Patagonia Winter

(2007, UK, 31 mins) Director: Alastair Lee A Posing Productions presentation

Brit climber Andy Kirkpatrick is a pioneer of winter climbing in Patagonia and this amusing short documents a failed attempt with fellow Brit Ian Parnell to climb a steep peak, Torre Egger in a beguilingly warm winter. Although it starts well, and the boys are feeling pretty smug, the weather closes in and they spend half their time buried in a snow hole under a boulder while the wind rages above them. Calling it quits, they cheerfully reflect that ‘you’ve got to fail sometimes. If it was easy and every time you went out there you got to the top you probably wouldn’t bother going too many times because it wouldn’t be a challenge.’ Not a lot here for the neutral; it’s the kind of nil-nil draw only the home fans could love.