Vertical

The expedition first stops in a village where Vitaly Lomov reunites with his old friend Vissarion, the father of Iliko. The meeting hints at past tragedies and the emotional weight of the climb ahead. The memories surrounding the mountain color the team's resolve.

The team sets up a base camp at the base of Or-Tau. They leave radio operator Volodya and doctor Larisa behind and prepare the four climbers for the ascent. Gear checks and careful planning set the stage for a perilous ascent.

Four climbers start the climb from the base camp while Volodya and Larisa stay behind. The team pushes upward under difficult conditions, bracing for the unknown dangers of the mountain. Expectation and tension rise with the ascent.

Volodya receives a warning of an approaching cyclone and transmits orders to descend. Gennady wrestles with the choice of retreat or continuing to the summit to gain Larisa's respect. He decides to hide the warning from the others, altering the team's fate.

Against the risk of acting on bad information, the climbers reach Or-Tau's summit. The moment of triumph is tempered by awareness of what they left behind and the peril still waiting on the descent. The sense of achievement is heavy with unspoken concerns.

On the way down, the group is caught in a snowstorm and thunderstorm. One climber is struck by lightning, and Gennady suffers frostbite on his hands. The descent becomes a fight for survival as visibility and warmth vanish.

The team splits into two groups to retreat toward base camp: Gennady and Lomov descend together while Rita and the injured Alexander seek shelter in a snow cave with dwindling supplies. The separation tests their resolve and resourcefulness.

Gennady develops snow blindness. While navigating a snow-buried tent, Lomov discovers a primus stove used to warm up. Inside the tent, Lomov finds a note from Iliko, who died from the cold after breaking his leg, underscoring the fragility of life on the mountain.

The stove dies and Gennady admits that he knew about the cyclone but concealed the warning. Lomov remains stoic and continues the descent alone, determined to reach base camp and organize a rescue for everyone. His leadership becomes the turning point of the ordeal.

Lomov reaches base camp and orchestrates a rescue operation, pulling all climbers to safety. The team survives the harsh ordeal, the mountain's dangers finally receding as they regroup. Relief and remembrance mingle in the final moments.

In the aftermath, survivors reflect on Iliko's memory and Lomov's choices, processing the cost of ambition and camaraderie. The group honors the dead and clings to the hope forged through shared danger. The expedition closes with a sense of closure and resilience.