One of the many episodes of the TV program “High and Wild”, hosted by Don Hobart, this episode dates to the 1960s. It shows the process and techniques of learning how to climb mountains safely. The demonstrations are primarily shown on the rock walls of Horsethief Butte in Vancouver, Washington. Don Hobart photographed and narrated the series. The episode’s director and music coordinator is George Wasch, and it is a Vagabond Film production.
This film begins with a climber hammering a piton into a rock wall (00:17). Scenic views of snowy mountaintops (00:38). “High and Wild” main title (00:41). A skier loses control on the slope and crashes (01:06). River fishing (01:17). Host Don Hobart introduced this episode on mountain climbing from his studio (01:35). He explains the proper use of equipment for climbing safely (02:20). Climbers unload their equipment from their car by the rock walls of Horsethief Butte in Vancouver, Washington (03:21). Many climbers of all ages gathered at the foot of the rock formations of Horsethief Butte (04:49). A list of instructions to learn as a climbing student (05:02). Knot tying practice (05:45). A demonstration of the belaying technique (06:15). A student attempts traversing on a low and wide stretch of wall (07:59). Climbers rappelling off the rock wall (09:40). Don Hobart continues his narration in the studio (10:08). More rappelling practice (10:24). An instructor leads a student up the wall during a climb (11:06). The instructor demonstrates a pressure climbing technique (11:54). Students practice rope signals (13:17). The Horsethief Lake (14:11). A new stretch of the butte requires a chimney climb (14:22). Don Hobart introduces the essential nylon rope in the studio (17:07). A climber shows the knot used to tie the roped safely around the waist (17:15). Two climbers show carabiners, pitons, and other safety pieces (17:31). The use of a rock drill and expansion bolts is shown (18:32). A climber makes a slow upward climb using pitons and a belayer on the ground (20:38). He reaches the top of the rock wall (22:17), and rappels down (22:59). Don Hobart concludes the episode in the studio (23:35). Scenic footage from the “High and Wild” series (23:57).
Don Hobart was a pioneer in the adventure television industry, and “High and Wild,” which originally aired on Portland’s KGW, was among the first outdoor shows to air anywhere. A decorated WWII fighter pilot, Hobart flew P-40s and P-51s with the Flying Tigers in China. A spirited outdoorsman who owned an archery shop in St. John, Oregon, Don Hobart could fish, hunt, hike, and climb with the best of them. The 52 episodes of “High and Wild” took Hobart from the North Pole to Chile, with dozens of hunting and fishing adventures in between.
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