At the far western end of the Himalayas in Northern Pakistan -- close to the border with Kashmir -- looms the massive Nanga Parbat, one of the highest mountains on Earth.

Nanga Parbat, Kashmiri words for "Naked Mountain," is so named because its sides are too steep to allow snow to cover it completely.

Thirty years ago, a young Pakistani geologist, Qasim Jan, went to map the region near Nanga Parbat. His study began an international inquiry into the nature and history of the mountain, eventually leading to discoveries that have changed geological theory forever.

After decades of work, an international team of scientists came up with remarkable results. Nanga Parbat was revealed to be extraordinarily young, existing for only 1-2 million years. It is eroding at a spectacular rate due to glaciers, the Indus River, and immense precipitation, yet at the same time it is growing faster than any other mountain on Earth. More importantly, its high growth rate is directly due to the erosion it endures.  This television documentary was shot in the Pakistani Himalayas, France, and the USA. 

Funded by the National Science Foundation.

Credits:

Narrated by Susan-Jane Harrison

Written and edited by Diane LaMacchia

Cinematography by Doug Prose

Music by Ed Goldfarb

Graphics by Doug Prose

Produced and directed by

Diane LaMacchia and Doug Prose