BETWEEN 2022 AND 2023, the Norwegian climber Kristin Harila – alongside her climbing partner Tenjen Lama Sherpa – set multiple records for ascending all 14 peaks over 8,000ft (yes, that means Everest and K2, amongst others) in the fastest time to date.

But while ascending K2 in 2023, Harila and her team became embroiled in a controversy over a porter who got into an accident.

Now a new documentary on Sky looks at Harila’s records, the controversial incident, and explains her side of the story.

Who is Kristin Harila?

Kristin Harila and Tenjen Lama Gabriel Tarso Gabriel Tarso

She is a 40-year-old Northern Saami woman from Norway who’s a mountaineer and former cross-country skier.

In 2022, she attempted to climb the 14 highest peaks in the world in the fastest time possible, starting with Annapurna in Nepal. She got to peak number 12 – and then Covid restrictions kicked in. But she did set a record for climbing the world’s five highest peaks in 69 days, so her attempt wasn’t for nothing.

In April 2023, she tried again – and this time she succeeded. Along the way she had the crucial support of her climbing partner, Tenjen Lama Sherpa, a Nepalese mountaineer and climbing guide. He was no stranger to setting records, as he and his three siblings set the Guinness World Record for ‘Most siblings to climb Kangchenjunga’ (the third-highest mountain in the world, located in the Himalayas) in 2019.

What is the controversy that this documentary covers?

Kristin Harila and Tenjen Lama Manish Maharjan Manish Maharjan

The documentary looks at Harila and Tenjen’s record-breaking climb, but alongside the highs it also looks at the lows of the experience.

The record-breaking was incredible: each of the 14 peaks expeditions typically takes two months to complete, but Harila summited all mountains in just 92 days. This halved the record previously held by Nims Purja. 

But as news about Harila and Tenjen’s achievement was making headlines, drone footage from K2 surfaced which caused huge controversy. It showed a column of climbers stepping over an injured Pakistani porter, Mohammad Hassan.

Harila was accused – amongst others – of stepping over Hassan while rushing to break the record. But it emerged that she and her team had attempted to help Hassan after he fell while traversing the mountain in front of them.

The documentary looks at the details of what occurred, and at the ethical questions around how to help someone in this situation.

What has Harila said about the documentary?

Kristin Harila and Tenjen Lama Manish Maharjan Manish Maharjan

“This climb changed my life in unforeseen ways, with consequences I’m still processing today — but it also led me to [Tenjen] Lama, whose trust and friendship I will never forget,” said Harila.

While much has been said in the media, Savage Mountain gives space to the parts of the story that haven’t been heard. I hope audiences will come away with a deeper understanding of the full picture.

Sky, meanwhile, said that Savage Mountain “goes beyond the headlines, combining intimate access with unseen footage to explore the story at the centre of an extraordinary and complex climb, and the events that followed”.  

Savage Mountain is directed by Even Sigstad and produced by Filip Christensen of Field Productions, with support from the Norwegian Film Institute. It is a co-production between Field Productions and Full Story Films, Sky News’ premium long-form documentary unit. 

When can we watch Savage Mountain?

It’s airing on Tuesday (11 August) at 9pm on Sky Documentaries and will also stream on NOW.