Even at 20-plus minutes and entirely in Russian, “Freeride” is a highly enjoyable watch. It follows a Russian team of climbers and their ski descent of Manaslu, the world’s eight highest peak.
Related: Glen Plake Speaks with CBS News About Avalanche On Mount Manaslu
With YouTube’s English subtitles, bits of dialogue sometimes have a poetic flair and at some points– don’t make much sense at all. Mostly, though, it’s packed with personality from the Russian team and some gnarly skiing in the “Death Zone,” the 8,000m altitude mark nodded at in the film’s title, above which the body begins to deteriorate.
As one of climber puts it, “this isn’t relaxed resort skiing.*”
No. Shit.
*Loosely translated, of course.
Video courtesy of Mountain Territory.
