Thom
Pollard
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Thom
Pollard...one of the top cinematographer-climbers in
the world today
See
below for information on Thom Pollard's other than Mount
Everest adventures.
A
contemporary of David Breashears, Thom Pollard has participated
in and filmed many expeditions to mountains over 20,000
feet. In addition to Everest, these include: Gasherbrum
2 in Pakistan (26,260'); Denali, Alaska (20,320'); Aconcagua,
Argentina (22,860'); Tharpu Chule, Nepal and many ascents
of the French Alps.
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His documentaries include: The Power of the Mountain (1993);
The Storm Over Denali (1994); G2: A Climbing Journal (1996)
and Alive on Everest (1996), a Nova special. Previously, he
produced a 10-part television series on the French Alps for
NBC. His photographs have appeared in publications such as
National Geographic, Vanity Fair and Climbing Magazine,
among others. The pictures he took during the Mallory expedition,
in which he and other climber found the perfectly preserved
(for 75 years) body of George Mallory, were reproduced in
four books published in 1999 and his film footage was used
by the BBC and PBS (Nova) for two specials which originally
aired in late 1999 and early 2000, respectively.
After
Mount Everest, Thom Pollard’s Other Adventures Include:
(Video available on the first three)
RIGHT
WHALE RESCUE ATTEMPT (2000):
Over the course of the summer of 2000 as a National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) cameraman and producer,
Thom covered a series of attempts to save the life of an entangled
Northern Right Whale. The rescue team attempted to sedate
the whale in order to free it of the rope caught in its mouth...a
first-ever attempt of its kind. The efforts were unsuccessful,
but brought the attention of the plight of the endangered
Right Whale to a world stage. There are only about 300 or
so Right Whales known to exist.
ORCA
MAN (2001):
National Geographic Channel and PBS documentary about an international
effort to save the life of an orphaned orca whale found in
the Puget Sound in early 2001. The young whale called Springer
was captured, rehabilitated and transported up to the northern
part of Vancouver Island and reintroduced with her family.
This is the first successful reintroduction of an orca to
ever take place. As a freelance cameraman/producer for NOAA,
Thom was given exclusive and unrestricted access to each phase
of the entire process.
WASHBURN
DOCUMENTARIES (2001 and 2002):
Thom has spent time with Bradford and Barbara Washburn in
the production of various documentaries on their adventures
and lives. They spent two weeks in Alaska in 2001 filming
and completing aerial filming over Denali and the Alaska Range.
This resulted in two documentaries,
ALASKAN REMINISCENSCES: 60 YEARS OF ADVENTURE WITH BRADFORD
AND BARBARA WASHBURN, and MOUNT McKINLEY: THE FIRST ASCENT
OF ITS WEST BUTTRESS. The latter was introduced by Walter
Cronkite. Brad and Thom continue to work
together in this, his 95th year. Brad is internationally known
for his aerial photography, cartography of Everest, the Grand
Canyon, McKinley and other regions, as well as being the founder
of the modern day Boston Museum of Science.
For more info: http://www.k2news.com/washburn.htm
MOOSE’S
TOOTH AVALANCHE (2002):
Thom took some additional time after the Washburn documentary
to attempt a climb of the Moose’s Tooth, a knife-edge
of a mountain near McKinley in Alaska. Read the account of
his short and nearly disastrous expedition at: http://www.eyesopenproductions.com/content/samples.html
VIRACOCHA REED SHIP EXPEDITION, SONS OF THOR (2003):
Thom filmed and participated in this unique expedition to
see if it was possible for an ancient-style reed ship to travel
between continents, from South America to Australia. From
cutting 2.5 million totora reeds on Lake Titicaca in Bolivia
and Peru to the construction of the ship on the beach in Vina
del Mar, Chile the entire expedition was filmed and documented.
Because of a near disastrous launch into the water, the expedition
was ultimately cut short on Easter Island, a distance of about
3,000 miles. Thom left the expedition early due to family
sickness...which was the true miracle, as the team was in
the loneliest ocean on the planet. A pick-up was arranged
by the Chilean Armada and after 56 days he was transported
to Easter Island, while the boat was less than 500 miles from
that destination. It took another 21 days for the ship to
reach Easter Island, where the expedition was ultimately cancelled.
They carried Explorers Flag number 157 on the expedition.
Thom filmed this for National Geographic but the program was
cancelled before it was edited. Thom and the crew are looking
to find a distribution for the documentary, which needs some
money and time to be fully completed.
WHAT’S
NEXT FOR THOM? (2006-2008):
1-He plans to return to Everest in 2006 and attempt
a new route variation on the north side.
2-He will head an expedition to Suriname (2007?) to
paddle up an unexplored river and try a first ascent of an
unnamed mountain there.
3-He plans to row a covered rowboat with three others from
the tip of South America to Antarctica, probably in 2008.
Topic:
The Power Of Mt. Everest -The Quest To Find George Leigh Mallory
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