5 must-see climbing documentaries on Netflix to stream after Skyscraper Live

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5 must-see climbing documentaries on Netflix to stream after Skyscraper Live

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Netflix’s Intense and Unique Extreme Climbing Extravaganza Skyscrapers live has been a big success for the streamer, attracting 6.2 million views and currently ranking second on Netflix’s US Top 10. The stakes were high, as the world’s most famous free solo climber, Alex Honnold, ascended with Spider-Man the 1,667-foot Taipei 101 skyscraper, one of the tallest buildings in the world – no ropes, no safety harnesses, no nothing.

It was a nail-biting watch, of course, made even more exciting because it was broadcast live, adding a macabre twist: Was he going to fall? What would happen if he did? It’s this kind of adrenaline-filled intrigue, and even morbid curiosity, that often draws viewers to these kinds of shows and films. What motivates these extreme athletes? Why are they so compelled to risk their lives in this way?

Honnold’s Oscar-winning documentary, Free solo, is further proof of this fascination, so if you’re still looking for more extreme rock climbing and climbing documentaries, I’ve put together this list of even more thrills you can find on Netflix.

5

Mountain Queen: The peaks of Lhakpa Sherpa

Like the other extreme climbing documentaries on the list below, Mountain Queen: The peaks of Lhakpa Sherpa has all the breathtaking elements that make them so compelling: deadly climbs, human perseverance against the elements, and stunning mountain imagery. But what sets it apart from the rest is the incredible and moving personal story of Nepali climber Lhakpa Sherpa and her journey from a poor childhood in the Himalayas, through her improbable life in the United States, raising two daughters and an abusive marriage, to becoming a legend in the climbing world having climbed Mount Everest more than any other woman in history.

The heartbreaking documentary traces her life story with archival footage of all her climbs and intimate, candid interviews with Lhaka and her daughters Sunny and Shiny, as she returns to Everest after years away to complete her record-breaking 10th ascent. The 100% freshness rating on Rotten Tomatoes is more than deserved. Have tissues handy.

4

14 summits: nothing is impossible

Further proof that Nepalese Sherpa climbers are among the most extreme and talented climbers on the planet, this documentary from the producers of Free singleplayer is really crazy. There are only 14 mountains in the world above 8,000 meters in altitude, and as Nimsdai Purja explains at the beginning of the film: “The fastest time to climb all fourteen was seven years. If I can stay alive, I can do it in seven months.

The aptly titled 14 summits: nothing is impossible traces Purja around the world, mixing dizzying high-altitude images with an inside look at the planning, logistical challenges and sheer chaos that he and his tight-knit team of Sherpas endure to achieve what seems utterly impossible. Purja’s confidence and resilience are addictive and a little scary, as her family and friends show her support but also fear for her safety. 14 peaks has a solid 92% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

3

Meru

Raising the Stakes and Intensity, 2015s Meru feels scarier and more alone for some reason. Perhaps because it follows the tight-knit trio of expert climbers, Conrad Anker, Jimmy Chin (who also co-directed Free singleplayer), and Renan Öztürk, as they attempt to complete the terrifying “shark fin” route to India’s 20,700-foot Mount Meru, a coveted Himalayan wall that has humiliated climbers for decades.

With expert commentary from author and journalist John Krakauer, whose bestselling book In the air details his experience as a survivor of the 1996 Mount Everest disaster, Meru traces the trio’s first failed attempt in 2008, then their second do-or-die attempt in 2011. It’s a nerve-wracking blend of incredible mountain cinematography with a story of friendship and trust at its heart. Meru has an 88% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Meru

Release date: January 25, 2015
Runtime: 89 minutes
Director: Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi

2

Free singleplayer

That you saw Skyscrapers live or know who is or is not Alex Honnold, 2018 Free singleplayer is the film that put modern climbing documentaries on the map, winning Best Documentary Feature at the 2019 Academy Awards. It also made Honnold a star and a free-solo poster child, as the film follows his iconic race to become the first person to climb the sheer 3,000-foot face of Yosemite’s El Capitan without safety gear ropes, that is, free soloing.

Alongside filmmaker/director/climber Jimmy Chin (Méru, Skyscrapers live), Free singleplayer delves into what drives Honnold’s obsession with climbing, let alone doing it solo for free, and the impact it has on his life and personal relationships, including with his girlfriend Sanni. If you haven’t seen this critically acclaimed, 97% Tomatometer-rated doc, you should. NOW.

Free singleplayer

Release date: September 28, 2018
Runtime: 100 minutes
Director: Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi

1

Race to the top

As if the free solo wasn’t crazy enough, Race to the top increases the adrenaline and madness by making it a race. Yes, this 2023 documentary attempts to keep pace with intrepid Swiss “solo speed” climbers Ueli Steck and Dani Arnold and their fierce rivalry to break world records for climbing the “north face trilogy” of the Swiss Alps – the Eiger, the Matterhorn and the neck-breaking Grandes Jorasses – for the fastest.

With the added risk of haste, the risk of error is even greater in an already zero-sum game, as the two rivals go back and forth, breaking each other’s records, some of which are controversial. The mountain footage is stunning and some scenes are difficult to watch, as the film also delves into the lives of Steck and Arnold and the emotional toll their obsessions take on their friends and family. The German-language documentary is honest, raw and unmissable.

Netflix has a ton of excellent non-climbing documentaries and docuseries to watch, which we cover every week in our roundup of the best documentaries the service has to offer.