Jim should've acknowledged that  he really was too old to have successfully climbed Everest. His body was making that very clear.

I love it is not another AI blahblahblah. The images are  really beautiful and the cameras aren’t jumping all the time. A rarity with these climbing videos nowadays. Add to that mature thinking and very nicely done pedagogy about what it’s like to prepare for such an adventure - great job! Thank you. May the sherpas souls be in peace 🙏✨️

Nicely done video. I'm glad Jim was able to pull some benefit from his experience, including a more mature and less ego-driven perspective. It's clear, though, that he was never going to make it up that mountain. The avalanche, awful as it was, gave him a graceful excuse in front of all those TV cameras he called on himself. RIP the 16 Sherpas.

Ironically, the record for "oldest American to summit Everest" had already been set during the same climbing season that Jim went. Bill Burke, age 72, submitted Everest earlier in 2014.

So incredible to proclaim you will climb Everest, so much can change so quickly which you’re not in control of.  Even if you train hard which he did your body can decide it’s not for you.  He would never have made it, he is wiser now and humbled.

When ambition meets reality...Bro, you're 68. It's ok. It happens to everyone if we are blessed to live that long.

95% of climbing is mental. Not only was his body not up to it, he mentally wasn't ready.
This horrible tragedy gave him the perfect excuse to save face.

RIP to those who lost their lives that day. I admire Jim for attempting it, and for recognising his body telling him no. Respect.
WARNING to those yet to watch it...get your tissues ready.

Climbing Mt Rainer next to legend George Dunn in 1995 at age 25 was the highlight and extent of my mountaineering trips. I had a full-time job ,live on East coast and had no immediate access to the training required to summit any real mountains. It's a lot of pain and suffering taking one step, one breath wondering why the hell you decided this was a good idea. Retired now I enjoy watching other attempt it, but I love life too much to take that kind of risk. At least they say a lot of prayers before you go, you're gonna need them

Climbing Everest is a wholly selfish endeavor - I get people want to test themselves and the Sherpas are paid, it mostly puts Sherpas in danger and it is the only way climbers make it up. Without Sherpas, there is no summiting Everest.

He decided not to do it when he had to turn turn back on the icefall and then called home. After the accident he's acting like he didn't summit out of respect for the sherpas who were lost.

Such a disconnect here. The kids in the Khumjung school have to share an eraser, while wealthy individuals spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to attempt a summit of Everest. And not a single mention of that from Jimbo. The focus was always on himself, from beginning to end. He was not prepared (and likely not capable), he was ego-driven, and he was monetarily supported. He had no business being on that mountain. In my opinion, this was a waste of resources and another case of ego over ethos.

This really was a beautifully told story. Prayers and thoughts with the families of those 16 lost.

“I’m not trying to be famous”
Of course he is lol 😂

Top man Jim. I learned a lot watching this. Thank you.

You can be the best athlete in the world but climbing the Everest is not just that easy.

I don’t know why but, I really want a Mount Everest Brewery Premium Larger in a pint glass really bad!

This guy was not prepared at all. He trained in a gym. He did no altitude training and it was evident. They were actually pushing him up the training climb.  He could only make a small advance on the ice fall before retreating. There was no way that he would ever make it across the ice fall let alone make it to first camp.. He said as much at the time. Even with fit young climbers we see time and time again that they do not appreciate the impact of altitude.

You do have to get old as you age. That’s how time works.

😊We hear at 30:38: "Yeah, I just, uh, the surroundings are uplifting but, my body is not feeling that uplifted.. I've been feeling kinda lethargic, wondering what's going on but, it's the altitude is 14,000. We're moving very slowly, um, I'm getting as much rest as I can and yet there's this lethargic feeling I'm having, not sure quite what it is but I'm thinking it's just part of the acclimation process and once we get on some steep stuff I'm gonna have the energy kick in and away we go." Not fit to do this. He doesn't look o.k., even before they leave for base camp. He didn't spend any time acclimating by hiking in the high Sierras. The sherpas have to pull him along. He even says "I'm way under-prepared..Not where I want to be." He just can't accept where he actually IS. After the big accident on the icefall he's actually talking like he's going to try climbing the icefall again, after already saying he's way under-prepared-- Painful to watch 😣