On today's chart 347K views since yesterday

Xander Budnick brings his recovery story onto Everest

His expedition documentary pairs the long search for purpose with icefall danger, shifting plans and an unexpected high-altitude dinner invitation.

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Xander Budnick Story of November 8, 2026Trari Newsroom

No. 10 on the Outdoors chart

Why this story? One of the most watched videos since yesterday, with 346,896 views.

Climbing Mt Everest

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0:52The trek begins in Lukla, passing suspension bridges, monasteries and remote villages on the way toward Everest.
18:18On Lobuche East, Budnick revisits home videos documenting alcohol addiction, rehab and his return to outdoor adventure.
21:47Khumbu Icefall route delays prompt another acclimatization trip, this time to Mera Peak.
36:50Budnick passes a recent serac collapse in the Khumbu Icefall that injured two climbers.
53:36The team begins its ascent toward Camp 3 on the Lhotse Face using supplemental oxygen.
59:27Michael "Mac" Mackinnon explains his planned attempt at the world's highest formal dinner party.

Everest is the destination, but Xander Budnick gives the climb a starting point far below base camp: home videos from the years when alcohol had taken over his life.

In "Climbing Mt Everest," those archives sit alongside acclimatization climbs and preparations for the mountain. Budnick recounts going through rehab, rediscovering outdoor adventure and finding something he wanted to work toward. "Find a passion, find something I'm passionate about and focus on that," he says.

The documentary drew roughly 347,000 views since yesterday. For viewers familiar with his solo wilderness trips, this is a different undertaking: an expedition built around teammates, guides, repeated climbs and waiting for a route to become passable.

The journey begins in Lukla, passing suspension bridges, monasteries and villages on the trek toward base camp. Adventure videographer and editor Kyle joins the early stages, while local guide and high-altitude videographer Sunil helps carry the filming farther into the mountains. The film also includes a sponsored Whatnot segment.

Delays in the Khumbu Icefall send the team elsewhere to acclimatize, including Mera Peak. When Budnick eventually enters the icefall, the danger is no longer something explained in advance. He passes the aftermath of a recent serac collapse that injured two climbers. "20 minutes earlier, we could have been under that collapse," he says.

Later come punishing winds, a retreat to Namche Bazaar for rest, and a return for the summit push using supplemental oxygen. The film makes room for an incongruous encounter amid all that preparation: at Camp 3, Budnick meets Michael "Mac" Mackinnon, who is preparing an attempt at the world's highest formal dinner party.

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