Dean Staples

In the Shadow of the Mountain is a documentary about alpinism that takes place in the Southern Alps. It was directed by Hugh Barnard in 2011. It features Hugh Barnard, Lydia Bradey, Dean Staples, Erik Monasterio, Paul Hersey, Aaron Nicholson and others.

"One man’s struggle for adventure and the love of his family. What drives a man to leave the wife and kids he loves and the comforts of home to live out of a back-pack for two months of hardship and suffering in one of the most extreme environments on the planet? Paul had made an emotional promise to his nine-year-old daughter on the night he left home that he would return safely. Upon reaching the summit with his legs quivering from exhaustion and tears in his eyes, he becomes more determined than ever to keep his promise. This documentary is about one man’s struggle to balance his love for adventure with the love he has for his family. He is determined to keep his promise, but on Everest there are many things that cannot be controlled."