Kickstarter

(For all the skimmers: Be sure to check out our FAQs!) 

About the Documentary: 

In a post-World War II era during which few women travel and live independently, young journalist Elizabeth Hawley decides to settle alone in Kathmandu. Carving out a niche for herself as the foremost mountaineering historian in the world, Hawley, now 87, is the record keeper for roughly 80,000 ascents in the Himalayas, including Everest.

A legacy keeper with her own legacy, Hawley's reports and interviews are so respected and thorough that mountaineers have dubbed her interrogations an expedition's “second summit.” Living life on her own terms, Hawley shares drinks with Reinhold Messner, a deep friendship with Sir Edmund Hillary and enjoys outings to the Nepalese countryside with royalty.

This is the story of an independent woman who chronicled the Golden Age of Himalayan Mountaineering and continues to work to this day. Traversing Kathmandu in her classic blue Volkswagen, she never steers from the meticulous style of an investigative reporter whose reports and archives are trusted by mountaineers and news organizations around the globe.

What We're Doing: 

We're traveling the world collecting interviews with climbers, family and friends of Miss Hawley. Through the use of archives, media, personal photos and letters-- we hope to craft a documentary worthy of the larger than life Miss Hawley. For more on our team, check out the FAQ below. 

Why Kickstarter: 

The most important leg of this trip is travel to Kathmandu to meet the "Grand Dame of the Himalaya" Miss Hawley in her home and office of over forty years. Travel to the Himalaya is pricey in terms of airfare and must happen quickly in August. We are raising support for our crew of four women to fly overseas and lodge. Your donations will assist our travel costs and ultimately-- a great story.