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CNN Live Today
"Surviving Everest": 3 Sons Follow in Fathers' Footsteps
Aired April 25, 2003 - 10:40 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Base camp. Base camp. This is Everest summit, over.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (UNINTELLIGIBLE). Congratulations on getting to the top.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you, Jumbling (ph). Everybody is here. Everybody is safe.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: And that is the big moment. Some people, of course, climb mountains simply because they're there. Others see it as a conquest over their own limits of pain and perseverance.
Our next guests see the climb as a tribute. They are the sons of three celebrated Everest climbers -- embarked on the journey with televisions rolling to celebrate key anniversaries.
"Surviving Everest" is a two-hour global television program. It premieres Sunday night at 8:00 Eastern on the National Geographic Channel.
Joining us are Brent Bishop -- he is the son of the first American to the summit -- and expedition leader Pete Athans.
Gentlemen, congratulations on making it and thanks for joining us here this morning.
PETE ATHANS, EVEREST 50TH ANNIVERSARY EXPEDITION LEADER: It's a privilege, Daryn. Thank you.
KAGAN: Brent, I'm going to go ahead and start with you. You literally were following in your father's footsteps here.
BRENT BISHOP, EVEREST 50TH ANNIVERSARY MOUNTAINEER GUIDE: Yes, My father climbed Everest in '63 so during this journey with National Geographic I was literally and figuratively following his footsteps to the summit of Everest. again
KAGAN: All right. We're going to work on your microphone there and Pete I'm going to bring you in.
ATHANS: OK. KAGAN: You're not a son of but you certainly have the reputation of being one of the experts on Everest. Why take the sons up? Why conquer Everest in yet another way?
ATHANS: Well, this is an incredible privilege for me to come and lead this expedition, as you might understand. It's sort of like having Charles Barkley introduce three Michael Jordans. I really didn't manage anything other than trying to create a team of this incredibly experienced group.
KAGAN: And the significance of the anniversaries, 40 years since the first American went up, and that would be Dr. Barry Bishop, Brent's dad; 50 years after the first ascent. How has mountaineering and this type of climbing changed, Pete, in the last 40 and 50 years?
ATHANS: Well, there have been so many changes in recent history and there certainly have been great technological advances that have made climbing quite a bit easier.
But -- but has changed the most is just the knowledge of the physical landscape, I think, that -- having that terrain. So well- known.
KAGAN: Let me just stop it here. I think we're looking at old -- this is from years ago.
ATHANS: This is actually when Brent's dad was there.
KAGAN: And when you look at that and look at the equipment there, using it, the equipment they're using as a mountaineering -- as an expert now, what do you think about doing it that way?
ATHANS: Oh, well it would be an incredible challenge. You know, you certainly would have to deal with the pervasions of the cold, living up there for an extended period of time, living in a hypoxic environment. It would be quite a bit more difficult without modern equipment to help.
KAGAN: OK. Let's go ahead and see how Brent's microphone is working. You guys can get to Everest but we're having challenges with just a little microphone down here at sea level.
BISHOP: Can you hear me now?
KAGAN: Yes. Yes. We can hear you now. How about that?
Now your -- your dad has since passed away, Brent, but he left behind, of course, many memories and a journal. How significant was that and how did that play into this adventure as you climbed Everest?
BISHOP: Well, the first time I climbed Everest was '94. And I got back and reflected a little bit with my father and a couple months later he was killed in a car accident. So that was really robbed from me. So being able to go back was a dream this last year to connect with him in a way that I wasn't able to the first go-round. So it was a real privilege to be able to do that, and get a little closer to my father and see things the way he did 40 years earlier.
KAGAN: And do you think you saw things the same or differently?
BISHOP: It was a lot more respect -- '94, I was 27. I was impetuous in my youth and didn't think too much about it. This next time, I -- going back, I really got the feeling that any American on Everest is climbing on the shoulders of giants there and it just blew me away what these guys did 40 years ago and 50 years ago with Sir Ed Hillary and Tensen Norge.
KAGAN: Yes, and I want to talk about that a little bit, because when you talk about giants and you talk about respect, much is made of the Americans have done it and the British. But let's not forget the Sherpas who go as well and who help. And Pete, let's bring you back in because I know that that's something that's very important to you, the Sherpas.
ATHANS: Absolutely. Without the Sherpas most Everest expeditions in this day and age would be doomed to failure or would certainly have their objectives truncated. The Sherpas have been really the mainstay of any expedition going to Everest and have been remarkable companions as well. Any time the chips are down, anytime you're feeling a little low, any time your health might be a little down, your energy levels are down, they're always there really to elevate you and they're just fantastic friends.
KAGAN: Brent, I was looking through as much of the research as I could trying to figure out if you have kids yourself. Wasn't able to find that out. So do you have them and would you want them to make the same expedition?
BISHOP: I have two boys, 5 and 7, and they -- they're genetically sort of pushed in that direction. Nurture and nature is pushing them there. But they love to climb. And if that's what they really decide in their heart, I'll support them. It scares me though. That it does.
KAGAN: Just because you know the reality of it. We'll have to keep Pete around so he can maybe do the grandson expedition in maybe about 15,20 years.
Gentlemen, congratulations on making it on the project. We'll look forward to it on National Geographic television Sunday night 8:00 Eastern.
And as we go, we're going to...
BISHOP: Thank you.
ATHANS: Thank you very much, Daryn.
KAGAN: ..take -- take a look at some of the more of the pictures that you took on your trip.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired April 25, 2003 - 10:40 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Base camp. Base camp. This is Everest summit, over.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (UNINTELLIGIBLE). Congratulations on getting to the top.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you, Jumbling (ph). Everybody is here. Everybody is safe.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: And that is the big moment. Some people, of course, climb mountains simply because they're there. Others see it as a conquest over their own limits of pain and perseverance.
Our next guests see the climb as a tribute. They are the sons of three celebrated Everest climbers -- embarked on the journey with televisions rolling to celebrate key anniversaries.
"Surviving Everest" is a two-hour global television program. It premieres Sunday night at 8:00 Eastern on the National Geographic Channel.
Joining us are Brent Bishop -- he is the son of the first American to the summit -- and expedition leader Pete Athans.
Gentlemen, congratulations on making it and thanks for joining us here this morning.
PETE ATHANS, EVEREST 50TH ANNIVERSARY EXPEDITION LEADER: It's a privilege, Daryn. Thank you.
KAGAN: Brent, I'm going to go ahead and start with you. You literally were following in your father's footsteps here.
BRENT BISHOP, EVEREST 50TH ANNIVERSARY MOUNTAINEER GUIDE: Yes, My father climbed Everest in '63 so during this journey with National Geographic I was literally and figuratively following his footsteps to the summit of Everest. again
KAGAN: All right. We're going to work on your microphone there and Pete I'm going to bring you in.
ATHANS: OK. KAGAN: You're not a son of but you certainly have the reputation of being one of the experts on Everest. Why take the sons up? Why conquer Everest in yet another way?
ATHANS: Well, this is an incredible privilege for me to come and lead this expedition, as you might understand. It's sort of like having Charles Barkley introduce three Michael Jordans. I really didn't manage anything other than trying to create a team of this incredibly experienced group.
KAGAN: And the significance of the anniversaries, 40 years since the first American went up, and that would be Dr. Barry Bishop, Brent's dad; 50 years after the first ascent. How has mountaineering and this type of climbing changed, Pete, in the last 40 and 50 years?
ATHANS: Well, there have been so many changes in recent history and there certainly have been great technological advances that have made climbing quite a bit easier.
But -- but has changed the most is just the knowledge of the physical landscape, I think, that -- having that terrain. So well- known.
KAGAN: Let me just stop it here. I think we're looking at old -- this is from years ago.
ATHANS: This is actually when Brent's dad was there.
KAGAN: And when you look at that and look at the equipment there, using it, the equipment they're using as a mountaineering -- as an expert now, what do you think about doing it that way?
ATHANS: Oh, well it would be an incredible challenge. You know, you certainly would have to deal with the pervasions of the cold, living up there for an extended period of time, living in a hypoxic environment. It would be quite a bit more difficult without modern equipment to help.
KAGAN: OK. Let's go ahead and see how Brent's microphone is working. You guys can get to Everest but we're having challenges with just a little microphone down here at sea level.
BISHOP: Can you hear me now?
KAGAN: Yes. Yes. We can hear you now. How about that?
Now your -- your dad has since passed away, Brent, but he left behind, of course, many memories and a journal. How significant was that and how did that play into this adventure as you climbed Everest?
BISHOP: Well, the first time I climbed Everest was '94. And I got back and reflected a little bit with my father and a couple months later he was killed in a car accident. So that was really robbed from me. So being able to go back was a dream this last year to connect with him in a way that I wasn't able to the first go-round. So it was a real privilege to be able to do that, and get a little closer to my father and see things the way he did 40 years earlier.
KAGAN: And do you think you saw things the same or differently?
BISHOP: It was a lot more respect -- '94, I was 27. I was impetuous in my youth and didn't think too much about it. This next time, I -- going back, I really got the feeling that any American on Everest is climbing on the shoulders of giants there and it just blew me away what these guys did 40 years ago and 50 years ago with Sir Ed Hillary and Tensen Norge.
KAGAN: Yes, and I want to talk about that a little bit, because when you talk about giants and you talk about respect, much is made of the Americans have done it and the British. But let's not forget the Sherpas who go as well and who help. And Pete, let's bring you back in because I know that that's something that's very important to you, the Sherpas.
ATHANS: Absolutely. Without the Sherpas most Everest expeditions in this day and age would be doomed to failure or would certainly have their objectives truncated. The Sherpas have been really the mainstay of any expedition going to Everest and have been remarkable companions as well. Any time the chips are down, anytime you're feeling a little low, any time your health might be a little down, your energy levels are down, they're always there really to elevate you and they're just fantastic friends.
KAGAN: Brent, I was looking through as much of the research as I could trying to figure out if you have kids yourself. Wasn't able to find that out. So do you have them and would you want them to make the same expedition?
BISHOP: I have two boys, 5 and 7, and they -- they're genetically sort of pushed in that direction. Nurture and nature is pushing them there. But they love to climb. And if that's what they really decide in their heart, I'll support them. It scares me though. That it does.
KAGAN: Just because you know the reality of it. We'll have to keep Pete around so he can maybe do the grandson expedition in maybe about 15,20 years.
Gentlemen, congratulations on making it on the project. We'll look forward to it on National Geographic television Sunday night 8:00 Eastern.
And as we go, we're going to...
BISHOP: Thank you.
ATHANS: Thank you very much, Daryn.
KAGAN: ..take -- take a look at some of the more of the pictures that you took on your trip.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
