 It's nine minutes past 10. Time for your Sears Theatre. The Sears Radio Theatre will present a story of two men in climb. Jack, you all right? Yeah. I'm working on a whole blind man would have a handhold by now. Will you help me? Your host Richard Widmark will be with you after this message from your local station. I'm lost and lonely, scared and sad, Trimblin' at the thought of makin' you mad. My love is yours, but at times you're so cold. If life's like this, take me with you. This song was written by a man now serving time in a state prison. Most of the men and women in prison today were abused children, and many abused children grow up to abuse their own children. Child abusers can be helped. Find out how. Write, prevent child abuse. Box 2866, Chicago, Illinois, 60690. Please stop the hurt. I've suffered since my birth. A message of the Ed Council and the National Committee for Prevention of Child Abuse. This is Richard Widmark, my eruptive agencies. The birth of a mountain is a violent event. The Suvious, Hood, Rainier and Shasta are a few examples. Their surfaces bulged upward by cooled volcanic materials. However, the world's great mountain chains, the thin-air dandies, the majestic Rockies, and the giants of the Himalayas were formed beneath the earth under much less dramatic circumstances, known as folding. Direct aid climbers today use steel pitons and nylon rope to challenge forbidding heights that superstitious men two centuries earlier believed the domicile of dragons. They pit brain and muscle against the impassable for momentary triumph atop breathless grandeur. And in risking death for triumph over a mountain's natural terrors, no expedition ever disgraced itself by admitting defeat and turning back. But what if you find yourself as Jack the Shields and Dan Hunt do on a climb where you can't turn back and you can't go forward cut off from help? And that's only the beginning of our story. A new adventure in radio listening brought to you five nights a week by Sears Robot and Company. Sears, where America shops. Your hosts, Lorne Green. I'll bring you stories of the Old West and the New. Andy Griffith with a look at the funny side of life. Vincent Price with tales of mystery and suspense. Cicely Tyson with stories about love, hate and related things. Richard Widmark, I'll bring you stories of pure adventure. Five nights of exceptional entertainment every week. Brought to you in Elliott Lewis production of the Sears Radio Theater. Our story, Climb by Bruce Martin. Our stars, Vic Perron and Stephen Markle. When I need advice, I go to my mom. Why not? It's free. Now that I'm married and moving into a new house, I want all the advice I can get. So when mom says shop Sears, I listen. You should. Sears is a great help on those big items you'll need for your new home. Major appliances like washers, dryers and refrigerators. They'll deliver, install and service. 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If you were standing at the base of Longs Peak, ten miles outside Estes Park in Colorado you might be able to see the figures of two climbers as they move upward on what is called the diamond face. 1700 smooth vertical feet of rock on the east base of Longs Peak. Unfortunately, as Jack the Shields and Dan Hunt continue their arduous ascent there is no one standing below to observe their progress. At this moment, however, right now you are up there with Jack and Dan as they climb. That's odd. The rock surface shows signs of extreme wear but I swear I pounded that piton in solid. That's out okay. I'll clip a carabiner through the piton's eye and slip in the climbing rope. Need more slack on your running line? No, you're doing fine, Dan. Heat me on a tight belay though. Surface on this part of the diamond face is glass smooth. Sure, Wilco, Bilco, I have you belayed on a red alert. How old is the diamond face? The whole Rocky Mountain range is relatively young. Toddler from the Mesozoic era, 60, 70 million years old. Climbing? Climbing. I think what's so incredible is the diamond face will challenge rock climbers' centuries after you and I conquer her today. Good climbers appreciate mountains, experience them. Climbing isn't involved. That's your personal philosophy, Jack? I have only one philosophy on a climb. The leader never falls. I knew there had to be some compensation for looking up your backside the last two hours. I'm allowed to fall. Don't get me wrong. I appreciate hanging three quarters of the way up 1700 feet of sheer rock wall as much as the next guy. I'm just looking forward to sticking another flag in the relief map on my den wall tonight. Concentrate on reaching the summit first, okay, Dan? I'm right behind, below you. Other lead pitons pulling out, falling. Lay on. Help me out, Jack. Grab a handhold. Jack, you all right? Yeah. I'm working on a hold. A blind man would have a handhold by now. Will you help me? I am blind. I can't wipe the blood out of my eyes when I'm digging my fingers into rock. Blind. Above you, to your left. The outcropping where you hit your head. I've got a handhold. Pull me up a bit. I'm pulling. Okay. I'm standing on the outcropping. How bad are you hurt? Blood's running into my eyes. Don't move. You move an inch. Either way, you'll be in orbit. I can't belay you and pound a piton at the same time. How far did I fall? The slack on your belaying rope was about 10 feet. A leader fall has doubled the distance of the running line, roughly 20 feet. I put the carabiner through the piton and clipped on your running line. You're tied to the diamond face. I'm not asking for a blow-by-blow account. Wipe the damn blood out of my eyes. Coming down. Double check your holds coming down. Does a horse make big potty in its stall? Why another piton? Because you were right. This part of the diamond face is all glass. Of course, you hit your head on the only outcropping for 50 feet. Dan, I feel blood running down my chest inside my shirt. Let me tie in before I put on my surgical gloves. I'm sure it's nothing. 30 or 40 stitches won't close. You really know how to keep up a guy's morale. And I'm digging the first aid kit out of my pack from behind the baloney sandwiches. Don't you dare ask me if I'm hungry. You wrecked my mind. Okay, cotton balls. Turn your face to me. Oh, wow, Jack. You're a six-foot replica of the Red Sea. The mountain ripped the Panama Canal under both your eyebrows. Well, head wounds usually bleed worse than they are. Spare me the commentary and wipe the blood out of my eyes. I'd love to, but the blood won't stop. I'm prescribing gauze and cancelling the climb. You wrap gauze around my eyes and you condemn me to die on this mountain. But what am I supposed to do, watch you bleed to death? Nobody's ever let a blind man off a mountain peak like the diamond face. I've handled technical climbs for 13 years, I know. The blood isn't only inside your shirt. It's dripping on your boots. You wipe the blood out of my eyes and I'll climb. Listen a minute and you'll hear the drip. Do it. If there was another, just do it. I carry prescription codeine in my first aid kit. Exactly what I want to do, immobilize myself. You're wrapping enough gauze around my eyes and I'll pull a gunshot. What happened up there? I heard you yell your piton had pulled out and I braced for the belay. I hammered the piton into a patch of rotten rock. Rotten rock? The piton sounded solid, you even tested it. We weren't listening, we were talking. When rock is piton compatible, each hammer blow carries an increasingly higher pitch. And I didn't listen. But rotten rock. On this mountain, the diamond face. Yeah, rotten rock from the spring thaw. The diamond in a waterfall. The runoff strikes the rock wall where I tried to sink that piton. Jeez, Dan. I haven't been blindfolded since the last time I played pin the tail on the damn donkey. The blindfold's only temporary. You'll get your sight back. There. I taped your head bandage. Hey, you buckling? I have no basket case. Little sewing machine knee, that's all. Too much muscle tension in the legs. Move your right leg half the foot. Now plant. Better? Yeah. Yeah, the muscles are relaxed again. Okay. What's our next move? We've only got one move. You tie me to the mountain and you go for help. What happens an hour from now when you cramp up with sewing machine knee again? I don't recommend stretching your legs on this rock face without looking. Dan, this is our first and probably our last climb together. You mentioned a wonderful wife and some kids. How many? It's a beautiful wife and a couple of wonderful kids. Amy will be eight this month. Diane's five. If you don't want to spoil Amy's eighth birthday party and maybe save my life at the same time you get your butt down the map. Amy asked to come along this morning. She said she wanted to watch me. I refuse to leave you in an untenable position. I'm not getting through to you. Nightfall catches us on the diamond face the way we are without proper equipment. We're dead. Any hikers on the trail below should see us. What hikers? We made a late start driving out of Denver this morning. We'd have passed any hikers back on the Chasm Lake Trail and then maybe a ranger. The ranger at the check-in station told us what to expect climbing out of season solitude. Okay. No hikers to help. We can still try to signal the ranger station. With what? Smoke? Rock doesn't burn, Dan. I thought we could nail a couple of shirts or the packs to the diamond face on fire. Throw in your pants and underwear, too. The station's a good two-hour hike from the diamond face. Two hours. Well, that's why you have to leave now. That's why I can't leave. Sun sets in four hours. Two hours to the ranger station and two hours back puts you in darkness. It'd be a night you'd never survive. Not with your head injury. You'd rather hold my hand through the night and maybe die with me. I'm asking you to come up with an alternative. I've faced three times before today's assault. Tell me our option. We have no options. We're too high up on the face to make a safe repel down. Sure. Under normal conditions, repelling would be the fastest exit out of danger. But you can't see. A blind repel is out of the question. I've repelled in darkness when I've had to. But we lack a decent belay point. So, unfortunately, repelling is out. What are the chances on a slow descent? Without eyes, less than zero. There were half a dozen decent handholds on the way up the diamond face. I'd be totally dependent on equipment holds. Tie me in. I prefer my chances against the night. We might have more of a chance than you think on a descent. Gravity pull would be weaker. Less strain on the muscles. Fine, except this manage doesn't allow me to see my footing. I know a secure handhold by feel, but footing... I'll guide you. No thanks. You'll guide me into a freefall without a parachute. At least consider it as an option. A blind man has a million to one shot climbing up or down the diamond face without falling. So, we're back to tying the inn. Have you noticed how disgustingly excellent our climbing weather has been today? I mean, who could ask for more? Warm sun, healthy breeze to cool you, maddeningly comfortable. Yeah, it's been grand. All that grandeur at our feet. Tiny chasm lake at the diamond face base, clay-red saber-toothed rocky mountains stretching up and down. Even a few snow caps. Almost seductive torture chamber ever created by a lousy 20-foot fall. Dan, nobody at the Sierra Club will call you a coward for going for help. They'll praise your common sense. I'd like to change the view. Say that again. I said I'd like to change the view. Take it in from a safe piece of terra firma. You... you stubborn novice. You did it. You came up with the option we needed. I did? Yeah. Granted, a blind man can't climb up or down the diamond face, and you won't tie me in because the sheer rock structure hasn't a single secure position. Right. But if we move off the diamond face horizontally until we find a secure position, you could tie me in and go for help. Sounds good. Sounds beautiful. I've been hanging in this spot so long my finger muscles are bunched up into my shoulders. Oh, tell me the diamond face layout. I am looking at 30-halfs 35 feet of sheer rock to the first salient position on my right. The left side is definitely out. It's at least 100 feet across the diamond face in that direction. I've got a map in my pack. Oh, hold still. I'll have a look. I have a picture of the mountain in my mind. I remember a less technical route traced off to the right side of the diamond face. I've got the map open. Well, you see it? The cable route? Keyhole route? No, no. You're at the summit. You're too far up on the map. The wind's picking up. It's an afternoon characteristic of the diamond face. According to this range of map, the summit is accessible by a hiking trail from the other side of the mountain. If we could reach the summit by dark, we'd be able to walk down the backside tomorrow morning. We're nowhere near the summit. Now, our concern is getting off the diamond face. Go a quarter down the diamond and move a few degrees to the right. That's our position. Are you talking about Stettner's ledges? Yeah. Yeah. I did the Stettner descent route once. Excellent climbing surface the entire way. Plenty of footing. Stettner's ledges sounds like the place we weren't. Now, the map's blown away. Jack, you holding? Yep. What is it? Devil winds. I knew the diamond face experienced afternoon summer storms, but I thought by late September... Just be happy this isn't summer. We're renowned for a high incidence of lightning. Oh, great. What else can I expect? The devil winds to return. What happens if the devil winds return when we're crossing the diamond face? We'll both be blown to kingdom come. Nearly everyone at our party mentioned our new Sears Dream Supreme carpeting. Didn't anyone say anything about my rutabaga dip? Marvin said Dream Supreme looks so thick and luxurious. He loved its velvety soft plush pile. What about my rutabaga dip? Eloise adored the color of my rutabaga dip. He told her that avocado lime is just one of Dream Supreme's 20 lustrous colors, and when Doris heard the Dream Supreme is so reasonably priced and treated with Scotchgard brand fabric protector... Okay, what about my tuna fish upside down, Kate? Dream Supreme carpeting in most larger Sears retail stores. Oh, here I go again. It's time to rent one of those steam-type carpet cleaners. Why rent? Now Sears puts power in a carpet cleaner you can own yourself. The power spray from Sears for easy home carpet cleaning. If you put water into your carpet, then sucks up the dirty water. You can see the dirt you get out. Dirt you didn't even know was there. The power spray carpet cleaner, a convenient carpet cleaner you can own yourself available at most Sears retail stores. Kenmore. Solid as Sears. Hey, look, in here. Inside this stylish man's dress shirt. I'm a Sears value dress shirt label just popping with pride because Sears value dress shirts coming classic patterns and solids in short and long sleeves. You'll appreciate the permapressed polyester or polyester cotton blends for easy care plus at low value prices, what a buy. Just look for me. The value dress shirt label at Sears Men's Store where style, sense and satisfaction combine to label me right for you. I love to eat. But it takes so long to cook. That's why we both love our new Kenmore microwave oven from Sears. I can cook a five pound roast medium rare strips of bacon in three and a half minutes on a paper plate. Bake two potatoes in eight minutes and cook vegetables faster than boiling them in water. That means less time in the kitchen. And more with you. Vast clean cool cooking with Sears Kenmore microwave ovens all with automatic defrost. Choose the right model for your kitchen from the many styles available at most Sears retail stores. On the sheer diamond face of Colorado, two men continue a climb in the course of which one slip will bring death to both of them. Jack Deschilles is a class six direct aid climber. A professional who has been temporarily blinded by an accidental fall. Dan Hunt, his companion, is a mountaineering apprentice and father of two upon whose eyes their lives now depend. Can you imagine what two men in such a situation would be talking about while one of them hammers life-giving steel pitons into the rock wall of the diamond face? Just listen. You are with them. The whole Sierra Club is on the edge of its collective seat listening to your talk. Oh, I noticed an ample supply of yawns. Believe me, nobody was yawning. Not many professionals have climbed mountains on each of the continents. I guess today is your toughest setback ever. I don't follow you. I'm hanging here talking, listening to you sink a piton. And I'm one of the seven dwarfs. You won't hook yourself from the belaying roof. When we cross the diamond face, my footing won't be as secure as yours. I see no reason in pulling you off the mountain with me. I'm re-clipping your running line. Even though I'm temporarily blind, some decisions remain my responsibility. Wrong, Jack. I make the decisions now. You have the knowledge, the experience, and probably the stamina, but I have the eyes. I'm grateful that you're concerned with my safety, but this... I re-clipped you to my running line not because I'm worried you might fall, but because I'm selfish. I'm afraid I might fall. And you better belay me when I yell falling. I'll do my best. Pray lead on, oh sighted one. I'll tie you in on Stetna's ledges. Back up piton every six feet across the diamond face should give us a fighting chance. In our case, I'd say don't bet on it, but it wouldn't hurt. When fall impact, yanks the lead piton out of rock. The secondary pitons usually follow in rapid succession. Remember when you went to the circus, how the crowd gasped when the ringmaster announced the high wire act was performing without a net? Yes, sir. Well, what we're crossing doesn't even have a wire. You ready to test the back up? I feel like the kid testing the water temperature with his toe. Your form wouldn't make the cover of a field handbook, but nobody's worried. On a direct line from your head, arms length away, you'll find a crack in the rock wall that might pass for a handhold. What do you mean, might pass? I only spot the holes. You decide whether the hole will support your weight. Found it. You can't stop between holes like that. You'll fall. What was that move worth? A foot? You're selling yourself short by half a foot. Good. I'll show you where we'd stepner's ledges in moonshine. Determination makes its own time. A positive thinker and nowhere to hide. Somebody save. Please, no negative vibes. I'm trying to believe what I'm saying myself. You know, you'll wear yourself out machine hammering that way. Yeah, I'm a regular hammering dynamo. But this wind affects my efficiency. Jack, the devil wind isn't coming back, is it? Probably. Oh, thanks. My paranoia needed feeding. Any time. I take it when the hammering stops. That's my signal to prepare for my next foot and a half leap. You got it. Feet and handholds are in a direct line. Three feet apart at your furthest reach. You know, don't you, that you're taking liberties with the blind? I've got you belated if you slip. Besides, I want to test my system. That's it. Plant your feet. Your handholds are a couple of inches higher up. No good. I can't find it. You're back up holding? You only fell a few inches. Everything's under control. Oh, I'd trade these worthless fingers for anything that'd chip rock. Now, the belaying rope's locked off. You've found a hold. A foothold. My fingers are wedged in a hairline crack. Keep moving. I'm spread like a freshly skinned hide. I'm out to dry. You move out that holder. I can't ease up on the belaying rope. Brace yourself. I'm holding it. Move! Move! The pitons, keep searching for a hold. This isn't working. Keep searching for something that isn't... Got one. I see another hold above your left ear. Okay. I'm flattered. We made good progress. Five, six feet. You call it progress. I call it scrambling for my life. You didn't bargain for this when you volunteered to guide me across the diamond face. I knew what I was buying into. I told you our act has no wire. I'm talking about... fatigue. Fatigue makes the best of climbers careless. And on this rock wall, carelessness kills. Only another 25 feet to step in his ledges. I promise not to get careless. When you already are careless. Your line of protective pitons scars the mountain, and you have no plan for extracting them. I think other climbers will forgive us the pitons we leave behind under the circumstance. That's not my point. You're pressing. That's careless. You time it and get out while you can. Your next hold comes direct from the Alpine catalog. Custom made. Extend your right leg halfway. Plant. Plant. It's all right. I'm on. My fingers feel raw. I think I scraped all the skin off my knuckles too. A few bloody fingers won't do you any harm. Come on already. Coming. Coming. How far? Another 5 feet. And we've reached that in his ledges. You ready? Yeah. And able. I have my reservations about willing. Straight out from your shoulder you'll feel a depression in the diamond face. I'm touching it now. I didn't find any prominent holes next to the rock ledge like I expected. You might be able to push across the depression and brace your feet on its lip. Are you on the rock ledge? No. I'm hanging right beside it. I'll help you under the ledge first and then climb on. Right? I'm pushing across. This position isn't secure at all. Another couple of feet. Falling. Steady yourself. Dragging on your belaying rope. I pray to God you have your footing. I've got zip. The first pitch on pulled out. You're hanging on me and I'm hanging on that last pitch on. Any second it'll pull out too. How far am I from Stettner's ledges? 3 feet. Grab any hold you can. I'm going to swing out onto the rock ledge. You're on. Get under the ledge. Falling. Bellion. Thank God. I'm below the rock ledge with good climbing surface. Climbing? Climb. It's nice to be alive. When I fell, I was sure you'd fallen me down the mountain. How did you manage to hold on? Once I pulled myself up onto the rock ledge. I braced my feet and my back against the mountain. I just reeled in the slack on the belaying rope as fast as I could until you yelled. Then it was a matter of being prepared for the fall impact. And... Fortunately I was. My waist rope was crushing my rib cage hanging on the end of that belay rope. Another 5 minutes and I'd be purple. How bad are you banged up? I'm not sure. Ribs are a bit sore. Your ribs have a right to feel sore. You were thrashed against the rock wall twice. Feel broken? There's no way to tell unless I stand up. Too beat to move for the bone. You and me both. Who is Stettner? I don't know. Whoever Stettner is, I appreciate the use of his ledge. After we catch our breath what would you think of making a try for the summit? I think you were a fragment of my imagination and... that I was delirious. We used all our pitons crossing the diamond face. I haven't any equipment left to tie you in. You skunk. You planned that all along, didn't you? If I did tell you, you would never have crossed the diamond face. I couldn't leave you on the rock wall to die. Instead, you decided to lure me from one survival crisis to another without my knowledge. I resent being manipulated. The range of map pointed our way off this mountain. The way is up. We climbed Stettner's ledges and walked down the backside trail tomorrow morning. You idiot! You're gambling our lives on reaching the summit in less than three hours a daylight. That's asking a heck of a lot. Especially with a blind man for a handicap. Here's Radio Theatre. We'll return after this message from your local station. Well, it all started when my son Willard said... Dad, you just don't understand how it is to be in my shoes. And so I said... Okay, I'll tell you what. I'll do what you do for a day and I'll see how it is. Well, first it was great. I slept in till 20 minutes too, like Willard does. But then after school, Willard told me... Um, the garage is dirty. Would you mind cleaning it up? And I told him... I'll see about it later. You'll see about it now. All right, all right. So I did. But I wasn't very happy about it. Well, after supper, I thought I might catch a little TV. But then Willard reminded me... Um, don't you have homework to do? Two things I know for sure. One is, I'm going to work harder to understand how Willard feels. And two, I've got to get Willard's shoes off. My feet are killing me. Listening, caring and sharing. That's what understanding is about. From the Mormons. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Just your fear. That smoke scream that you puff around Pollutes non-smokers' air. It's bad for kids and older folks With lungs not up to par. It's damaging for you, of course. But your smoke travels far. Your life... Association and you know that cigarettes Are a breathing hazard. Smokers, please don't add that extra offense. Give us a break. For life and breath. Flat surface. A couple of feet wide. We'll be able to walk for a little while. How about we take five? We can't afford a break. What time is it? 3.10. We've been climbing for an hour straight. I want to sit down for a minute. Your gamble either pays off in two hours Or nightfall traps us on the mountain. The higher we climb the step in a route The more hazardous the rock surface becomes. And the harder it is to backtrack To tenable ground. It'll be totally dependent on your eyes To point out my footing near the summit. It's impossible to spot holes in the dark. So like it or not We're in a foot race with a setting sun. You're right. Darkness falls fast in the mountains. I wouldn't want to deprive myself Of the pleasure of sticking another flag pin In my den map. Or I can keep the center of gravity Over my feet. I'll be able to climb I'll have to use your eyes to climb Like a chess game, several moves ahead. That way we won't end up On a patch of rotten rock Or blocked by a cul-de-sac. A blind man like me Had bumped his nose against a cul-de-sac Before he ever knew it was there. Is the devil wind on this side of the mountain too? No, no. We're on the north face alongs peak. A ledge ends here At a junction of rock ledges. One line to the left, one to the right. Which do we take? This mountain is not my hometown. The last time I took the Stettner route Was two years ago. And we used a map to guide us down. Not up. Then we're faced with a small problem Because we don't have a map. The wind blew it away. How do I know which is the safe route? We won't have time to backtrack If we choose the wrong line. I'm depending on your eyes. You decide. The summit? Yeah. We'll take the right line then. I hope we're closer to the summit than I think we are. We climb side by side where possible So I can qualify your holes. Balance is everything on rock. Sometimes rock can look deceptively secure. Watch out for loose outcroppings. Stick to a three-point stance. Keep both feet in one hand planted. Let your free hand seek out the next hole. Spread eagle climbing, tires you out. Throws off your balance. And I'm also aware of the time. We move faster, we lose. Better the rocks fall than us. You don't sound too angry with me For manipulating you into this climb anymore. I am. I haven't forgotten. Difficult to punch out somebody you can't see. I'm forewarned. I'll keep my guard up. I'll either punch you out Or I'll buy you a drink. Depends on my condition When I'm returned to civilization. What's the time? 3.40. 3.40 already? What's happened? What do you see? You didn't mention anything about a chimney. Chimney? I don't remember a chimney. Well, there's one standing in our way. Runs a crooked line toward the summit. Impossible to determine what we'll find above it. Well, we'll climb the chimney to the summit. But if there's a cul-de-sac above the chimney The game is over and we cash in our chips. We find a cul-de-sac. We'll work our way back down to a wide ledge And spend the night. Now... I know three ways up a chimney. Counter-force, jamming Or, if you absolutely have to, The layback. The chimney closes sharply at the top. We'll have to leave our packs behind. Too narrow for them to make it through. Press and pull yourself up The funneling sides of the chimney Taking as much abrasion on the soles of your feet As you can. You keep your face and hands free Away from the rock in case you slip. And for heaven's sake, be careful when jamming. You slip with your elbow jammed In a rock crack in your An instant basket case. Climbing. Climb. I'll let you clear a couple of feet Before I follow. That way, if you kick down any loose rock Won't have much momentum when it hits me. Well, lots of prominent rock. You shouldn't have much trouble. Well, chimney climbing Requires more strength and skill. How far are you above me? Four feet. Good enough clearance. Climbing. Rock. Rock. Sorry, Jack. Rock fell away when I touched it. Don't let that slow you down. Sun won't wait for us to catch up. Daylight we got left. It's four o'clock. We're down to our last hour. I grabbed your foot. What'd you stop for? Air. I'm not used to chimney climbing. It burns me out. Push yourself. I want to live, man. Well, this run for the summit was your idea. Now move. Reach the bottleneck. Almost out of the chimney. I feel miserable. My arms and legs are led weight. I thought the whole point of climbing Was to enjoy yourself. You don't call this fun? Maybe I'd enjoy myself more if you'd quit pushing me. I'd stop pushing you. You won't reach the summit. Who needs who on this climb? I don't remember asking to tag along. I'm not in the habit of making an ass to myself. Mountain's getting to me. And mountain's getting to both of us. My blindness doesn't help My disposition any either. I'm twisting my way out of the bottleneck. There's a small ledge above the chimney. Watch your head. Okay. I'm through the chimney. My body's aching. I feel like a heavyweight champ's personal punching bag After a hard workout. I'm a little worn around the edges myself. Dan, I can tell by the air temperature The twilight's fading fast. It could even be dark for all I know. I'm a little worn around the edges myself. Dan, I can tell by the air temperature The twilight's fading fast. It could even be dark for all I know. The sun goes down. The night brings the cold. What's the real time? I have half an hour at the outside To guide you up the pitch to the summit. I can see the summit from here. Good news makes me antsy. Let's climb. The pitch to the summit has a long vertical crack Running up the first ten feet or so. I'll put your hand on it. Crack should be secure enough To thread us up the first part of the pitch. Wait for me to point out your next hold When you reach the end of the crack. I promise. Not to wander off. Rock, hold tight. This route needs a little gardening work. My skin jumps. Every time you yell rock. No sense trying to dodge the rocks you hear. You might lose your grip on the crack at fall. The belay line is useless now. I'll unhook us. Leave the belay line alone. We might need it later. Where's my next hold? Straight out from your shoulder. Use your right hand. Yeah, it's a good hold. Pull up on your hands until you're balanced. Then plant. This is fine. Slow down. You're going to run me over. Pick up the pace will you? It's not going to be down in a few minutes. Not much to choose from around me now. The air is growing colder. Plant your left leg or you'll fall. Okay. I'm planted. Will you move? We've come to some loose rock. Hold on a minute. We'll cross it and hope for the best. We haven't got time to wait. Extend your right hand above your shoulder and bring it down. Slow. This is another hairline crack. Isn't there anything better? You want me to carry you up the summit? I'd carry my own weight. I'd feel out my own holds. But the rock surface is too steep. Rock outcropping above your left knee. Use your hand to make sure it isn't loose first. Then step up on the outcropping if it'll hold you. Yeah, cropping will hold. Where do I put my hands? I'm looking. You aren't buying this ground as an investment. You're climbing it. Come on already. You're going to press us into a swan dive. We've got to keep moving before the sun goes down. A good handhold about 3-4 inches above your right ear. Find it. This isn't what I call a good handhold, but it'll have to do. Twilight almost caught? Yeah. Twilight's fading fast. Another outcropping ahead of us. Sort of a rock horn shape. How much further after the rock horn? I thought professional climbers had a sixth sense about summits. Can't you smell it? How far? Clear the rock horn and I'll tell you. The horn is a solid two-handed hold above you to your left. I still don't smell summit, Dan. Watch yourself. Keep your balance. Sit. Oh, God, no. Pudding fell out from under me. My fingers are locked together around the rock horn. I'm planted on a ledge directly above you. I'll reel in the belaying rope and pull you up. Hang on. You're wasting your time, Dan. I unhooked myself from the belaying rope back in the chimney. Damn foolish move. I'll try to grab your wrist. You can pull up on my arm until you find your footing. No way. You'd fall with me. I'm planted tight on the ledge. You won't pull me off. I can't see you, Dan. You lied. You let me across the diamond face. How do I know you're not lying now? Look, this isn't worth both our lives. Take my hand. No. There must be a foothold. I've got your wrist. Pull up on my arm. That's it. One crazy man. You know that? Yeah. So were the Wright brothers. Stand up and walk over here. Stand up. You mean we made the summit? Scouts on it. We made it. We're off the mountain. Hey, walk away from the edge or I'll be up here by myself. Take my hand for a couple of steps. Dan. Thank you for saving my life. Any sensible man would have left me hanging on the diamond face. I told you I've been out of my senses for years. Maybe after the doctors take that bandage off your head and you can see again you help me pick up those petons I left on the diamond face. You name the day and I'll climb with you. Now, how much time do we have left before sunset? Sunset was an hour ago. We both finished the climb blind. Are we finally set for Grandma? I think so. We've got the new Sears travel guard baby seat in the car. And the extra sleep and play baby seats. Oh, Grandma will love those. They're so cute and yet practical. The extra baby blankets and bottles are in the vinyl diaper bag. Oh, Sears certainly did make shopping for the baby easy. Sure did. Well, I think we've got everything. Um, honey, I think you've forgotten something. Mm-hmm. That's a baby. Your baby's room furnishes it with a quaintness and charm of Sears Jenny Lin's crib dresser and chest. Your baby will be secure in our old fashioned crib built with high sides and a safety drop-side latch. And each handsome maple color piece comes in a non-toxic finish. Sears Jenny Lin dresser and chest is furniture that will adapt gracefully as baby grows old or too. So visit us soon because Sears has baby buys bundled up. Available at most Sears retail stores. Presenting Sears very charming spring shirt dress in small yarn-dyed woven checks, stripes or plaids. It's a great versatile dress for work because to finish off the dress Sears has conjured up a complimenting vest. Vests come lined or reversible in enchanting colors that work wonderful spells on the rest of your wardrobe too. Sears vest plus a dress. The bewitchingly correct dress this spring. Available at most larger Sears retail stores. I sell draperies at Sears. Yesterday a lady came in and said that she'd been in and out of about every store in town looking for draperies and at this point didn't know what she wanted anymore. I asked questions about her tastes and decor and then made suggestions. She was thrilled. She found what she wanted and learned a little too. It made me feel good to know that I helped her out. Sears people are friendly people who help you find what you want. Sears where America's at. You've been listening to Sears Radio Theater. Brought to you five nights a week by Sears Robot and Company. Sears where America shops. Climb was written by Bruce Martin. Produced and directed by Fletcher Markel. Your host was Richard Whitmark. Our stars were Vic Perron and Stephen Markel. The music for Sears Radio Theater was composed and conducted by Nelson Riddle. Art Gilmore speaking. The Elliott Lewis production of Sears Radio Theater is a presentation of CBI.