K2 1953 Lecture Film

Date1953

AbstractK2 1953 Lecture Film contains footage that was used for a lecture given by Charles S. Houston related to an expedition to reach the summit of K2 that he led in 1953. Two shots of a bookshelf filled with books on mountain climbing. A hand takes down the book Five Miles High and opens it to a picture of K2. A few shots of maps. A few shots of some of the members of the 1953 Third American Karakoram Expedition to K2, including Peter Schoenning giving climbing instructions to three young men, Robert Craig, Dee Molenaar, Robert H. (Bob) Bates and Charles S. Houston. Two shots of several men packing supplies in a kitchen. A shot of a boy holding a boot with spikes. Footage of Bates and Houston marking crates. A few shots of a plane landing and men exiting the plane, including Houston who then shakes hands with Bob Bates. A group shot of some of the members of the expedition, including Bob Bates and Arthur (Art) Gilkey. A shot of a man taking off his sunglasses. A few shots of a busy street in Pakistan. A few shots of local buildings, men and mountains. Footage of men, including Houston and Bates, getting off a plane and being greeted by a large crowd of men and boys holding banners and signs reading, “We appeal our American friends to get Kashmir problem solved” and, “Convey our heartfelt greetings to the great American nation”. A shot of a large procession, including some of the expedition members, moving through a street in Pakistan and down some hills. A few shots of men being ferried across a river. Footage of men hiking. Footage of men using rope lines, rafts and a rope bridge to get themselves and their gear across various rivers. Footage of some of the climbers, including Craig, Bates, George Bell and Houston, relaxing in a spring. A few shots of young girls working with yarn in a local village. Footage of local men, including some dancing. A shot of men descending a mountain. Footage of men crossing a rope bridge. A few shots of the climbers, several porters and their gear. Footage of men hiking intercut with a few shots of one of the climbers giving medical attention to some of the porters. A few shots of Bob Bates sitting on a rock and waving to the camera. Footage of porters. A shot of a man carrying another man across a river. Footage of campsites, including the porters getting paid. Footage of men hiking through the snow. Footage of a campsite, including a group shot of the climbers. Footage of men climbing along the side of a mountain. Footage of snowbound campsites intercut with footage of men mountain climbing and using an A-Frame with a pulley and ropes to get their gear up a mountain. A few shots of mountains. A shot of climbers in the snow. Footage of a campsite. Footage of men building a memorial to Art Gilkey and paying their respects. A few shots of George Bell being carried down a mountain on a stretcher.