In this episode of NOVA, Conrad Anker leads an expedition to climb the highest mountain peak in Antarctica: Vinson Massif. Anker was joined by author Jon Krakauer, guide Dave Hahn, glaciologist Dan Stone, extreme skier Andrew McLean, NOVA producer Liesl Clark, and a three-person camera crew. This eight-person team survived through powerful winds and extreme temperatures to capture high-definition footage of this mostly unexplored area of Antarctica.

Their successful journey in 2001 is compared with other historical attempts to scale the mountain. Mountain of Ice was originally broadcast on PBS February 11, 2003… (Barnes & Noble)

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NOVA delivers another fantastic show with this Antarctic expedition to one of the Seven Summits! Granted, I am already a big fan of NOVA, let alone when they cover my favorite topics (mountaineering!) Featuring Conrad Anker, Jon Krakauer, Dave Hahn, and assorted crew, they lug hundreds of pounds of gear up a new route on the east side of Vinson Massif, which, at a gain of over 12,000 feet (to a final altitude of 16,077 feet,) is no small task.

This informative production examines some of the history of the exploration of the Antarctic continent, and addresses the future with scientific observations of ice equilibrium, as it pertains to global climate change. Jon Krakauer (already well known for his writing,) provides an interesting perspective and valuable knowledge of the climbing and expedition process.

There is some spectacular footage of Antarctica in here. My only critique is that I would like some extras, maybe some cutting-room floor footage as an additional feature. I definitely recommend this DVD, along with NOVA’s other mountaineering productions, such as “Everest: The Death Zone,” and “Deadly Ascent,” which examines the effects of altitude… (Amazon)