I'm bear grylls. Whoo!
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 a 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?
Grylls: Pretty damn crazy!
We're heading into the remote wilds of iceland
For the survival experience he'll never forget.
Don't look down.
Jake will have to go wherever I go...
I have a fear of heights.
...Eat whatever I eat...
[ grunts ]
...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 got to calm down. I got to focus.
He can do it on a studio set...
[bleep]
...But can he do it for real?
Does it look quite high?
Ugh, yeah.
It's 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.
Grylls: We're heading for a glacier,
And underneath it is the volcano e15.
And about a year ago it erupted, spewing molten lava
Almost 1,000 feet into the air
And covering most of europe in this huge volcanic ash cloud.
We're heading pretty well bang for it.
But before we get there,
We're gonna 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 grueling u.S. Marine-style boot camp.
So, what's he done for this?
Uh, I've done nothing to prepare for this situation,
So I feel like that's somewhat appropriate.
Every time I've seen the show, I've just thought,
"oh, 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.
That's just as well.
Jake's never been to iceland before,
And he's 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...
[ sighs ]
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.
Come on. Keep low.
Welcome to "man vs. Wild," jake.
Get this thing in the air.
Okay, we're gonna have an adventure.
All right.
Whoo!
[ indistinct talking over radio ]
How are you feeling? I'm feeling good.
Not too nervous? Not too nervous.
How did you sleep last night?
In and out.
A couple hours.
So, that's where we're heading --
Right over there into the far mountains.
All right.
Try to see how far the heli can get us up there.
Very low clouds today.
Cloud cover is not the half of it.
We've just the smallest of windows
Before the big weather front hits us.
The helicopter can't land because the ground is so soft.
Instead, we're gonna be winched down.
But the wind's already picking up,
And the pilot's struggling to hold his position.
Okay, 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.
Well, 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 gonna get picked up in two days' time
Down by the coast, so we've got a bit of traveling to do.
All right.
Okay, knife, canteen, and water bowl,
Packet of two biscuits.
[ laughs ]
Those are the emergency rations.
Don't do what will ferrell did when I took him out.
What he do? Gave him his twinkie,
And he basically devoured it in minute two when my back was turned.
You know, 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. Okay.
And we're good to go. All right.
Okay. We're heading that way.
We're heading towards the ridge between e15
And its neighboring volcano, katla.
We'll go up above the snow line
Before descending southwards towards the sea.
Okay, you can really feel that wind here, you see?
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 here, so we're gonna use that.
Keep that prevailing wind in our face,
We know we're heading south.
Wind is good.
[ laughs ]
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'd you get your hat?
[ chuckles ] I was given it as a present.
Mine doesn't have tassels. I wish I had that.
Well, the tassels are great,
But they're really annoying when it's windy
'cause they keep blowing in my mouth as I'm talking.
A good mental attitude is key to survival in wilds...
What if we just start sinking into the snow?
Just slowly sinking into...
[ laughter ]
...So jake's relaxed and chatty manner
Is a promising sign.
Did you ever kind of go camping and stuff
When you were a kid?
Yeah, all the time.
I grew up in california, so we would go up north.
And where do you live now?
I live in los angeles, mostly.
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.
[ exhales sharply ]
I kind of have a fear of heights.
Huh?
I've got a little bit of fear of that.
Yeah?
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 repeatedly thawed and refrozen,
Leaving a crust over a slushy sublayer.
If you can kick a deep enough hole,
It will provide a good foothold.
This is real icy here.
Bang your points of your boots in like this.
You 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.
Okay, let's come -- let's traverse along left.
It's getting pretty solid.
The usual thing -- hands in, toes in.
It's pretty steep.
Yep.
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.
[ sighs ]
We don't want you sliding back here.
[ groans ]
Just step in my footprints. That's it.
Phew.
That's it. All the way.
Well done.
Jake's done well.
Whoo!
We now find ourselves in the grip of a raging blizzard.
Let's huddle down a second.
We're gonna rope up here.
It's gonna be much safer, all right?
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 getting completely lost.
Gonna tie a loop around you.
Okay, step into that.
Being roped up gives us a safety factor,
But these conditions will really test
Jake's confidence in me.
Gyllenhaal: I think I'm in good hands.
He's very focused, which I really respect.
I feel like he's gonna be a good partner in all this
And a real good guide.
I figure it will 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.
I'm gonna send you on ahead.
Every minute, just look back at me.
I'm gonna direct you that way or that way, okay?
We're heading straight that way.
Okay. Go.
I mean, talk about a nightmare conditions
To take someone out into the wild for the first time.
Leading can be daunting in any conditions,
But in a whiteout like this,
It's a measure of jake's character
That he's happy to go first.
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 and check you're going in a straight line.
The danger is just going
'round and 'round in circles, you know?
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 lava.
These lava formations
Are the result of the eruptions in 2010.
And beneath the ground,
Volcanic activity is still going on.
Magma is being pushed close to the surface,
And the resulting heat has melted the snow
To reveal the underlying rocks.
Grylls: Okay, you can smell it, can't you?
And it's warm.
You feel the heat.
Your glasses start to steam.
The volcanic rocks are brittle,
Making every step treacherous.
[ wind howling ]
And if progress wasn't difficult enough...
Whoa.
...The storm is getting worse.
Going crazy again.
It might be warmer, but it's snow-blowing windy!
Whoo!
Well, you wanted a bit of peace and quiet and solitude
Away from all the autograph hunters
And the paparazzi.
I think I can say I safely delivered that.
The gasses coming off the warm lava
Aren't the only sign of the underlying volcanic activity.
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.
Okay, let's just sit here on the edge
And this little bit overhanging here.
If the carcass is still in good condition,
Then it could be a good source of food.
We could try and get down to it.
Yeah? Just gut it, pull the head off,
And then we can put the carcass --
Even that fleece, you know.
We could take the fleece, sleep on that.
That'll keep us warm. All right.
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 then 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.
Okay, and then you're left with two leg loops
And two arm loops, right?
Step you into these.
So it's jake that will 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 its head off.
I think that's gonna take me a second.
It's gonna be good, jake.
Okay, put your weight on it.
Let your legs go.
It's definitely nerve-racking
Watching jake disappear over the edge of the hole.
Ready?
Jake?
How you doing, jake?
Good.
What's it like down there?
It's warm, but it smells like [bleep]
[ both laugh ]
That'd be the mix of sheep and volcano there.
Okay, let's get this thing gutted and up.
All right.
In a hollywood movie,
This would probably be an expensive piece
Of clean and sterile prosthetics,
But out here, jake's gonna have to cope
With real blood and real guts.
That's it. Well done.
Jake's no shrinking violet.
He's wasting no time in gutting that sheep.
Stick to plan "a." turn it over now.
Get its guts out. Get its head off.
We'll get the whole carcass up, then.
Okay.
Great job.
Try and tear all the guts out of it.
Whoop. Wow, that's -- now, that's bad.
That shouldn't come -- did that just come off in your hand?
Yeah.
We can't eat that.
The fact that its 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.
It looks like there's a tunnel up there.
Is there an opening? It looks like it.
Okay. Cool. Well, check it out.
Just see -- if it looks dodgy, just come back.
Okay.
We don't want any cracks above you.
A good, solid snow all the way. Okay.
Looks good.
Okay, go for it, then.
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 ]
Its 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.
Go over this ridge. We'll see onto the other side.
And there's no respite from the weather.
You're point man again. Okay.
In fact, it's getting worse -- much worse.
Pretty damn crazy, isn't it?
Huh? Pretty damn crazy!
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.
Okay, let's do it.
[ both grunting ]
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.
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.
Kind of want to start thinking
About finding somewhere to shelter.
But up here, suitable spots for a shelter
Are in short supply.
It would be worth trying to get down this gully
To just get out of the wind. Yes.
Good, positive steps.
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 got it? I got that.
We've been battered by gales all day,
But now, thanks to the angle of this slope,
The winds are actually gonna help us.
This is a massive build-up
Of wind-driven snow in this gully.
Probably gonna 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 provide vital protection against the wind.
You ever slept in a snow cave?
Nope. [ chuckles ]
Even a shallow hole just big enough for one person
Can provide enough shelter
To make the difference between life and death.
It might not be finished,
But the prospect of a bolt hole from the wind
Is making us both a little giddy.
It's kind of reminiscent of a few scenes
In...[ laughs ]
...A few scenes in "brokeback mountain."
I sure hope not.
[ laughs ]
Listen, ditto. All right?
I'm gonna -- just stop shoveling it.
I'm gonna swing around like this.
[ laughs ]
Stop shoveling it between your legs.
Ah, yeah. Been a long day.
[ laughs ]
Too much air.
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'll tell you what, it's good for the soul.
Yeah. Good digging.
Brilliant. It is.
Although digging foxholes
Gets a bit overrated after awhile.
20 minutes in,
And we have a hole big enough for both of us to get in.
This would do in 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.
Just keep digging out this bit.
Put all our kit here.
Why are we making a platform here?
Because if we're -- all the cold air is gonna sink down there,
So we're already sleeping in the cold air.
We want to sleep above it.
So, this at bed level. Just keep scraping this out.
You shovel out that way.
I'll keep going. Okay.
After an hour's work, our shelter is complete.
This may be the coolest place I've ever been.
Come on.
With a lit candle, a packet of powdered chocolate,
And jake's emergency rations...
Absolutely amazing. Thank you.
...We settle down for a snack
And a well-deserved hot drink.
Nothing's ever tasted so good.
[ laughs ] great. Great.
Fed and watered, it's time to turn in.
Oh, one last thing.
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, okay?
Yes.
So, this one's water, and that one's for peeing.
This is gonna be a long night.
We've made it through a freezing night in a snow cave.
Gyllenhaal: Last night was pretty damn cold.
Yeah. It's still windy.
But if we were hoping for a break in the weather,
We're gonna be disappointed.
Still pretty low visibility.
I thought it might be a little 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 it looks like a storm's coming in anyway.
So, you know, it wasn't what I thought.
Okay, we're heading south,
Which is kind of that way,
Which means really, at some point,
We need to get across those rivers.
Oh.
Cross that river?
Tell you what. Let's carry on down for a bit
And see if we find a bit where it's not so 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. 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.
River banks 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.
Vikings used to use this as a staple food of theirs,
And the root is edible
And actually will act as like an analgesic -- pain killer.
It's probably a good thing for the river crossing.
Gyllenhaal: All right.
That's tasty.
Not bad, is it?
Whoa!
I haven't failed in my mission.
Got you a worm.
Let's see -- 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, there is another one.
Absolutely perfect.
Well, here's breakfast. Here's to you.
First worm? First worm.
It's kind of really sucks for breakfast, doesn't it?
A bit sandy.
[ coughs ]
Squirming around in my mouth.
[ chuckles ]
Ugh.
Well, it's all gonna play to your viking ancestry.
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 gonna be cold,
And there's a real chance of a soaking.
It's never fun shedding all of 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 --
If you can't get a fire and get out of it, you're gonna 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.
Ah! It's absolutely grim, isn't it?
It seems mad stripping off in freezing conditions,
But you've got to fight to keep your clothes dry.
[ breathing sharply ]
Okay? Let's do it.
At this point, the river is shallow but fast.
Face upstream,
And 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.
Ugh.
Okay, you go. You go.
We've made it.
But now both of us are risking hypothermia in the cold air.
Okay, all the way up and around.
The priority now is to get dressed as quickly as possible.
Okay, great job. Rucksack off.
[ gasps ]
Got to work fast.
Get some layers on, all right?
That was freezing.
Jake is shivering badly.
It's imperative I get him pumped up and on the move
As quickly as possible.
Whoo!
Come on! [ laughs ]
Whoo!
Great job, you know?
Takes balls. I'm not joking.
Takes balls.
Well, they're right up in my throat right now.
Well, at least he's still got a sense of humor.
Oh!
My ears! Yeah.
Getting dressed won't be enough to stave off hypothermia.
We need to raise our body temperatures, as well.
Okay, keep the pace up. Keep the intensity.
Okay, we're gonna walk, and we're gonna walk hard, okay?
Stick with me. Match my pace.
All right.
I promise you, 100 meters and you'll feel your fingers again.
All right. Okay, 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 and 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.
But even bigger challenges lie ahead.
We're heading south to get to
Our helicopter rendezvous point near the coast.
But a deep river gorge presents us with a big obstacle.
Got a little bit of fear of that.
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 gonna be here, though.
Let's keep following it down, and we'll just see.
The gorge runs roughly southwest.
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.
Ugh! Out of that.
Look at this.
Oh, no.
Holy [bleep]
Grylls: Huh?
What the heck is that?
Grylls: It's a runway.
Yeah, you often get big lines like that across gorges.
You know, hunters will use it to get supplies across.
Do they cross people?
They put a little trolley on it, send supplies across.
But with people?
Oh, I don't know. Probably sometimes, yeah.
Let's check it out.
Let's have a look, okay?
Holy crap.
It is possible to make use of single lines like this
Using a climbing technique called the tyrolean.
It involves lying on the rope and pulling yourself across.
Wow.
I mean, that's a long way.
But this one will be a real test of nerve for both of us.
Gyllenhaal: Pretty frightening.
Whew.
Jake's not convinced this is a good idea.
Given his fear of heights, I understand.
Okay, let's go check out these anchor points.
It's all about the anchor points.
And that's gonna 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 gonna 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, you're struggling halfway,
I've got a little bit I can give you extra.
All right? Take your time.
Focus on the rope. Don't look down.
You're gonna be strong. All right.
Once again, our old friend, the weather, is back.
I mean that -- you've got to be joking.
Unreal.
[ exhales sharply ]
What I've learned is that there's never a good time.
Just do it. Yeah?
Okay.
Getting the tyrolean technique right
Is crucial to this kind of crossing.
Like that. Hooked over.
This leg for balance.
And we just move like that.
[ exhales ]
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 gonna be pushed.
[ wind howling ]
Grylls: 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.
How you doing, bear?
Tired...
But hanging in there.
Ha ha ha!
You're gonna be able to do this, jake.
Come on.
Finish strong.
1...
2...
3.
Counting out repetitions like this
Is a good technique when you're getting tired.
9...10.
Take a breath.
And we do the next 10.
1...
Break it down into small bite-sized chunks,
And the end will eventually come.
...5...
Can't do 10 anymore.
Break it down into 5s.
1...
2...
3...
4...
[ spitting ]
...5.
[ panting ]
Made it.
It's a good workout!
[ laughs ]
You're gonna be great!
Okay, let me take in all the rope.
Okay, 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.
Go on, just get on the rope.
Just get on the 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.
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.
[ grunting ]
A mountain man once told me "let fear be your guide."
It must be working for jake.
I just hope he's not gonna burn himself out.
Just shake the blood back into your arms whenever you need to.
Huh. Heh.
Wow.
Ohh.
That's so 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.
[ grunting ]
That's your halfway mark.
Doing brilliantly, man, brilliantly.
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.
[ grunting ]
It's the last bit that's always the hardest, yeah?
Last bit's 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 gonna be tonight?
I'm gonna drink from the cup of life.
You're drinking from it right now.
[ both laugh ]
Okay, get yourself safe. Get onto the rock.
[ laughs ] absolutely brilliant, man.
Absolutely flipping brilliant.
[ laughs ]
Whoo!
Oh, man.
That is exhausting.
That was terrifying.
That's pretty scary.
It gets pretty wobbly in the middle, doesn't it?
Oh.
That was amazing. Oh, brilliant.
Great achievement. Brilliant.
Wow. Well done, you.
Okay, let's finish this thing and get out of here.
That was incredible.
That was -- that was a moment I'll never forget in my life,
So, incredible.
It was just -- it was just so exciting.
I can't really describe what it feels like to be out there.
I really enjoyed it.
Fear plus excitement equals enjoyment.
Okay, let's make this thing.
We have to make the most of this break in the weather.
We're supposed to be being picked up by helicopter,
But if a storm sets in...
Here comes the hail.
...It may not be able to fly.
Okay, let's work fast. Anywhere around here.
Make a big mark -- a big letter "h."
Scraping 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 at being spotted.
Okay, that's looking good.
We got a big front coming in off the sea.
Look. Let's keep an eye out.
[ helicopter blades whirring ]
Gyllenhaal: There it is!
Hey! Hey! Hey!
He'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.
Man: I see them.
Man #2: Go up. Just check again.
See the "h"?
Okay, 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 got climbing harnesses and driving hail.
I love it.
Well, jake, let's get on this thing!
Whoo!
Whoo-hoo-hoo-hoo!
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.
Grylls: What a time to be out with someone like jake.
I just heard they shut the iceland airport down.
And, you know, these guys are used to bad weather.
That does not often happen.
Talk about being thrown into the deep end.
[ laughs ] brilliant.
I got to say the whole thing was pretty much a high.
Whoo!
Every single moment of it. It didn't let up.
Everything was amazing.
Wha!
Thank you, bear!
It's been an incredible experience,
And one that neither of us will ever forget.
Well, hopefully our friendship's just begun.
I think when you go out in circumstances like that,
It's all about being able to trust somebody.
It makes me feel incredible
That I was able to do it,
And it's been truly an honor.