60
MOUNTAINLIFE
SUMMER2016
EPIC
TRIP
Filming the first descent of Papua
NewGuinea’sBerimanRiverGorge
words Feet Banks :: captions BennyMarr
Thereareno sure things inadventure filmmaking.Even
in a perfectly remote locationwith the best athletes in
the world and gyro-stabilized helicopter cameras that
costmore than ablackmarket kidney, thequestions are
always there:Can it bedone?What if theguysdon’t go?
Orworse, what if they go anddon’t come back?
PedroOliva relaxes in the calm (penis-shaped) pool that separates the
unrunnable canyon3 from runable canyon4. BennyMarr receives the final
boat fromBen Stookesberry, in a three-stage rappel.The teamused an impact
hammer drill to set anchors, a lastminute addition toheavily packedboats, for
an estimated 10-day expedition into theBeriman. CHRISKORBULIC
