When was invited by two of his biggest heroes to document their climb up Gasherbrum II, he didn鈥檛 realize that he would become the first American to summit any of the 8,000-meter peaks in winter. In the process he survived -50 degree temperatures and an avalanche. Director Anson Fogel鈥檚 new documentary, Cold, uses Richards’ footage to capture the extreme conditions under which Richards, , and tackled the Pakistani peak. In addition to his work on Cold, Richards recently partnered with for the short films Khumbu Climbing School and As It Happens. Richards is at the this week, where Cold has been selected as a finalist. He took a break from signing posters to speak with us. 聽
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For a detailed account of Cory Richards’ ascent of Gasherbrum II, check out the 国产吃瓜黑料 feature, “Partly Crazy With a Chance of Frostbite.”Did the climb change how you felt about Moro and Urubko?
It鈥檚 almost paradoxical, because your heroes become just 鈥渙ther people.鈥 At the same time, you gain more reverence for them because you see what they can endure. Watching them suffer and seeing how they dealt with that鈥擨 have more and more and more respect for them. They鈥檙e still my heroes, but the word 鈥渉ero鈥 takes on a different meaning. They鈥檙e my heroes because they鈥檙e very human, but they鈥檙e still tough and able to endure things that I can鈥檛.
But鈥攜ou did.
Yeah, I know. But I almost feel like I was a spectator. It was a very hard and trying experience for me, but when I talk about it, it鈥檚 more about Simone and Denis. I can鈥檛 speak to what they personally walked away with, but their characters allow me to tell my story. It鈥檚 weird. I think it鈥檚 partly because I鈥檓 still getting used to being in front of people. I鈥檝e always been the person who takes the pictures, not talks about it.
Some of the most captivating adventure stories are near-death experiences. Do you think it鈥檚 weird to produce a product that only gets better the closer you get to dying?聽
It鈥檚 extremely strange. And I find it unfortunate that we have to go through these incredibly traumatic experiences to communicate something that鈥檚 as simple as, hey, this is a finite experience, and we should be doing everything in our power to live it to its fullest. That鈥檚 the tragedy of it: the message only comes through when something really bad happens. If you just get to the top and come down, that鈥檚 a really successful climb. Truthfully, that鈥檚 better climbing. But it doesn鈥檛 have the same impact as a story because you don鈥檛 have the drama.聽
In a high-stakes situation, do you get off on perfectionism?聽
I think there鈥檚 a thrill in knowing that you did everything correctly. We did everything right on Gasherbrum, up to the point where we were in a place were we shouldn鈥檛 have been. We were in an exposed terrain trap. And we knew we were making a mistake at the time, but it was sort of an unavoidable mistake, and we had to commit to that mistake. I love that, too. It shows that we can still make all the right decisions, but the mountain鈥檚 always in charge.
It sounds like you鈥檙e making a god out of the mountain.
I don鈥檛 think you鈥檝e created a god out of the mountain, I think you鈥檙e just respecting the natural world and your place in it. Knowing that you鈥檙e engaging in something that ultimately can harm you, and knowing that you鈥檙e surrendering an element of control, I think is very liberating. That鈥檚 striking at the heart of adventure. 国产吃瓜黑料 is saying, I have a goal, and I don鈥檛 know the outcomes, and it might not end well. 聽
You mentioned that you were thankful for everything after Gasherbrum. Did it last?
Y鈥檏now, it鈥檚 funny, you come back, and are thankful. But, over time, the freshness and the rawness that鈥檚 exposed鈥攁ll those layers that are peeled back in that instant鈥攖hey start to grow back, and the wound isn鈥檛 so fresh. Over time, you fall into the same patterns. That鈥檚 natural; that鈥檚 healing. But it鈥檚 unfortunate because it erases the beauty of that really raw emotion and vulnerability that鈥檚 exposed as a result of that experience.
What do you want people to take away from your story?
We spend so much time doing mundane shit that we don鈥檛 need or want to do, and I believe strongly that, because life is finite, it鈥檚 our responsibility to do what makes our hearts beat faster. The point I walked away with is universal. I want people to have their own experiences. It鈥檚 just so important for people to go out there and get after it.