TO BE FIRST: THE QUEST FOR YANGMOLONG | Released in 2014 through American Public Television

Some peaks may not be the hardest or the highest to climb, but every mountain has a story and Yangmolong was our story. Located in southwest China, near the border of Sichuan and Tibet, Yangmolong (6,060 meters) is a remote and rarely seen mountain. It was the last coveted unclimbed independent peak over 6,000 meters in the Sichuan Province of China. Over the span of three years we made three attempts to reach this summit. Threatened by local villagers, challenged by unpredictable weather and facing dangerous rock and ice falls, our team had to decide whether to give up or remain committed to this quest.

This raw and candid film captures the essence of climbing and the struggles associated with exploring a new route. Success isn’t weighed by standing on the summit alone. The achievement is the sum of the whole experience — it’s the struggle that defines the worthiness of it. To be the first not only takes determination and commitment, it requires a bond between teammates that goes beyond friendship.