First Arab to Summit K2
Winter 2021: A Historic and Tragic Season In 2021, I stood on the summit of K2, the second-highest mountain on Earth, becoming the first Arab and Lebanese man to do so. But the road to that moment was anything but straightforward. It was forged through tragedy, resilience, and an unwavering connection to my heritage—one that […]
Mt. Everest and K2- A Q and A with Elia Saikaly
How to overcome adversity and unexpected challenges. A tale from the top of the world.
Nepal Earthquake: Internal Aftershocks and Life Lessons
In 2015, I survived a 7.8 magnitude earthquake in Nepal that triggered an avalanche at Mt. Everest and claimed 9,000 lives. These events are depicted in the Netflix four-part series, Aftershock: Everest and the Nepal Earthquake. Eight minutes of my footage appear in the show.
Everest – How to deal with the unexpected
Sometimes life hits us when we least expect it. Everything is in order, everything seems to be going just fine, then BAM. We take a hit. Overwhelmed and paralyzed with fear, it’s easy to be crippled by inaction. But what if there was a more effective way to respond?-Everest
Everest, Xenon Gas, and the Erosion of the 8000m Industry
Recent news that a group of British climbers plans to summit Everest in just one week using xenon gas has reignited debates about safety, ethics, and the broader impact of commercial climbing on the 8000m industry. Austrian guide Lukas Furtenbach, the outfitter behind the expedition, defends the use of xenon as a tool for enhanced […]
Atanas Skatov – What happened on K2?
“That guy is going to kill himself”. Said one climber of another who was determined to attempt the summit.
This is what summiting Everest looks like
Mt. Everest. Step by step, raw and unfiltered. Experience the final push to the top of the world. My goal was to create a video that would transport viewers to the summit of Mt. Everest. No music. No sound effects. No slow motion. No extreme wide angle helmet-cam footage. Just the raw sound of […]
Everest – A time lapse film II: How I did it
I’m once again truly humbled to see that my new short: Everest A Time Lapse Film – II is captivating audiences around the world. As always, my goal is to bring to life the majestic beauty of the Himalayas and to inspire others to dream big, discover their passions and explore this beautiful planet we […]
Everest – A Time Lapse Film- II
Experience the beauty of Mt. Everest at night in time-lapse. While most climbers slept, I attempted to capture some of the magic that the Himalayan skies have to offer while climbing to the top of the world. These time lapse Images were captured as high as 6200m (camp 2) above sea level on Mt. Everest. […]
Into the Death Zone – Life and Death on Mt. Everest
It’s 9 p.m. on May 20th and we’ve been in the death zone for just over five hours. Life is not meant to exist here. In the death zone, we’re all transient beings. I lie in my sleeping bag with an oxygen mask strapped to my head, devouring each artificial breath of life as though […]