Christian Bale to star as Rob Hall in Everest Movie

Almost 17 years after he died while comforting a client during a blizzard on Mt Everest, Wanaka mountain climbing guide Rob Hall will have his heroic story immortalised by Hollywood.

Academy Award-winning actor Christian Bale, who has starred inBatman and American Psycho, will play Mr Hall.

Mr Hall died on Mt Everest in 1996 during a storm that claimed the lives of seven others, including fellow New Zealander Andrew Harris.

Mr Hall's decision to remain with ailing American climber Doug Hansen instead of descending to base camp as the storm struck was chronicled in the book Into Thin Air, written by Jon Krakauer, a member of the climbing party.

Guy Cotter, a close friend of Mr Hall's who took over the running of his Wanaka guiding company, Adventure Consultants, following his death, said the movie project had been years in the making.

Mr Cotter had been consulted during the project's early stages and was hopeful it would be an accurate reflection of what transpired.

''We've seen some fairly trashy renditions of what went on in '96, so it is actually good to see that there are some real professionals who want to make a real story of it rather than just doing the standard drama that appeals to everyone's preconceived notions of what mountaineers are like,'' Mr Cotter said.

''Most people close to mountaineering probably don't have a whole lot of faith that a good climbing movie will ever be made.''

Rob Hall (right) with Gary Ball centre, and Peter Hillary (left), in Auckland 1990 after a successful ascent of Mt. Everest. Photo: Bob McKerrow

At this stage titled Everest, the film is based on interviews and written accounts from survivors of the disastrous May 1996 ascent attempt.

A Working Title Films and Universal Pictures project, Everest will be directed by Icelandic film maker Baltasar Kormakur, whose credits include The Deep and Contraband.

Into Thin Air was made into a television movie in 1997. Mark Inglis, a contemporary of Mr Hall's who became the first double amputee to scale Everest in 2006, said Bale was a good choice to play the Kiwi mountaineer.

''He's a serious guy, and that's Rob,'' Mr Inglis said.

''I think it's really cool that they are doing something, but I hope it is made in the right way.

''I hope they paint the right picture of how incredibly tough Everest is and how incredibly tough are the decisions every one of us make when we are on the mountain.''

Everest will be competing with another film of the same name being made by Sony.

Based on Jeffrey Archer's book Paths Of Glory and directed by Doug Liman, it will tell the story of George Mallory, the British climber who died on his third attempt to become the first man to scale Mt Everest.

Mr Hall's widow, Dr Jan Arnold, could not be reached for comment as she is holidaying in South America. Mr Hall's daughter, Sarah Arnold-Hall (16), was born two months after his death.

Rob Hall's daughter Sarah climbs Kilimanjaro at 15.

MOUNTAINEERS: Jan Arnold and her daughter, Sarah Arnold-Hall, are back from a trip to Africa, which included climbing Mt Kilimanjaro.

Sarah Arnold-Hall, 15, the daughter of New Zealand mountaineer Rob Hall, has climbed the highest peak in Africa, Mt Kilimanjaro, with her mother, Jan Arnold.

The mother and daughter took eight days to climb the 5895-metre peak as part of a three-week trip to Africa last month.

Kilimanjaro is the tallest free-standing mountain in the world and every year an estimated 30,000 people make the arduous, but not technically challenging climb. By comparison, Mt Cook is 3754m.

Sarah, an engaging, confident year 10 student at Waimea College, said the last day of the climb where they climbed through the night was especially tiring and the altitude was tough.

She said she was glad of the help of her Tanzanian guide, Michael, who had sung to her to encourage her to keep going.

Mt. Kilimanjaro: Photo: Bob McKerrow


"I was very tired, I practically sleep-walked up. He was a really big help.

"Someone said the last day is like trying to climb three Empire State Buildings on a 16-degree angle, and on one lung," she said.

When she was 10 she visited Mt Everest's base camp at 5364m, but said she found the extra 500m altitude on Mt Kilimanjaro much harder.

Sarah's father died on Mt Everest nine weeks before she was born. An expedition leader, he was trapped 200m from the south summit of Mt Everest in a deadly storm with a client.

Eight climbers died in that storm and before he died Mr Hall called Dr Arnold in Christchurch via satellite phone telling her not too worry too much and to "sleep well, my sweetheart".

Rob Hall right, with fellow climbers Peter Hillary left, and Gary Ball centre, after their successful ascent of Mt. Everest in 1990. Photo: Bob McKerrow

Sarah's father and his climbing partner, Gary Ball, also climbed Kilimanjaro in 1990 when they climbed the Seven Summits in seven months.

But, as Sarah and Dr Arnold gently imply, the fact she completed the climb is not a cue for reporters to write, as some have done in the past, that Sarah is following in her famous father's footsteps.

Dr Arnold, who climbed Mt Everest in 1993 with Mr Hall, is keen to continue climbing. But Sarah is up-front in that she doesn't necessarily share her parents' love of climbing.

She has her eyes on Paris as her next overseas destination, and among other things would like to see the Eiffel Tower.

"We could climb that," she suggests to her mum, laughing.

Sunrise from the crater rim of Mt. Kilimanjaro. Photo: Bob McKerrow

Sarah says she is interested in fashion and design, but at 15 is still unsure what career she wants to pursue.

 "When I was younger I was really into making things. I always wanted to make robots, I used to make things out of cardboard."
Dr Arnold says Sarah's father was much more than a climber.

"He was a designer and entrepreneur and by age 23 he had 12 people working for him manufacturing tents and packs. He had quite another side to him."

I was delighted to read this story in the Nelson mail as I knew Rob Hall well and admired his feats in the mountains and as a designer of mountain equipment. I also climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro in 1978 and above is a summit shot of Valerian, a Chagga farmer who accompanied me.

Rob Hall's death was tragic but it is such a pleasure seeing his daughter Sarah, who Robb never knew, and her Mother Jan, climbing Kilimanjaro and enjoying life.

Postcards from dead climbers

The cross in the Church of the Good Shepherd, Lake Tekapo. In the Church is a Book of Remembrance, a parchment book honouring all the early run holders, mountaineers, explorers, scientists, artists, blacksmiths, bullock drivers, innkeepers, coach drivers, wagoners, shearers, wool classes and rabbit inspectors. Photo: Bob McKerrow

When I placed a sprig of pine with small cones on Gary Ball’s grave at Burkes Pass today, and stepped back to say a few words to him, it brought back a flood of memories of sharing Plateau Hut with him in 1973, our friendship when I was editor of NZ Adventure magazine writing about his ascent of Mt. Everest with Pete Hillary and Rob Hall and the Seven Summits. Gary and Rob visiting our family when living at Franz Josef, and probably the most poignant moment was, the postcard I got from Gary, a month after he died. How many postcards have I received from climbers after their deaths ? I still have Robb Hall's one tucked away with Gary's. When mountaineers leave for the final push from base camp on big mountains, they know the risks they are taking and frequently send postcards to dear ones and friends, in case it is the last.

Gary Ball's headstone at Burkes Pass.

Hall and Ball. Back in Kodari, Nepal in May 1989 after a dramatic rescue off the north side of Everest in Tibet from left: 2 sherpas, Artur Hajzer, Gary Ball, and Rob Hall, (injured Andrzej Marciniak is in the bus)

The graveyard at Burkes Pass has a number of headstones inscribed with the deaths of mountaineers. One could lament the loss of great people but the cold stark facts show that mountaineering, skiing, snowboarding, serious tramping and rock climbing do have risks associated. I have been back in New Zealand 15 days and in that time, have read about two deaths in avalanches. A week before that was the tragic death of two people in the Tararuas.

Peter Hillary, Gary Ball and Rob Hall taken in Auckland in 1990 after their successful ascent of Mt. Everest. Peter Hillary is the only one of that dynamic trio who survived. Rob Hall died close to the summit of Mt. Everest in 1990. Photo: Bob McKerrow

Gary Ball, died on Mount Dhauagiri 6 October 1993. Knowing he had previous health problems at high altitude he gambled on getting away with it. Life is about taking calculated risks whether in the workplace, family or recreation. Looking round the cemetery I saw the headstones of other climbers who died either on Mount Cook or close by.

Burkes Pass cemetery

Here is some of the information I got from other headstones of mountaineers at Burkes Pass that may be of interest.

Gary Ball, died on Mount Dhauagiri 6 October 1993.
A quote on his tomb stone says "If I should bow my head let it be to a high mountain. "

Alistair Stevens, died from a fall on the Nth face of Mt. Barnicoat, Westland National Park, 8 April 2002

Keith Joyce, b. 21.3.48 in Sydney, died at Mt. Cook 9.8.84

Peter John Linscott, died on Mt. Cook 25.1.84, aged 21

Gerald Nansen, Mountaineer, died 6 March 1990 age 82, Psalm 121 quoted. At least Gerald had a full innings.

Church of the Good Shepherd, Lake Tekapo. Photo: Bob McKerrow

As I am staying with my daughter Anita at her farmlet at Otipua, she and two of my grand children, Jed and Billy, accompanied me on this trip. The children brought laughter and warmth and livened up the Burkes Pass cemetery and the Church in Tekapo on this cold winter day.

With Grandsons Jed left, and Billy on my knee, at The Church of the Good Shepherd, Lake Tekapo. Photo: Anita Mckerrow


The view one sees when you start the steady climb up to Burkes Pass in South Canterbury. Photo: Bob McKerrow

Burkes Pass is a mountain pass on State Highway 8 at the entrance to the Mackenzie country in South Canterbury, New Zealand. It is named after Michael John Burke, a graduate of Dublin University, who discovered the passageway leading into the Mackenzie Country in 1855. This was an alternative route to the Mackenzie Pass which the notorious sheep stealer, James Mckenzie, had used to take his sheep into the Otago goldfields.

Once down the other side of Burkes Pass, the peaks of the main divide are visible. I was curious to find out more about the Church of the Good Shepherd which was dedicated in 1935. Luckily I bumped into David Clark, a local authority on Tekapo and the Church. He showed me the inscription on a front pew 'In grateful Memory of Explorers & Climbers who have crossed the Great Divide. Presented by NZAC.'

David Clark (r) an expert on Tekapo and the history of the Church of the Good Shepherd. Photo: Anita McKerrow

Then David told me about the The Book of Remembrance which was under lock and key. a parchment book honouring all the early run holders, mountaineers, explorers, scientists, artists, blacksmiths, bullock drivers, coach drivers, innkeepers, wagoners, shearers, wool classers and rabbit inspectors.

David gingerly unlocked this treasure with the names written on old parchment in a very neat handwriting. Under the heading mountaineers, explorers, scientists and artists. the names were a walk through early New Zealand history.Julius von Haast, Broderick, Dr. and Mrs Lendenfeld, Green, Boss, Kaufman, Fitzgerald, Zurbriggen,, Mannering, Dixon, Harper, Fyfe, Graham, Jack Clark and Charles Blomfield the artist.
The Book of Remembrance was dedicated to Thomas John Teschmaker.

Next I asked David Clark about the death of Gottlieb Otto Braun-Elwert the mountain guide from Tekapo who died while guiding Helen Clarke, the Prime Minister of NZ, in 2008. See my article written last year.
http://bobmckerrow.blogspot.com/2008/08/prime-ministers-guide-dies.html

As a friend of Gottlieb's, I asked David the whereabouts of the hut that Gottlieb died in. " Here, take the binoculars and look out the Church window, just above the island, there's a ledge with the hut on it." I could pick the hut out quite easily in the Two Thumb range. Gottlieb's death was another tragedy.
David also spoke of another tragic death of Gottlieb's protege, Erica Beuzenberg who died in 2005 climbing in the Mount Cook region. With Erica, Gottlieb managed to put a new and attractive slant on the concept of first ascent in 1989 by being the first, with his climbing protege Erica Beuzenberg to climb all 20 of New Zealand's 3000m peaks in a single winter season.

Gottlieb Braun Elwert Erica Beuzenberg
Climbing Mt Cook, Mt Tasman, Mt Dampier and the rest in a period of months is feat enough on its own, but in winter they had the added burden of deep snow (they often used skis for access) and the risks of avalanches, intense cold and short days. Their feats will be remembered by many NZ mountaineers.
A memorial to sheepdogs who shaped the economy of farming in the region. Photo: Bob McKerrow

Lake Tekapo takes on a sombre mood late in the morning. Photo: Bob McKerrow

The township of Lake Tekapo. Photo: Bob McKerrow

Jed McKerrow resting in a snow tussock at Lake Tekapo. Photo: Anita McKerrow

As I drove back from Tekapo through Burkes Pass, I thought of all those mountaineers who have died at Mount Cook, in the Southern Alps and Himalaya, a subject I have written about before. The death which affected me the most was the death of my close friend Keith McIvor which made me reshape my views on hard climbing and pushing limits to far. See link below:

http://bobmckerrow.blogspot.com/2009/01/death-of-friend-keith-mcivor.html
The Church of the Good Shepherd at Tekapo, the cemetery at Burkes Pass are fitting memorials to those who died in the mountains. Today Gary Ball, Rob Hall, Gottlieb Braun Elwert, Erica Beuzenberg, Keith McIvor, Vicky Thompson and Bill Denz, climbers whom I knew well, were continually in my thoughts and prayers. When I got home I opened a bottle of fine Cabernet Savignon, and drank a toast to them. I also thought of Robb Kloss who is in the Ruahines. I prayed for your health and safe return Robb.


My favourite photo of Mount Cook, taken by me in the winter of 1972.