On day 6 of their climb to the summit, the hikers are battered and bruised after a gruelling few days. Still 117km from their destination, they have now lost another team member, and a further $53,000 out of their prize pool after unprofessional poker player Sharksey dramatically exited the game. The ten remaining hikers patch themselves up, but for former actor Simmone, the outlook is bleak. After injuring her shoulder falling off of yesterday’s obstacle, she almost had a full-blown panic attack on the mountain. She’s now injured and exhausted, and worried that she will be the easy target at the next checkpoint. Meanwhile, the Godfather, Mat, is working his connections within the group, causing dairy farmer Lochie to take action. He reckons he’s the one to take the Godfather down, for his sake and the sake of the group. He tells close friend Charlotte that he wants Mat gone, unaware of her close bond to Mat.
Meanwhile chaser Sam, season one’s most capable player, has been running through the night and is quickly closing the distance between him and the group. Despite having a quick dip he’s hot on their heels.
Jai arrives at the bivvy camp to remind the hikers of their motivations for being there. Former pop star Tiff cries as she talks about finding herself on the mountain, after losing herself to her kids for so long. Simmone also remembers that she is here for herself and her son, after a couple of years of real hardship. Jai encourages them to dig deep and draw on that motivation, as they’re being chased. The group are devastated to learn that someone was released yesterday to chase them down, and that if he catches them he will be able to steal someone’s cash and send them packing. With this new fire in their bellies they set off from the bivvy camp, knowing that now more than ever time is of the essence.
But it’s not long before they’re stopped by the most terrifying obstacle they’ve come across yet. Blocking their way forward is a freezing waterfall with a 100 meter drop. It’s the highest obstacle they’ve faced so far. To cross it, they’ll need to haul themselves up a sheer, slippery rockface. Then they need to hang upside down from a single rope, and battle the icy wind, as they pull themselves across the raging waters at top of the falls. The pressure of being chased adds to the anxiety of the group as they face this death-defying challenge. Personal trainer, Trish, heads up the obstacle first. Trish has already come a long way on her fitness journey, losing 25kg after a health scare six years ago. She knows she’s got what it takes to get to the top. But the waterfall crossing is even more challenging than it appeared from 100m below. Trish loses her grip whilst pulling herself along the rope at the top of the waterfall, and falls. She’ll get to try again, but it’s time they can’t afford to waste as Sam is rapidly making his way across obstacles and gaining on them.
Midwife Charlotte, is up next. Having a deep fear of heights, and being at a physical disadvantage when climbing due to only having one arm, Charlotte is terrified of going up straight after someone has fallen. But, knowing they are being chased and not wanting to become a target, she manages to conquer her fears and get to the other side of the waterfall. Her success gives the rest of the group the boost they needed to get going. Lochie, Ava, Taylor, Phil and Mat all make it across the waterfall. They look like they’re doing well, but up next is injured Simmone. With upper body strength being pivotal in this challenge, the group are concerned that she will struggle to get across with her injured shoulder. Simmone knows that after her fall and panic attack during yesterday’s obstacle, she needs to push to get across this obstacle for herself, and for her son. She makes it over to great celebration from the rest of the group. Actor Olympia is up next, but the conditions around the waterfall are worsening. It’s blowing a gale, and she has to battle extreme wind and spray as she climbs the cliff face. As she starts to make her way across the rope at the top of the waterfall, the onlooking group hear the approach of a chopper. The mountain’s keeper appears, but she’s not alone. For the first time ever two mountain’s keepers arrive on the scene, intimidating Olympia, and causing her to fall from the rope.
While Sam the chaser gains on them, Tiff successfully crosses the waterfall, leading the way for Olympia and Trish to have a second attempt. Both cross second time, and the group rallies to push on to the third checkpoint. However on the hike, the strategy begins. Charlotte wrestles with her morals and decides that her close bond to Mat means she has to warn him that Lochie is gunning for him. Mat gets excited that the game is heating up, and is ready to play!
The hikers reach the third checkpoint, but the promise of food and comfort is tainted by the knowledge that they will soon have to vote someone off the mountain. After feeding Lochie the fake name of Simmone to throw him off the scent, Mat rallies his troops to make sure that people are on board to vote Lochie out tonight. But Lochie sees that Mat is pulling the strings, and starts to rally for himself. He pitches to the group that Mat can’t be trusted, revealing to Simmone that Mat had thrown her name out as a potential vote. It looks like he might have the numbers to take down the Godfather. Charlotte doesn’t want to see Lochie or Mat go, so tries to pitch Phil as he’s carrying the most money in his backpack. But no one bites. As Jai arrives, it looks like Mat and Lochie are going head to head, until Jai reveals another huge twist. Two mountain’s keepers appear, and each will be dropping a duffle bag – red or black. The ten contestants will have to split, five and five, and race to a duffle. Not knowing what this could mean, the hikers sprint as the bags are dropped. Lochie, Tiff, Olympia, Charlotte and Simmone reaching the black bag, while Mat, Taylor, Trish, Phil and Ava get to the red bag. They bring them back and Jai explains that one of the bags means safety, whereas the other is just for the vulnerable. Taylor opens the red bag, and pulls out a sign saying safe. He, Mat, Trish, Phil and Ava cannot be voted for tonight. On the vulnerable side, Lochie holds his head in his hands, knowing that not only has his plan to vote out Mat fallen flat, but that he is now at risk of going home tonight. He pitches to the group, explaining that he doesn’t trust Mat, and singing his own praises as an asset to the group. But it’s too late. Mat has done the leg work meaning Lochie gets six votes, sending him off the mountain.
