Harvey

Well this is only the third chance I have had to type out a dispatch and how I wish this one were under different circumstances. Just about 72 hours ago I lost two friends that I met just as this project was getting underway.

I met Dave in the pre-production phase of this expedition as he was brought on board as the high-altitude videographer and assistant cameraman. Within minutes of meeting Dave it was obvious his tenaciousness and enthusiasm were great for the project. My introduction to Alex was at LAX as he was about to have Conrad paged to a white paging telephone as a joke in order to let him know his skis had been lost en route from Denver. Alex's humor and vibrance were welcome.

ABC Breakdown

Since the day of the tragedy, what keeps recurring in my mind are the ironies. On the second evening following the accident I walked out into a star-filled sky and was taken aback by the beautiful evening in which, even with no moon, though lit by the stars and the reflection of the snow, I could still see the majesty of the peaks in front of me. As the frigid evening wind hit my face, the reality of having lost two friends made me take pause and wonder how in such a beautiful place such a tragedy could transpire.

Just the day before the accident on our walk from Base Camp to Advanced Base Camp I was taken by one of "those moments" where I had to stop and take in what was before me. I thought to myself it was one of the best days of my life. As I stood there gazing, Dave walked up and we both stared in silence for a couple of minutes. I broke our silence when I asked Dave if he was having a good time as a filmmaker on this expedition. He told me he was having an "amazing time." I then told him it was great to have him working alongside Michael and I. We walked on in silence.

Dave Bridges

Like everyone involved in the expedition, Dave was combining his worlds of adventure and film and his work was excellent. As with everyone here, the mountains are a sanctuary for me. I find an organic peacefulness I can find nowhere else. I believe the same can be said for Dave and Alex. What we do out here or why we come to these places is not much different that someone who climbs the fourteen thousand foot peaks in Colorado on the weekends. It just happens our experiences, pursuits, and professions lead us to these far away places. Dave passed away loving where he was and what he was doing, I am confident of that. It was a pleasure having had the brief opportunity to experience his companionship.

— Kent Harvey, MountainZone.com Correspondent

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EXPEDITION DISPATCHES