Everest Challenge '98 Global Multimedia Vision

Background:

In 1995 Mountain Visions achieved a notable first by capturing the drama of a major mountaineering expedition on the Internet. Despite wide spread skepticism, Mountain Visions proved it possible to transmit voice text and images, via satellite, from Chinese held Tibet. They overcame the considerable geographical and technological problems associated with extreme mountain environments. This achievement has redefined the way modern expeditions communicate with the outside world.

The Everest Challenge Virtual Base Camp recorded 64,000 hits in November 1996. To date 3/4 of a million visits. All this has been achieved with no financial support!

In October 1996, this site was chosen by the Software Publishers Association as one of 100 sites worldwide for the educational CyberSurfari '96 contest. In addition, Everest Challenge was accepted into the Sport Pavilion of the 1996 Internet World Exposition.

Vision:

Prior to the expedition: Create the quintessential web site. As funding becomes available this site will be expanded to include, audio, quicktime video, and 360 degree panoramic full screen color images. Plans are for the site to be augmented with a CD ROM. This will expand the user's experience, with access to video, audio and high speed interactive technologies.

During the Expedition: On a daily basis, vivid images and stories of this adventure will be placed on our interactive web site. As part of a consciousness raising initiative, Internet enabled schools, worldwide, will follow and correspond with the expedition.

After the Expedition: The Wind Horse Legacy will be a web site, CD ROM, video and text materials all focused on authentic and healthy communication about disability, now and for the future.

Film:

In 1995 Leo Dickinson made a documentary " One Foot on the Road to Everest," in which teammate Greg Child handed Tom a piece of rock he retrieved from the summit, saying, " Tom, I want you to put this back where it came from." This film has aired in the U.K., France and provided the basis for a CBS special "Incredible Journey," presented by Dan Rather.

Going back in the Spring of 1998 Whittaker intends to do just that. Present indications suggest this will be the focus of an extremely high tech documentary film by the BBC, that follows the inspirational stories of the international trek to Everest and culminates in Whittaker's struggle to redefine what is humanly possible.

Using the latest in digital camera technology and satellite communications systems they intend to provide continual feed from the trek and summit climb to TV news magazine programs world wide.They are presently looking for co-producers in the US and Japan.