‘Brilliant’ 14-minute film of hike-and-fly on world’s highest mountain
‘I have three things to say to the world…’ Squash on Everest. She reached the summit in appalling weather while dozens of others turned back
Squash Falconer has released a short film of her attempt to ‘hike-and-fly’ the world’s highest mountain. The 14-minute self-filmed and home-produced film brilliantly captures the struggle to climb the 8,848m peak and paraglide from the top as well as her upbeat approach to the adventure.
“I didn’t get to fly off Everest. But I got to the summit – one out of two ain’t bad!” she said after the successful climb.
British pilot Squash was profiled in issue 134 of Cross Country magazine, where she was featured as that issue’s ‘Future Hero’. In the interview she revealed her hopes and fears for the trip, saying, “I’m not stupid. I feel fear … If something doesn’t feel right then there’s no way I’ll do it.”
In the end Squash didn’t manage to fly off the top, but she did reach the summit on 12 May, on a day when 100 people set off for the top, fewer than 10 reached the summit, and one person died trying.
Footage at the end of the film shows her attempting to launch in strong wind from the South Col, although conditions meant she had to pack up and walk down instead.
Squash said about the film: “It was all self shot and I only used GoPros so I was really delighted with the end result.”
Squash Falconer climbs and paraglides from the summit of Mont Blanc
It’s not the first film Squash has made. Her YouTube site is a collection of clips that show her adventures over the years. These include climbing Aconcagua in South America, climbing 8,201m Cho Oyu, snowboarding down a 7,000m mountain in Asia and paragliding off the summit of Mont Blanc.
Squash’s ultimate aim is to turn her adventure lifestyle into a full-time career as a TV presenter. One fan of hers told us, “She’s a younger, better looking, female Bear Grylls. TV production companies should snap her up now!”
Squash raised money for three charities during the climb, part of her “lifetime goal” to raise over £1m for good causes.
READ MORE
Squash flies from the summit of Mont Blanc
Babu Sunuwar paraglides from the summit of Mount Everest
PODCAST
Squash Falconer interviewed in November 2009
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Squashfalconer.com
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