Imagine climbing Mount Everest. Now imagine doing it with your eyes shut.
Blind climber Erik Weihenmayer’s historic ascent of Mount Everest is captured in the award-winning, high-definition movie “Everest: Farther Than the Eye Can See” (7 p.m. Saturday, KBDI-Channel 12).
Weihenmayer, who grew up in Denver and lives in Golden, will be in studio for the screening.
It’s a remarkable journey for any climber, made all the more unbelievable given Weihenmayer’s “handicap” – blindness since he was 13 years old. But blindness never handicapped Weihenmayer, who also scuba dives, bikes and wrestles.
Spectacularly photographed in high definition, “Everest” charts Weihenmayer’s 2001 climb from conception to completion. Particularly gripping – especially for someone like me with an inordinate (and common-sense) fear of heights – is Weihenmayer inching along a ladder to cross crevasses on the mountain’s notorious ice field.
It’s an inspiring adventure. He’s often asked, you’re blind, why do it? His answer: “I happen to be blind and I like climbing. I can hear the big mountains around us.”
“Everest” will repeat at 4:30 a.m. Sunday and 7 p.m. Monday.
Weekend highlights:
Today
Jennifer Love Hewitt is the best thing going on the new series “Ghost Whisperer,” about a woman who does favors for the recently deceased. Really (7 p.m., KCNC-Channel 4).
He was bigger-than-life on the big screen and nearly invisible off it. Marlon Brando’s life and times get a closer look on “Biography” (8 p.m., A&E).
Saturday
“Spirit of Colorado” repeats “Dream Jobs,” unique Colorado career opportunities (columnist not among them), including a segment on a horse drive (7:30 p.m., KRMA-Channel 6).
Sunday
Four kids who moved from Mexico to the U.S. to find work are profiled by Linda Ellerbee in “Harvest of Hope” (6:30 p.m., Nickelodeon).
“Curb Your Enthusiasm,” one of TV’s smartest comedies, kicks off a new season with Larry (Larry David) searching for the meaning of life, with Cheryl Hines (8 p.m., HBO).
Around the dial
“The Oprah Winfrey Show,” arriving on Channel 4 in May, will replace the station’s 4 o’clock news – and anchor Stephanie Riggs. “We’re working with her to determine what role she could serve,” says news director Tim Wieland. Her contract expires in June. … Dom Testa and Jane London, morning deejays on KIMN 100.3-FM (“Mix”) Tuesday celebrated their 1,500th show since 1999. … Robert Olson conducts Mahler’s Symphony No.2 in C minor (“Resurrection”) from the 1999 Mahlerfest (7 tonight, KVOD 90.1-FM). … Quotable: “Blindness isn’t always the issue.” – Erik Weihenmayer.
Dick Kreck’s column appears Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. He may be reached at 303-820-1456 or dkreck@denverpost.com.
