Thirteen everyday Aussies are walking the path to The Summit. The aftermath of Stephen’s axing Is sitting heavy with the group and while bedding down at a safe place on the trail, the group question how safe are you really when you’re sleeping with the enemy.
Three days into the trek and the group is entering one of the toughest parts of the trail, a dizzying 3500-foot climb to the snowline, it will make or break the hikers. The group know they are falling behind the 14-day deadline and the oldest hiker Kittyhas already drawn the contempt of the group for slowing them down. She’s determined to make it to the top, but the physical toll of the hike is setting in and it’s clear she can no longer keep up with the younger, fitter members of the group. They face the brutal decision to cut her loose and lose $71,000 or risk everything for the opportunity to steal her money at the check point. The group corner Kittyand she surrenders her spot on the mountain.Forging ahead, there are clearly players who want to protect the weaker ones – Alexsteps in to helpIsaac as the physicality of the trek wears him down. The group pounces on Isaac’sweakness and step in to get him to the top – all with the guise of stealing his money at the next checkpoint. He’s vulnerable and exposed, but the rare show of team spirit brings this motley crew together, even if only for a moment.
The Mountain’s Keeper descends on the group, dropping a yellow duffel 4 kilometres back down the mountain. After such a hard climb, no-one is game enough to run back down for it. Gemmasteps forward declaring, ‘We’ve done it once we can do it again’, Samand Jansrise to her call andSam proclaims the team, “the capable three”. It’s a big call to make when the group of outliers contain two-time world champion boxerLulu, former AFL player Alexand five-time world champion and Olympian aerial skier Jacqui. Jacquiis furious with the comment, and the rest of the group follow her lead. It’s clear the capable three are now the minority.
Unaware of the rebellion against them Sam, Gemma and Jans reach their destination and awaiting them is a yellow duffel stuffed with lollies and chocolate. But the real treat is the promise of immunity at the next checkpoint if they catch the main group before nightfall or one of them will go home.Samaccepts the risk knowing that if he doesn’t make it, he’ll be sent home, but there is never a doubt in his mind that will happen. He claims immunity and the three of them hunt down the rest of the group.
Gemma, a personal trainer from Melbourne, thinks the immunity could be a benefit to all of the capable three and poses a strategic move to Jansand Samto keep the immunity secret from the rest. Happy to consider the scheme, Sam, Gemma and Jans decide a little white lie could get them further in the game. And all the group ever know about the bag, is that it contained lollies and chocolates. They burn the note and the evidence of the truth at camp.
Suspicion against the three mounts and with a checkpoint looming, Isaachopes to focus on Sam. But the checkpoint alludes them once again when Jai appears and gives them a dire warning that they are falling behind. On day four, the group are desperate to make up time but it’s not going to be easy as today they have to climb up 50 metres of jagged rock. Jacquisteps forward to lead them up a rickety wire ladder suspended from the rockface. Still fuming over Sam’scapable three comment, she manipulates the order to put Samlast all in the hope that the Mountain’s Keeper will fly around once more and give her the power to chop him off the ladder. But before she can dream of that, she needs to get the team and their backpacks stuffed full of cash to the top of the cliff. Jacquisoon learns this is the hardest obstacle the team have faced yet and when former AFL player Alex falters and falls, she questions if the rest of them will make it up with their 15kg bags. Thinking on her feet, she gets Isaac to drop his pack, it helps him, but his struggle up the ladder puts a target back on his back. The rest finally make it up, leaving Samat the bottom with their money. The team rig a pulley system and Samhelps them haul the bags to the top. As he begins his climb, the slow hum of a distant helicopter grows louder. It arrives taunting Sam and flying dangerously close to the cliff, but much to Jacqui’s disappointment, no bag is dropped, and Sam makes it to the top.
As they head deeper into the mountains, the hikers know a checkpoint is looming and someone’s gotta go. For the strong, the answer is clear as Isaac is slowing the group. But for the rest of the hikers,Sam remains the target – despite his immunity. But when Jaishows up, a question of truth
