Dudh Kosi - Relentless River of Everest: First Kayak Descent of the Dudh Kosi River and world altitude record in kayaking. Winner of 12 major international film awards in 1976, including "Best Film of Festival" at Banff.

The Khumbu Glacier, perched on the Himalayan slopes of Everest, melts at a height of 17,500 feet creating the source of the Dudh Kosi river. Dudh Kosi is the highest river in the world. It is the river of Everest. The film chronicles the ultimate kayaking adventure, "a near kamikaze mission", as six Olympic-class kayakers, an all British team headed by Mike Jones and Mick Hopkinson, battle with white water at almost uncontrollable speeds through rocks, waterfalls, treacherous whirlpools and capsizes. It is a story of teamwork, bravery, and true sportsmanship.

Despite embarking in September at the worst point of the monsoon season, the expedition finds the source waters of the Dudh Kosi shallow, rocky and steep. The shallow water is a problem, but it is nothing when compared to the problems ahead - the river soon swells to a raging torrent, falling 13,000 feet in its first 50 miles. The kayakers need their highest level of concentration, and must be constantly alert. They must take advantage of each stretch of calmer water as a relief from the muscle-straining struggle of negotiating a 30 pound kayak over 30 miles per hour waterfalls and through the notorious 'stoppers' where the water rushes back on the natural flow with overwhelming force. At this level the freezing water is a constant hazard; if the kayak capsizes survival time is measured in minutes. And scenes of boats being swept away and battered to pieces by the water are a stark reminder of the kayakers' ultimate stake in the adventure.

Few adventures can equal "The Dudh Kosi". This film gives a graphic account of the thrills, spills and skills involved. The spectacular filming left nothing to the imagination.

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Mick Hopkinson's reflection after narrowly cheating death during a near fatal capsize in the Dudh Kosi:

"I was so exhausted I couldn't even swim to the bank. I thought that was it…..the end. I should imagine drowning is very much like going to sleep. I stopped caring, it was as simple as that. There was no panic. Panic involves a certain amount of energy, and I didn't have any energy left at all. I was just passing out. All this time you're rolled along the bottom, getting your head cracked on rocks and things…..all you can hear is a crashing noise."

Leo Dickinson's anecdotes on Mike Jones and the expedition:

Mike Jones asked, "Where next?" It was natural, with a successful expedition completed, to think of funding another on your new found credibility. But I suspected that Mike was to be disappointed. The world does not want to be inundated with kayaking films, especially after a particularly good one has been made. As it turned out, I am glad I wasn't with Mike the next time he went to the Himalayas.

After a shoestring expedition down the Orinoco in Venezuela and some months as a flying doctor in Australia, Mike organized a trip to the Karakorum. His idea was to kayak down the Braldu, the river which flows from K2, the second highest mountain in the world. It was to end in tragedy. Once more Mike found himself trying to rescue one of his teammates. This time it was Roger Huyton in trouble. As before, Mike gave chase without thought of the consequences. He managed to drag Roger to the bank, but in doing so, himself slipped down under another stopper. He was swept out into more turbulent water and never seen again.

Dudh Kosi
        -Relentless River of Everest

VHS video in NTSC released by Adventure Eye Inc April 2000
Color, digitally remastered. Run time approx. 52 minutes.
ISBN:0970816928

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