UKC

I caught the programme about Steve Backshall climbing the Eiger NF with Leo last night. Thought it a bit odd that it's a CBBC production; didn't seem that child-oriented.

Looks like it's part of a season:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/cbbc/findoutmore/follow-steve-backshall-on-the-eiger

He's been a bit maligned on here before, but I'm a big fan of what he does. Yes some of it is a bit dumbed down/hyped up, but I think his impact on kids should be applauded - in this day and age there isn't enough adventure exposure for kids

He looked suitably terrified a lot of the time. As I would. But I would probably a) never have let myself get talked into it or b) turned into a gibbering wreck.

So kudos from me for him sticking it out.

I just thought it rather nice to have mountainerring on mainstream TV...

I've a lot more respect for him than the ursine one. His tv adventures almost always have a wider educational point and are usually very entertaining to boot

Climbs at my local wall with his other half.

Seems like another enthusiastic punter to me (that's meant in good way), normally trying hoick himself over some 6b overhang. 

So the dumbing down is perhaps the 'tv' rather than the climbing validity

I think he is great - he does the deadly 60 series and gets up real close with dangerous animals. My kids love it

He was pretty poor on Springwatch though - trying to do a Bear impression and make everything "wow"

I saw a bit of him getting dragged up some far flung choss pile by John Arran. It looked to me to be totally un-Bear. Backshall was clearly bricking it, but in a convincing and un-hammed up way. It was great to see someone doing some climbing on telly, making it look exciting (as it no doubt was), without all the usual guff about it being XTRA XTREME and THE MOST SERIOUS ROCK CLIMB IN THE WORLD.

All credit to him.

I'm a miserable elitist bastard and normally take a dim view of this sort of thing but i really like Steve Backshaw.  i thought the programme was as good a depiction of alpenism you're going to get on prime time tv and a world away from the BG xtreeeme shitshow. I loved the bit where he got scared and dropped the screw, a moment i imagine a lot of people can identify with.

I loved the programme too, thought it was very authentic, apart from the stuff about training...OK so his better half is an Olympian but Don Whillans climbed the Eiger on a training regime of pies & pints apparently....

Pretty sure that Whillans never climbed the North Face. (I know he tried and retreated at least once though.)

He's brilliant; Ive brought up two kids on Deadly 60 and we still watch them on repeat.

Another Backshall fan here. He comes across as genuine unlike certain others

You’re right, of course, it was the epic rescue with Bonington that I was thinking of and assuming he’d topped out. 

Doesnt alter the point though....

Ive just checked Steve out on Springwatch and I thought he was rather good.  They seem to be having guest presenters on for each of the three weeks.  Possibly to find a permanent replacement to Martin?  

Pehaps its more sedentary style would be better for Sir Dave than SteveB.  Now wouldnt that be good!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!???????????????????????

If you look at photos of Whillans in his alpine pomp he was fit as f*ck, super strong, and with not an ounce of fat on him. He might indeed have  'climbed the Eiger on a training regime of pies & pints', but that wasn't the whole story ...

SB must be a pretty fit guy, evidently he's done Cho Oyu & Mount Asgard and completed the Marathon des Sables

He and Helen Glover finished the Devizes Westminster canoe event last year, in around 22 hours, 2 hours quicker than my very very fit son in law & I believe it wasn't SB's first time.

Have allot of respect for the guy, been following him since I was a kid with his deadly 60 stuff.

I like how he is pretty modest with his climbing, too.

Have allot of time for him.

I like Steve a lot, and I don't doubt he's pretty fit, but if I had a double Gold winning Olympic rower in my canoe, I'd fancy my chances too against your son-in-law!

Thanks for the heads up.

Interesting to see them practice the death rope technique when traversing the snow shelf on Tre Cime, probably for the best the Eiger was out of condition!

Steve Redgrave didn't finish when he tried it

12 years after he retired!

Nice little film of SB & HG in the DW (if you excuse the One Show Intro)

youtube.com/watch?v=W9zdezSTlGo&

BTW the guy who walks past camera at 1 min in, wearing a blue & orange cap is my son in law

Nice video. I note that Helen set the pace, she said. I'll bet she did. I hope also your SIL had a similarly awesome support crew

The four day version of that event has been on my wife and I's radar for a while. I'd love to do it.

There are quite strict rules over what support crew you can have due to congested access around the portages and feed stations

What is the point?

Don Whillans not needing to train is irrelevant most of us mortals surely

Well HG certainly has a better paddle stroke than SB - but team effort so well done to both.

Did your SIL do it as a single?

And no helmets?

SIL did it as a pair

I think warm hats were more important than helmets

Yep, seem him at Redpoint in Bristol and he was not giving it any. And can appreciate his comment in the film about his knowing he'd never be a great climber given his build. He's not skinny! And as others have said, nice to see some alpinism on the TV. Though I did chuckle when he was filmed from above on the crux pitch talking of how scared he was getting and couldn't fall. I was sat on the sofa shouting "then ask the guide to lower a rope!"

I think he’s a genuine, decent, likeable guy.