Mountaineering films – TOP 5 that every climber should know

In the world of elite sports, mountaineering is a relatively young sport. Although its seeds began to appear in popular culture from around the 1950s, most images of the silver screen did not acquire a certain quality. And the best climbing movies started to appear much later. And that in the period with the onset of the 90s, when a new generation of legendary climbers appeared on the scene. Their interest and larger fan base meant an increase in amateur recordings depicting realistic stories from the rocks. However, the final phase of climbing cinematography was the advent of the ubiquitous Internet and platforms for sharing video content (YouTube, Vimeo, Instagram), which allowed the sport to permeate the consciousness of the general public. This transformation allowed for the rapid growth of legends and their social networks Adam Ondra, Magnus Midtbo or for example i Epic TV.

The second decade of the 21st century has become a time of unlimited possibilities and ubiquitous video content. Choosing quality films can be very challenging, which is why we have prepared a list of the five best climbing films (and bonus series) dealing with our favorite climbing.  

1. Stone Locals

Climbing has always been more than just a sport. It is a way of life and a makeshift family for the unfortunate who share a common mission. At a time when the sport is experiencing a massive increase in popularity, the people who make up its core and community have more responsibility than ever. This film tells the stories of five individuals, the Stone Locals, who maintain and nurture the soul of climbing. With their help, we will be able to do climbing in its natural tracks.

2. Free Solo

In the Oscar-winning film, we follow Alex Honnold as he attempts to become the first person to Free Solo climb the kilometer-long face of El Capitan in Yosemite. Completely without ropes and belaying, it will probably be not only his greatest personal performance, but also an achievement written into the very history of mountain climbing.

3. Valley Uprising

In the shadowy camps of Yosemite Valley, climbers developed a countercultural lifestyle characterized by dumpster diving and wild parties that clashed with the conservative values of the National Park Service. While up on the steep walls, generation after generation pushes the boundaries of what is possible and competes with each other for supremacy on the Yosemite cliffs. Valley Uprising is the riveting, unforgettable story of this daring climbing tradition in Yosemite National Park: a half-century of struggle against the laws of gravity—and the laws of society.

4. The Dawn Wall

In the middle of Yosemite National Park rises El Capitan, a huge block of granite whose smoothest side, the Dawn Wall, is said to be the most difficult rock climb in the world. Tommy Caldwell didn't see inhospitable terrain as he made his way, but rather a nearly kilometer-high conundrum. In the documentary The Dawn Wall, we follow two great climbers on their historic first ascent to the top.

5. Measure

Meru is the thrilling story of three elite American mountaineers - Conrad Anker, Jimmy Chin and Renan Ozturk - who decided to achieve the impossible by climbing Meru peak in the Indian Himalayas. At the American Sundance festival, the film received the highest award in the documentary category. And that's why it deserved to be nominated among our best climbing films.