6 Inspirational Climbing Documentaries That Will Leave You in Awe

Learn more about the adventure world and those who enter it by watching 6 of the most inspiring climbing documentaries.

Rock climber on the wall / Unsplash

While you may have seen "Free Solo" and "The Dawn Wall," check out some of the other films that highlight the extraordinary stories of various climbers. Each of the documentaries below can be found on several streaming services, including Prime, Netflix, and HBO Max.

Wampler's Ascent (2013)

Watch this documentary to join Steve Wampler, a determined man who has cerebral palsy, as he completes an ascent of El Capitan in Yosemite. Despite being in a wheelchair, Steve successfully spent 5 nights and 6 days on the wall of El Cap. Throughout the movie, Steve and his crew explain how this was made possible and what inspired him to take on this challenge.

An American Ascent (2014)

This film follows the first African-American climbing team who set out to climb Denali, North America's tallest peak. This team consisted of 9 climbers who worked together to climb this grueling peak. Learn who the expedition members were, challenges they encountered, and successes they experienced.

Mountain Queen: The Summits of Lhakpa Sherpa (2023)

After its initial release in 2023, this film has also recently been released by Netflix. Lhakpa Sherpa, an impressive woman and well-accomplished mountaineer from Nepal, broke records on Mt. Everest which is showcased throughout this documentary. Her achievements have not been without challenge, though. She had to overcome gender barriers both in the mountains and in life, all while raising two wonderful children.

Here to Climb (2024)

Featuring Sasha DiGuilian, an eminent rock climber, this documentary shines a light on women in climbing. Particularly, Sasha's story and journey as she became the first woman to climb several of the world's tallest walls. Sasha grew up climbing and was attached to it from a young age. While her love for the sport has never faded, she has experienced challenges which could have ended her career, all shown in this film.

Climbing Blind (2019)

Climbing a difficult route is one thing, but climbing it while blind is another. Meet Jesse Dufton who was born with 20% central vision. Although he was diagnosed at a young age with Retinitis Pigmentosa, his lack of vision has not held him back from climbing. This documentary shows Jesse's attempt to climb the Old Man of Hoy in Scotland. To take this challenge to the next level, he intended on leading the route which has never been done without having a good look at the rock.

Accidental Climber (2020)

This documentary highlights the story of a 68-year-old family man, Jim Geiger, who worked toward becoming the oldest American to summit Mt. Everest and the first great-grandfather to summit the world's highest peak. In this film, Jim shares what his training looked like, the motivation behind his plans, and what his climb looked like.