true nature of the Himalayas had tested the riders to the absolute limits of their talent, experience, fitness, and mental fortitude. “We couldn’t come to Nepal and expect it would give this to us that easy,” Jeremy said, thinking back on the expedition.

Luca Pandolfi put it more bluntly. “ The only thing you can expect in the Himalaya… is to not be successful in what you do.”

-Ryan Dunfee