Laila Peak (II): learn to suffer
I guess it's normal that, on these occasions, Even before leaving home, the fear assails me as to whether I will return to see everyone I love again., there are many, and asked me the meaning of what we do.
Sebastián Álvaro, journalist, empezó a trabajar como técnico en TVE y a partir de 1981 se dedicó a crear y dirigir un nuevo formato de documentales de aventura con el nombre de “Al filo de lo Imposible” que se consolidaría como uno de los programas de mayor prestigio de la televisión de todos los tiempos. During 30 años ha sido el mayor jefe de expediciones de aventuras de España, siendo el líder y el alma mater de un equipo formado por técnicos, guionistas y especialistas, capaz de acometer y filmar las aventuras más arriesgadas, desde la ascensión de las catorce cumbres que superan los ocho mil metros hasta las travesías al Polo Norte y al Polo Sur, la del Hielo Patagónico sur, la de la cordillera de los Andes en globo aerostático, o la de los desiertos del Taklamakán y el Gran Mar de Arena. Ha realizado, also, la exploración de lugares tan inhóspitos como el cañón del Yarlung Tsangpo, Antarctica, Tierra de Fuego, Karakorum y Georgias del sur.
Bajo su dirección la marca “Al Filo de lo Imposible” se convirtió en un referente de la aventura moderna y del género documental y audiovisual en España y a nivel mundial, único en su género, habiendo transformado en España estas actividades en un fenómeno deportivo, cultural y social. “Al Filo…” Sentó las bases ideológicas de la aventura moderna y ayudó a extenderlas en España, (heredera de los valores de la Ilustración y la Ciencia), uniendo exploración, conocimiento y acción. Al tiempo que es una reflexión sobre el mundo interior del hombre situado al límite de sus posibilidades, y su relación con la naturaleza en su vertiente más agreste, dura y salvaje, comprometiéndose con la conservación del medio ambiente y la preservación de la diversidad cultural de los últimos rincones perdidos de la Tierra. En este sentido “Al Filo…” ha sido el mejor símbolo de la televisión pública, al compartir con sus espectadores los mejores valores deportivos, como son el trabajo en equipo, la capacidad de superación y el esfuerzo por conseguir retos considerados imposibles.
Los documentales de “Al Filo de lo Imposible” han sido premiados en los festivales de cine y televisión más importantes del mundo. Entre ellos destacan dos medallas en el Festival Internacional de Nueva York, y dos medallas de oro en el festival de Hamburgo, los premios de los festivales de Banff, Calcuta y Torelló, dos premios Ondas y nueve premios ATV, y el premio Allegria de la Asociación de Festivales Montaña y Aventura.
Como profesional de la comunicación fue pionero en la retransmisión de grandes expediciones en televisión en directo y por Internet. En la actualidad sigue impulsando y dirigiendo expediciones de aventura de alto nivel, al tiempo que coordina varios proyectos de ayuda humanitaria en lugares de alta montaña encaminados a cambiar las condiciones de vida de lugareños de Ecuador, Nepal y Pakistán.
Desde la primavera de 1981, fecha de su primera expedición al Himalaya, hasta finales de 2010, ha ideado, organizado y dirigido más de 200 expeditions, en los que participaron más de 1500 especialistas, realizando al mismo tiempo más de trescientos documentales; is, therefore, uno de los españoles que más viajes y exploraciones ha realizado de todos los tiempos, habiendo viajado a los seis continentes y los lugares más desconocidos, agrestes, inaccesibles y salvajes de la Tierra. Todas esas experiencias las ha narrado y dado a conocer a través de documentales, fotografías, books, conferencias y artículos. Por su trabajo ha sido condecorado con tres medallas al mérito militar y el Premio Nacional del Deporte. Es autor de más de quince libros, conferenciante y articulista. Sólo en los dos últimos años ha impartido más de 100 conferencias en España, China, USA y Latinoamérica, varios cursos especializados en universidades y más de 150 artículos y columnas de opinión. Colabora habitualmente en algunos de los medios de comunicación más prestigiosos de España, como el País, the world, AS, El Semanal, la SER y RNE.
22 articles
Laila Peak (IV): the icing on a special love
We came being better than before leaving. Enriched, with the head aerated by the Karakorum wind and the soul full of emotions and feelings that we will hardly forget. I no longer aspire to more. But not unless.
Laila Peak (III): the happiness of impossible goals
We probably don't have a 10% possibilities of reaching that tiny summit that rises above six thousand meters in the middle of winter, lashed by winds that shake you and with temperatures incompatible with life. But we want to try.
Laila Peak (In): Man's Search for Meaning
You fall in love with mountains like this the same way you fall in love with a woman, for its beauty, for its powerful attraction that only causes mystery, for its apparent inaccessibility, because you close your eyes and you only think about them ...
South Georgia: the footsteps of Shackleton (III)
A Spanish ship, the Lion, was the first to sight, in 1753, South Georgia, the crews christened San Pedro, an island that James Cook described as a "wild and terrible" to "not worth
South Georgia: the footsteps of Shackleton (II)
They were caught in the worst place in the world, more than 15.000 miles from home, no means to communicate and knowing that no one would come to rescue them
South Georgia: the footsteps of Shackleton (In)
Our expedition, sponsored by Halconviajes.com, try to repeat the incredible adventure of one of the greatest polar explorers nearly a hundred years . It will be our special tribute to Shackleton.
Century of Mountaineering (XI): a walk for a lady
The last phase, which the British called as a walk for a lady, perhaps that is happening right now, leading commercial expeditions with customers and the normal route of Everest customers crowded into long lines. As happens many summers in the Mont Blanc.
Century of Mountaineering (X): Terray, climber who dreamed him to be pastor
Era, perhaps, the best representative of that great generation of French climbers. He had been part of the expedition to Annapurna, where he played a key role in both the triumph and the subsequent dramatic retreat.
Century of Mountaineering (IX): Bonatti, the mountains Achilles
His attitude to life, his honesty and uprightness before infamy and persecution they underwent Italian mountaineer have made one of the essential ethical mountaineering references of all time.
Century of Mountaineering (VIII): the conquest of the giants
The history of the conquest of the great mountains of the world would suffer a dramatic turnaround. Today we are able to say that those years involved a golden age in the conquest of the highest mountains on Earth.
Century of Mountaineering (VII): Shipton, the iconoclast who stole the glory
It is one of the times that prelude, sin only porteadores, very light material and greenfield. Perhaps because of this, or also for being an iconoclast with a fine sense of humor and hurtful- is so late would be replaced by Colonel John Hunt as head of the British expedition in 1953 achieved up to Everest.
Century of Mountaineering (WE): "Get up or die"
"Por aquel entonces era casi normal que los domingos alguien se cayera. Monday was the rescue and Thursday, burial. Y después solíamos quedar para el fin de semana siguiente para hacer alguna ruta", recordaba Anderl Heckmair, the winner of the Eiger North.
Century of Mountaineering (In): Mallory, the great enigma
Day 8 June, magnificent weather, left the last camp, located 8.168 meters, to the summit. The two were last seen at about one o'clock above the second step "forward resolutely" to the top. Since then, the mystery enveloped the two climbers.
Century of Mountaineering (IV): Shackleton's dream
While millions of people lost their lives in the trenches of the battlefields of Europe, Shackleton and his men were to carry out one of the most unusual and extraordinary expeditions of all time.
Century of Mountaineering (III): Mummery, the revolutionary myopic
Considered the father of modern mountaineering, This Englishman was the best climber of his time despite his limitations, it was something ungainly and rather myopic. He disappeared on Nanga Parbat in 1895, but his legacy endures.
Century of Mountaineering (II): the conquest of the Matterhorn
In the mid-nineteenth century almost all the highest peaks of the Alps had been promoted with one exception: Cervino, a mountain that becomes the symbol of inaccessibility.
Century of Mountaineering (In): sense of the mountain
Taking advantage of this year marks the centenary of the Royal Society Sports Peñalara, I was asked to try to summarize the highlights of those hundred years elapsed until today mountaineering.
Hushe Project: Leopard territory
For three years, on business-NGO Foundation Sarabastall of Caspe, we are trying to improve the lives of the people of this remote village of Karakorum, Pakistan, for the simple reason of giving something of how much we owe.
The world at the end of the world
These are the places where I felt an intense and exhilarating sense of freedom. I never wanted to conquer, they who have conquered me.
The master of the mountains
Eduardo Martinez de Pison is a magic carpet that transports you to the unexplored recesses of the countryside, of feelings and emotions. And it does so with intelligence, curiosity and science, almost evenly. So you abandon yourself to your care, Embark roll up to her and this wonderful literary adventure.
Walter Bonatti, mountaineering legend
A few months ago, in September, fallecía a Roma, with 81 years, Walter Bonatti, the greatest climber of his generation and most ethical reference in the world of mountain. Of it has been said that was "pure climber who ever lived"
