I'm Bear Grylls. Wow!
I've survived in some of the most dangerous places on earth.
Whoo!
From jungles to deserts,
Everest to Antarctica.
The sort of places where you wouldn't last a day
without the right survival skills.
But this time, things are gonna be a bit different.
I mean, talk about nightmare conditions.
I've got to make it through two days in the wilderness
with Hollywood movie star Jake Gyllenhaal.
I joined up for this, right?
Pretty damn crazy!
We're heading into the remote wilds of Iceland
for a survival experience he'll never forget.
Don't look down.
Jake will have to go wherever I go...
You know, I have a fear of heights.
(GRUNTS) ..eat whatever I eat...
Ugh.
Ahh!
..and lead me through a swirling blizzard...
I feel like I'd follow Bear anywhere,
but right now he's following me.
..if he's gonna cope with some of the worst conditions known to man.
I gotta calm down. I gotta focus.
He can do it on a studio set...
Holy ----.
..but can he do it for real?
Does it look quite high?
Uh... Yeah!
It's, ah...pretty high!
Together we're gonna be Men vs Wild.
Focus on the rope.
On the edge of the Arctic Circle, Iceland is dominated by mountains,
huge glaciers
and some of Europe's most active volcanoes.
We're heading for a glacier and underneath it is a volcano, E15.
About a year ago it erupted,
spewing molten lava almost 1,000ft into the air
and covering most of Europe in this huge volcanic ash cloud.
And we're heading pretty well bang for it.
But before we get there,
we're going to pick up Hollywood actor Jake Gyllenhaal,
star of movies like 'Jarhead' and 'Brokeback Mountain'.
He keeps in shape by hitting the gym, running, cycling
and is acclaimed as the 'fittest guy in Hollywood'.
Now he wants to see how he stacks up in the wild.
Before 'Jarhead', he did a gruelling US Marine-style boot camp.
So what's he done for this?
Ah, I have done nothing to prepare for this situation,
so I feel that's somewhat appropriate.
Every time I've seen the show,
I've just thought, "What would it be like to be there with him?"
That's why I'm here. I'm looking forward to everything.
I'm up for it. I'm up for anything.
It's just as well -
Jake's never been to Iceland before
and he has no idea what's in store for him.
To me, it's all about discovery.
I want to just experience things and discover new things.
You know, I have a fear of heights. A regular fear of heights, I think.
Wading through frozen water - huh.
So a little bit of fear, a little bit of excitement, and I can't wait.
The waiting's almost over. Our Iceland adventure is about to begin.
This must be Bear now.
Storms are forecast,
but thanks to Iceland's air-sea rescue services
we should be able to get at least some of the way into the mountains.
Well done, keep low.
Welcome to Man vs Wild, Jake. Thanks.
Let's get this baby in the air.
- OK, we're going to have an adventure. - Alright.
Whoo!
(PILOTS SPEAK INDISTINCTLY)
- How are you feeling? - Feeling good.
- Not too nervous? - Not too nervous.
How did you sleep last night?
In and out. A couple of hours.
So that's where we're heading,
right over there into the far mountains.
Alright.
Try and see how far the heli can get us up there.
- Very low cloud today. - Very low.
Cloud cover's not the half of it.
We've just the smallest of windows before a big weather front hits us.
MAN: Twelve o'clock. OK, pull it in.
The helicopter can't land because the ground is so soft.
Instead we're going to be winched down.
But the wind's already picking up
and the pilot's struggling to hold his position.
OK, just remember you've got to keep your hands on your nuts,
keep your arms down.
As a Hollywood star, I'm sure Jake is used to helicopters.
But an exit like this will be a first.
As we get clear of the helicopter...
..gusts of wind immediately set us swinging.
On the ground, ready for relocation.
That's the heli out of here.
Those guys do a lot of winching people out of trouble.
They don't often winch people into it.
Have you ever done anything like that before?
Never before. Nope, first time.
Pretty cool way to get in somewhere though, isn't it?
So cool.
We're going to get picked up in two days time, down by the coast,
so we've got a bit of travelling to do.
Alright? OK.
Knife, canteen and water bottle.
Packet of two biscuits. (LAUGHS)
Those are emergency rations.
Don't do what Will Ferrell did when I took him out.
I gave him his Twinkie... (LAUGHS)
..and he basically devoured it in minute two when my back was turned.
You know the golden rule of cold? Don't let yourself get cold.
If you start to feel the edge going,
just shout and we'll stop and put some more layers on.
- Warm up a little bit. - Alright.
- And we're good to go. - Alright.
OK. We're heading that way.
We're heading towards a ridge
between E15 and its neighbouring volcano Katla.
We'll go up above the snow line
before descending southwards towards the sea.
Yeah, you really feel that wind here.
And that's just the prevailing southerly coming off the ocean.
But, you know, there's no sun to be able to navigate from.
We've got no compass.
Yeah, so we kind of use that -
that prevailing wind in our face, we know we're heading south.
Wind is good. (CHUCKLES)
It might be helpful for navigation,
but the wind chill drops the temperature below freezing.
So it's a good job we're well equipped.
Where did you get your hat?
I was given it as a present...
- Mine doesn't have tassels. - I wish mine had tassels.
The tassels are great but they're really annoying when it's windy
'cause they keep blowing in my mouth as I talk.
A good mental attitude is key to survival in wilds.
What if we just sink... start sinking into the snow?
(LAUGHS) Slowly sinking, sinking...slowly.
So Jake's relaxed and chatty manner is a promising sign.
Did you ever kinda go camping and stuff when you were a kid?
Yeah, all the time.
We grew up in California, so we would go up north.
And where do you live now?
I live in Los Angeles mostly.
Do you get the chance to kind of do any of this nowadays?
Yeah. All the time.
The time for chitchat is over.
Ahead of us is a major obstacle
that taps straight into one of Jake's deepest dreads -
it's a steep, high, icy slope.
- I kind of have a fear of heights. - Yeah?
- Got a little bit of fear that. - Yeah?
- It's high. It's quite high. - Yeah.
Fortunately for Jake,
the snow on this face can be used to help us climb.
Take your time. Good positive steps, kicking in your toes.
All the way up, yeah?
This snow has been repeatedly thawed and refrozen,
leaving a crust over a slushy sub-layer.
If you can kick a deep enough hole, it'll provide a good foothold.
This is real icy here.
Bang the points of your boots in like this.
Just trust them.
This is a tough technique to master.
The slope is turning to sheet ice and
Jake's footholds look a bit shaky.
Time for a change of plan.
OK, let's come...let's traverse along left - getting pretty solid.
Usual thing, hands in, toes in.
It's pretty steep.
Yeah, don't look down.
Encouraging Jake to focus on individual steps
is a good way to stop him thinking about the drop below.
Really kick in well here.
(GRUNTS)
We don't want to sliding back here.
Ohh.
Just step in my footprints. That's it.
(PANTS) That's it, all the way.
Well done.
- Jake's done well. - Whoo!
But there's no opportunity to relax and celebrate.
A big storm is about to hit us,
delivering a double whammy of howling wind and freezing cold.
(WIND HOWLS) Pretty damn crazy, isn't it?
- What? - Pretty damn crazy.
I'm in Iceland with movie star Jake Gyllenhaal.
JAKE: A little bit of fear, little bit of excitement.
I'm looking forward to everything. I'm up for it, I'm up for anything.
(GRUNTS)
We've been dropped in the mountains on the south of the island...
You know, I have a fear of heights.
..and we now find ourselves in the grip of a raging blizzard.
Just huddle down a second.
We're going to rope up here. It's going to be much safer, alright?
Get 20 yards apart in this, you're gone.
In conditions like these,
when it's really difficult to see where you're going,
there's a distinct risk of dropping down a crevasse
or of getting completely lost.
Just going to tie a loop around you.
OK, step into that.
Being roped up gives us a safety factor,
but these conditions will really test Jake's confidence in me.
I think I'm in good hands.
He's very focused, which I really respect.
I feel like he's going to be a good partner in all this,
a real good guide.
I figure it'll all work out one way or the other.
Jake's lack of survival experience does present one major problem.
If I fall down a crevasse,
he might not be able to stop me dragging him in as well.
There's only one solution.
OK, I'm going to send you out ahead.
Every minute just look back at me and I'm going to direct you -
that way or that way, OK?
You're heading straight that way.
OK, go.
I mean, talk about nightmare conditions
to take someone out into the wild for the first time.
Leading can be daunting in any conditions,
but in a white-out like this
it's a measure of Jake's character that he's happy to go first.
(GRUNTS AND PANTS) Good job, Jake.
I'm using the wind direction to help me navigate.
But in conditions like these,
we need all the help we can get to avoid becoming lost.
If you look back every couple of minutes, you can see our footprints.
Before they get covered by the snow,
you can see to check you're going in a straight line.
The danger is just going round and round in circles, you know?
It's pretty incredible.
I feel like I'd follow Bear anywhere,
but right now he's following me, which is just such an odd thing.
I don't know why he trusts me. I guess he has me roped off.
That way?
After nearly an hour, features loom out of the blizzard.
- See all this stuff? - Yeah.
That's all volcanic, that's all lava.
These lava formations are the result of the eruptions in 2010.
And beneath the ground, volcanic activity is still going on.
Magna is being pushed close to the surface,
creating warm spots under the snow.
It could be hot from the ground upwards,
so you can often get these holes underneath
covered by bridges of snow.
You're not gonna see any drop in these holes.
Sometimes they're big, most of the time they're small.
If you go in, don't worry, I've got you.
Look, suddenly you've got a clearing.
That's where we want to head, straight for that.
Ok.
With a very real risk of falling down a hole,
it's important Jake keeps his eyes peeled.
- Look at this. - Exactly.
- Look, I think it's that. - Exactly that.
OK, let's not go near it. You're right on...
See where the crack is, there? All of that, those are holes.
Keep going. Keep going.
That's the sort of thing we don't like.
This opening looks small
but the actual hole could be a lot bigger.
It's actually quite dodgy, all of this.
You see where the snow's sagging?
It's just covering lots of holes.
That's it, on to the rocks.
Straight up.
The rocks are a welcome sight.
The longer we're on the snow, the more we risk a fall.
That's OK, I've got you.
Are you on rock there?
OK, keep going.
That's what I mean about these holes.
Good job, Jake.
OK, you can hold the line for me to bring it in.
Teamwork in this situation is crucial.
You never know when you're going to need your buddy.
How you doing?
That's exactly why... (LAUGHS)
You see, it's all undercut here.
As soon as I fell, I went, "Oops, that's it! Oh, I'm OK."
- OK, good. We're on terra firma. - Well, sort of.
OK, let's get to the next ridge over here.
Before we can head off, Jake has to answer the call of nature.
Poor Jake, this is how you have to have a pee when it's this windy.
(LAUGHS) You have to kneel down.
Always pee...down wind.
That's lesson one.
I spelt a 'B' out... It says 'BG' - I spelt it in the snow.
(LAUGHS)
It's kind of like taking the dog for a walk.
(LAUGHS) Like, "Jake, time to pee."
- Keep skirting on round that ridge. - OK.
The exposed lava is a sign we're
close to a spot of volcanic activity.
You can just smell it, can't you?
- And it's warm. - It's mad.
- You feel the heat off it. - Yeah.
- Your glasses start to steam. - Yeah.
The volcanic rocks are brittle, making every step treacherous.
And if progress wasn't difficult enough...
- Whoa! - ..the storm is getting worse.
It's going crazy again.
It might be warmer but it's still bloomin' windy.
Whoo!
Well, you wanted a bit of peace and quiet, solitude,
away from all the autograph hunters and the paparazzi.
(LAUGHS)
I think you can say I've safely delivered that.
The warm gases coming off the lava have steamed up our goggles,
but taking them off exposes us to the hail
driven in by winds gusting over 110 miles an hour.
It's funny with the goggles
because you can't see anything with them when you have them on,
but at least you don't feel the little pebbles get in your eyes.
It's like in pain or blind. (LAUGHS)
I'll go with the blind. Arrgh.
More snow-covered lava
means we need to be on the lookout for holes again.
And this wind is getting crazy.
Watch out for that hole there. Keep away from that.
A hot spot has melted a large hole in
the snow, revealing the lava below.
But it's not that which grabs our attention.
- Can you see it? - Yeah.
Sheep roam the hillsides here even in the depths of winter.
But this one's days of roaming are well over.
OK, steady on the edge, it looks a bit over-hanging here.
If the carcass is still in good condition,
then it could be a good source of food.
- Could try and get down to it. - Yeah?
Just gut it, take the head off and then we've got the carcass.
Thing is, even that fleece, you know,
we could take that fleece, sleep on that, that'll keep us warm.
Alright.
My pack, filled with snow and then buried, will act as an anchor,
allowing a climber to be lowered
into the hole and to climb out again.
Make a loop for myself here
and we need to make some sort of harness to lower you on.
In a situation like this,
you need the more experienced member of the team at the top.
That way they can react if something goes wrong.
OK, and then your left - two leg loops and two arm loops, right?
Step you into these.
So it's Jake that'll be descending into the hole.
I don't mind gutting the sheep.
I've done that kind of thing before, but never alone.
It's just cutting it's head off,
I think that's going to take me a second.
Gonna be good, Jake.
OK, put your weight on it.
Let your legs go.
It's definitely nerve-racking
watching Jake disappear over the edge of the hole.
Jake.
Jake?
How are you doing, Jake?
Good! Yeah.
What's it like down there?
It's warm but it smells like ----.
(CHUCKLES) That'd be the mix of sheep and volcano, then.
OK, let's get this thing gutted and out.
Alright.
In a Hollywood movie, this would probably be
an expensive piece of clean and sterile prosthetics.
But out here, Jake's going to have to
cope with real blood and real guts.
(GRUNTS)
That's it, well done.
Jake's no shrinking violet.
He's wasting no time in gutting that sheep.
Great job.
The fact that it's falling apart means the carcass is rotten,
effectively unusable.
But we still have to get Jake back safely and as quickly as possible.
Just check that out over there.
See where that goes.
Looks like there's a tunnel up there.
- Is there an opening? - Looks like it.
OK, cool. Well, check it out.
Just see if it looks dodgy, just come back.
OK.
We don't want any cracks above you, good solid snow all the way.
OK. Looks good.
OK, go for it, then.
(PANTS)
You should always be wary of tunnels like this
because of the risk of cave-ins.
A few years ago,
two teenagers in Washington State
suffered broken backs and hypothermia
when a snow cave collapsed on them.
They were lucky to survive.
However, Jake seems less concerned with the danger of his environment
than its look.
(LAUGHS)
- It's beautiful in there. - Cool.
- It's amazing in there. - Good job.
We need to put the carcass failure behind us.
It's been a long, demanding day but it's not over yet.
I want to start thinking about finding somewhere to shelter.
You don't want to be caught out like this when it's dark.
Movie star Jake Gyllenhaal and I are in Iceland
battling it out against a ferocious storm.
I feel like I'd follow Bear anywhere,
but right now he's following me.
The only thing we've found to eat has turned out to be rotten.
It smells like ----.
We've got to put this failure behind us and get moving again.
Jake Gyllenhaal, we're good to go, brother.
Get over this ridge, see what's on the other side.
But there's no respite from the weather.
- You're point man again. - OK.
In fact, it's getting worse. Much worse.
Pretty damn crazy, isn't it?
- What? - Pretty damn crazy!
Yes!
The wind is now nearly hurricane force
and it's threatening to blow us off our feet.
There's nothing for it but to grit our teeth and keep going.
OK, let's do it.
Come on!
Whoo!
That's it.
Off the ridge and the wind speed drops appreciably.
It's a little less windy here, but it's still...
Yeah.
My heart was just starting to race a little bit,
I was like "Oh, ----. This is gonna be fun."
The worst of the storm has blown
over but we're not out of danger yet.
We haven't got a lot of daylight left.
I kind of want to start thinking about finding somewhere to shelter.
You know, you don't want to be caught out like this when it's dark.
Try and drop down, find a little bit of protection from the wind
and find somewhere we're making camp.
But up here, suitable spots for a shelter are in short supply.
It'll be worth trying to get down this gully just get out of the wind.
Yes.
Good positive steps. (GRUNTS)
It's amazing. It's like instantly better out of that wind, isn't it?
Yeah. Warm all of a sudden.
A shift in the wind direction means the respite is only brief.
(WIND HOWLS) Whoa-ah!
- It's another hammering. - Whoo!
It's like little rocks in your face.
Watch that here. Come round here.
It's another measure of Jake's character
that while I search for some kind of spot to make shelter,
he's helping the camera crew.
You OK there? I got that.
We've been battered by gales all day.
But now, thanks to the angle of this slope,
the winds are actually going to help us.
This is a massive build-up of wind-driven snow in this gully.
It's probably going to be, you know, feet and feet and feet deep here.
It's a good spot for building a snow hole
and, to be honest, that looks like our best option
for shelter for the night.
Just kick in initially.
It's quite nice this snow, look.
A snow hole makes a great emergency shelter
because snow is full of little air
pockets, making it a great insulator.
Down the hill.
Even if the outside temperature plummets,
the hole inside will remain just below freezing
and provides vital protection against the wind.
- You ever slept in a snow cave? - Nope.
Even a shallow hole, just big enough for one person,
can provide enough shelter
to make the difference between life and death.
- Do you know what's so nice? - Yeah?
Having someone to do this with.
(LAUGHS) I'm serious.
Suddenly you have twice the strength.
It's great. We'll have this done in half an hour.
Let's get our packs off.
Oh, nice to get that off.
Alright!
It's looking like the drift here
is easily deep enough to accommodate a shelter.
It's a relief
as you never quite know what you're gonna find when you start digging.
That was a good one.
I just found Will Ferrell frozen in there.
(LAUGHS)
It might not be finished, but the prospect of a bolthole from the wind
is making us both a little giddy.
It's kind of reminiscent of a few scenes in 'Broke...' (LAUGHS)
..a few scenes in 'Brokeback Mountain'.
I sure hope not. (LAUGHS)
Listen, ditto, alright?
Just stop shovelling it... I'm gonna shovel it like this.
(LAUGHS)
Stop shovelling it between your legs.
Ah, yeah. It's been a long day. (CHUCKLES)
Break's over. We need to get this finished before nightfall.
- You know what this reminds me of? - Go on.
When we were preparing for 'Jarhead'
and even during shooting,
they would make us dig our own foxholes.
Really?
I don't know what it is about me but I like digging holes.
Maybe I was a gopher in another life.
I tell you what, it's good for the soul doing good digging.
- (LAUGHS) It is. - Brilliant.
Although digging foxholes gets a bit overrated after a while.
Yeah. (LAUGHS)
20 minutes in and we have a hole big enough for both of us to get in.
This would do at a push, but some simple refinements
will make the world of difference to our night's sleep.
Let's make this kind of bed level here.
- OK. - Yeah.
Keep digging out this bit.
Put all our kit here.
So, why are we making a platform here?
Because if we're... All the cold air is going to sink down there.
So we don't want to be sleeping in the cold air.
We want to sleep above it, so that's bed level.
We'll keep scraping this out.
You shovel out that way, I'll keep going.
OK.
After an hour's work, our shelter is complete.
This may be the coolest place I've ever been.
- Do you know what I really need? - Yeah?
Is just a brew.
- OK, you hold that. - OK.
So we've got water...
..we've got a candle.
- Have you got that fire striker? - Yeah.
I also have a confession to make.
Go on.
Is this a good confession or a bad one?
I picked up something from the...
..from the hotel before I left.
Chocolate.
Absolute genius.
- Do you know what? - Very, very grateful.
Look, I think it'll do.
Little bit of cotton wool and that will take a spark.
Alright.
- You get kind of one shot at it... - OK.
- and I'll light the candle off it. - OK.
Nice.
Ohh.
So close. Oh, it's gotta go.
(LAUGHS) Come on.
Sometimes you just gotta persevere with it
and suddenly...
..it will go.
Aim it down.
That's it.
- Ho-ho. - Jake Gyllenhaal, we have fire.
(CHUCKLES)
We then start the slowest kettle in history.
Not only has Jake supplied the chocolate for our hot drink,
he's even managed to hang on to his emergency rations.
Absolutely amazing. Thank you.
Thank you for not eating it on minute one.
It might be numbingly slow
but it's always worth the effort to make a hot drink if you can.
The mental and physical benefits are not to be underestimated.
Wow, for a lousy, lukewarm cup of hot cocoa, it's not bad.
You make it so enticing.
You know what that tastes like to me?
Water with powdered chocolate on top.
Sprinkled. (LAUGHS)
Funny that.
Nothing's ever tasted so good.
Great. Great.
Fed and watered, it's time to turn in.
Oh, one last thing.
If you need to pee in the night, we've got two bottles...
..this one has got water in it.
That's for drinking.
That one next to you is a pee bottle.
Do not get them mixed up.
- OK? - Yes.
This one's water and that one's for peeing?
This is gonna be a long night. (LAUGHS)
We're going to need as much sleep as we can get
because tomorrow is not going to be any easier than today.
That was freezing.
I'm halfway through a 2-day survival challenge in Iceland
with A-list movie star Jake Gyllenhaal.
Whoa-ah!
It's like little rocks in your face.
We've made through a freezing night in a snow cave.
Last night was pretty damn cold.
Yeah, it's still windy.
But if we were hoping for a break in the weather,
we're going to be disappointed.
- Still pretty low visibility. - What?
I thought it might be sunny today when we woke up
'cause it seemed so light when I opened my eyes
'cause it was so dark in that cave.
But unfortunately it's freezing cold
and looks like a storm's coming in anyway,
so, you know, it wasn't what I thought.
OK, we're heading south,
which is kinda that way,
which means, really, at some point we need to get across this river.
Ohhh.
Cross that river.
Tell you what, let's carry on down for a bit
and see if we can find a bit where it's not deep.
Really want to avoid getting wet if we can.
Rivers here are fed by glaciers further up,
which means the water is just above freezing.
There you go. Look, it's cleared up for a second.
Approaching the river, I've got two considerations.
The first is finding a shallow crossing point,
but I'm also on the lookout for food.
Riverbanks are your best chance of finding something edible
in a landscape as wild as this.
Get a nibble as well before we go. It's angelica.
Get the whole root out.
The Vikings used to use this as a staple food of theirs
and the root is edible.
You can actually...
It will act as an analgesic - a painkiller -
it's probably a good thing for the river crossing.
Alright.
- That's tasty. - Not bad, is it?
Whoa!
I haven't failed in my mission.
Got you a worm.
See if... If there's one, there's probably more.
You hold that one.
It's not much but the worm will be packed with protein
and eating it might take Jake's mind off the river crossing.
Yep, look, here's another one.
Absolutely perfect.
Well, here's breakfast. Here's to you.
- First worm? - First worm.
Kinda pretty...sucks for breakfast, really, doesn't it?
(CLEARS THROAT) A bit sandy that...
Squirming around in my mouth. (CHUCKLES)
Well, it's all going to play to your Viking ancestry.
(LAUGHS) Gyllenhaal - where's that from?
It's Swedish.
Well, a Swedish heritage might be useful.
We can't tell how deep the river is, but it's definitely going to be cold
and there's a real chance of a soaking.
It's never fun shedding all your warm layers.
To keep as much of our clothing as possible dry,
we're stripping down to just our trousers and boots.
Wet clothes in this, air temperature like this,
if you can't get a fire and get out of it, you're going to die.
I joined up for this, right?
With the wind chill, the air temperature is well below freezing
even before we get in the river.
- Ahh! It's absolutely grim, isn't it? - Whoo!
It seems mad stripping off in freezing conditions...
..but you've got to fight to keep your clothes dry.
(EXHALES)
OK, straight in. Let's do it.
At this point, the river's shallow but fast...
Face upstream.
All the flow coming onto us.
But approaching the other side, the bottom shelves off.
This will be the deep bit.
Ooh!
Nice and controlled.
Nice and steady. Keep holding me.
(GROANS)
OK, you go, you go.
We've made it.
But now both of us are risking hypothermia in the cold air.
OK, all the way up and around.
The priority now is to get dressed as quickly as possible.
OK, great job. Rucksack off.
Ahh!
OK, we'll work fast, get some layers on, alright?
(PANTS) That was freezing.
Jake is shivering badly.
It's imperative I get him pumped up and on the move
as quickly as possible.
(BOTH WHOOP)
Come on! (LAUGHS)
Whoo!
Great job, you know.
It takes balls. I'm not joking, it takes balls.
Well, they're right up in my throat right now.
Well, at least he's still got his sense of humour.
Ohh! My ears.
Yep.
Getting dressed won't be enough to stave off hypothermia.
We need to raise our body temperatures as well.
OK. Keep the pace up, keep the intensity.
Yeah!
OK, we're going to walk, we're going to walk hard, OK?
- Yeah. - Stick with me, match my pace.
Alright.
Promise - in a 100 metres, you'll feel your fingers again.
- Alright. - OK, let's go.
Battling up this slope is hard work
but that's exactly what we need right now.
Great work, Jake.
I don't feel as cold.
It's the magic of movement.
It's your one get-out-of-jail-free card always in the wild -
if you're moving, you're working hard, you're warm.
Get back into normal pace.
It's taken a big effort
but Jake seems to have recovered from the river crossing.
(EXHALES)
However, a mile further on, we hit another major obstacle...
I've gotta a little bit of fear of that.
..a deep river gorge.
A long way down.
Even if we could get down,
neither of us fancy another river crossing.
At some point, we've got to get across this.
It's not going to be here, though.
Let's keep following it down and we'll just see.
The gorge runs roughly south-west.
If we can't cross it soon,
then it will start to take us further
and further away from our end goal.
Well, at least the weather's getting better.
Ahh. Out of that.
Look at this.
Oh, no.
- Holy ----. - Huh?
What the heck is that?
There's one way.
Yeah, you often get big lines like that across gorges.
Yeah, hunters use it to get supplies across.
Do they cross people?
Put a little trolley on it, send supplies across.
But with people?
Well, I don't know. Probably, sometimes, yeah.
Let's check it out. Let's have a look, OK?
Holy crap. (LAUGHS)
It is possible to make use of single lines like this
using a climbing technique called a Tyrolean.
It involves lying on the rope and pulling yourself across.
Well, I mean, that is a long way.
But this one would be a real test of nerve for both of us.
It's pretty frightening. Whew!
Jake's not convinced this is a good idea.
Given his fear of heights, I understand.
OK, let's go and check out these anchor points.
It's all about the anchor points.
That's gotta be driven deep in there. That's not moving.
I'm less worried about that than the rope
and the amount of swing there's going to be on it.
Yeah, there's a lot of wind.
This is one of those moments.
Face your fear.
That is legitimately scary.
This rope is there to help Jake if he needs it.
How's the heart rate?
I'm going first and if he gets tired I'll be able to give him a hand.
If you need any help, struggling halfway,
I've got a little bit, I can give you extra.
- Alright. - Alright?
Take your time. Focus on the rope, don't look down.
- You're gonna be strong. - Alright.
Once again our old friend, the weather, is back.
I mean, that...
- You've gotta be joking. - Unreal.
What I've learnt is that there's never a good time.
- Just do it. Yeah? - OK.
Getting the Tyrolean technique right is crucial to this kind of crossing.
Like that... Yeah.
..hooked over, this leg for balance
and we just move like that.
It's easy for me to say, but I've done this before.
But for Jake, this is his first.
- Look at me. Good? - Yeah.
What I haven't told Jake
is that I don't think I've ever done a crossing this long before.
It's not just him that's going to be pushed.
What's hard is the fact that all your
body weight is on your chest,
which makes breathing difficult
when you're essentially trying to do about 150 pull-ups.
It's tough work and slow going.
I just hope Jake's not having second thoughts back there.
I'm nervous. I'm definitely nervous.
My arms are absolutely screaming.
Homeward bound. Keep focused.
Keep focused.
How you doing, Bear?
Tired.
But hanging in there.
Ha ha ha.
You're going to be able to do this, Jake.
Come on, finish strong.
Finish strong.
One, two, three...
Counting out repetitions like this
is a good technique when you're getting tired.
Nine, 10.
Quick rest.
And then do the next 10. One...
Break it down into small bite-sized chunks
and the end will eventually come.
..five.
Can't do 10 anymore. Break it down into fives.
One, two, three,
four...
(HUFFS AND PUFFS)
..five.
Made it.
It's a good work-out!
(LAUGHS) You're going to be great!
Hard, hard work.
OK, let me take in all the rope.
OK, brother, let's do it!
It's one thing giving encouragement,
but ultimately when Jake's on that line, he's on his own.
I think I have the strength to do it,
I just... it's the strength of mind.
So that's what's at work now.
I think it would be impolite to ask Bear to come all the way back
so we can take the long route,
so I think I only have one way out of this situation.
Come on, just on get on rope.
Get on rope and start moving.
Come on.
No more time thinking. It's time to do it.
Good man, on the rope. That's it.
Good stuff.
OK, now he's committed
'cause he ain't gonna go backwards.
For a first timer, Jake's technique is looking good.
His body's relaxed which means his trailing leg is hanging well down,
making it easier to keep his balance.
Pace yourself.
(GRUNTS)
A mountain man once told me, "Let fear be your guide."
It must be working for Jake.
I just hope he's not going to burn himself out.
Just shake the blood back into your arms whenever you need to.
(SIGHS)
Wow.
Oh, that's how far down.
Does it look quite high?
Uh, yeah.
It's, uh...pretty high.
Jake's initial adrenaline rush has worn off and he's beginning to tire.
Focus on the rope, not down.
(GRUNTS AND PANTS)
That's your halfway mark.
Doing brilliantly, man. Brilliantly.
(GRUNTS)
Whoo!
Great effort.
Jake's now over halfway,
but climbing up this last section of rope
will be a real test of physical and mental toughness.
However much training you do,
it's just a whole different ball game when you're out in the wild.
This is where you wish you had that good night's sleep
instead of sleeping in a snow cave, yeah?
Doing great. Doing really, really good.
He just needs to stay relaxed and keep pushing.
Herculean effort, Jake.
(GRUNTS)
It's the last bit that's always the hardest, yeah?
-Last bit's that always the hardest. -Whoo!
The end is in sight.
I just hope there are no last-minute wobbles here.
Absolutely rock-and-roll.
So, what's your drink going to be tonight?
Ohh! (PANTS)
I'm gonna drink from the cup of life.
(LAUGHS) You're drinking from it right now.
(LAUGHS) Yeah.
OK, get yourself safe, get onto the rock.
Absolutely brilliant, man.
Absolutely flipping brilliant.
Whoo!
Ohh!
Man, that is exhausting.
- Man, I was terrified. - It's pretty scary.
It gets pretty wobbly in the middle, doesn't it?
- Ohh. That was amazing. - Oh, brilliant.
- That was amazing. - Great achievement. Really.
Well done, you.
OK, let's finish this thing and get out of here.
That was incredible.
That was a moment I'll never forget in my life, so...
Incredible.
It was just so exciting.
I can't really describe what it feels like to be out there.
I really enjoyed it.
Bear + excitement = enjoyment.
(LAUGHS) OK, let's make this thing.
We have to make the most of this break in the weather.
We're supposed to be picked up by a helicopter.
But if a storm sets in...
Here comes the hail.
..it may not be able to fly.
OK, look, let's work fast.
Anywhere around here, make a big mark - a big letter 'H'.
Scrapping back the surface layer of stones and snow
reveals black volcanic sand and ash,
perfect for making a contrast signal.
Lower case or upper case?
(LAUGHS)
Upper case and big.
It's worth making this big.
And with bad visibility,
we've got to give ourselves the best shot of being spotted.
- OK, that's looking good. - Phew!
We've got a big front coming in off the sea. Look.
Just keep an eye out.
(HELICOPTER WHIRRS DISTANTLY)
There it is! Give them a wave!
BOTH: Hey!
It's got to have seen that 'H'.
I've no idea if the pilot saw us.
And with every second, the visibility is getting worse.
He's turning.
PILOT: I see them.
They're up just 12 o'clock.
I see the 'H'. He's waving.
OK, he's seen us.
The helicopter's not landing to pick us up,
instead they're lowering ropes which we'll clip into.
So, instead of a limousine with leather seats and champagne,
we've got climbing harnesses and driving hail.
I love it.
Well, Jake, let's get on this thing.
Whoo!
I can't even see where we're going,
but it feels so good to be on our way
after some of the toughest days I've ever spent in the wild.
What a time to be out with someone like Jake.
We've just heard they shut the Icelandic Airport down
and, you know, these guys are used to bad weather.
That does not often happen.
Talk about being thrown in at the deep end.
(LAUGHS) Brilliant!
I've gotta say the whole thing was pretty much a high.
Whoo!
Every single moment of it didn't let up.
Everything was amazing.
Thank you, Bear!
It's been an incredible experience
and one that neither of usever forget.
Well, hopefully our friendship's egun.
I think when you go out
in circumstances like that,
it's all about being able st somebody.
It makes me feel incredible
that I was able to do it,
and it's been truly an honour.
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