David Breashears moved to Denver from Cheyenne, Wyoming in 1965. Having neither the temperament nor the physique for team sports, he started climbing with a good friend. Before he could drive, his friendÕs mother would drive them to Boulder Canyon and Eldorado Springs. He attended Thomas Jefferson High School in Denver, where he graduated in 1975, then moved to Boulder in 1976. Breashears worked to make money to climb and climbed constantly--from Flagstaff Mountain to LongÕs Peak then Yosemite and road trips to Canada to climb the Canadian Rockies. But, it is Colorado that he still considers home and where he learned the important mountaineering skills.

In 1979, he traveled to the Himalayas where he climbed Ama Dablam (22,500 ft), ten miles from Everest. It was at that time he discovered the Sherpa culture and the wonders of that exotic world. He has returned two or three times a year ever since.

In the late 70s, he became interested in filmmaking as a complement to his mountain-climbing activities. Breashears is a recipient of four National Emmy Awards for achievement in cinematography and filmmaking and is considered America's most accomplished high-altitude mountaineer/filmmaker.

Since 1978, he has combined his climbing and filmmaking expertise in dozens of adventure film projects. In 1983, Breashears transmitted the first live television pictures from the summit of Mount Everest for ABC Sports (American Sportsman), winning an Emmy for 'Innovative Technical Achievement.' In 1985, he became the first American to reach the summit of Everest twice. He led or participated in 18 Himalayan expeditions. As deputy leader of the 1986 Everest North Ridge expedition, he produced and filmed Everest: The Mystery of Mallory and Irvine (Arcturus Motion Pictures/BBC Northwest, 1987), named Best Mountain Film in Telluride, 1992. His other films include the award-winning Red Flag Over Tibet (1994) for the PBS documentary series Frontline: Ice Climb! (1993) for National Geographic Explorer, TBS; and Taller Than Everest? (1991) for the PBS science series NOVA. Breashears was Second Unit Cinematographer on the 1992 blockbuster feature film Cliffhanger, starring Sylvester Stallone.

In 1996, as co-director, co-producer and cinematographer for MacGillivray Freeman films (MFF) large-format film, Everest, Breashears filmed the first-ever IMAX footage from the summit of Mount Everest with a specially modified cold-weather tested IMAX cameraÑthe industry's largest and heaviest camera. This unprecedented and historic filmmaking achievement also marked the third summit success for Breashears. In addition to their filmmaking responsibilities, the IMAX team also assisted in the rescue activities surrounding the tragic loss of eight climbers in May of 1996. The team's efforts are recounted in Jon Krakauer's current bestseller, Into Thin Air.

Breashears is currently working on a National Geographic article (September 1997) about his experiences with Everest and other documentary and feature film production companies. His 1996 IMAX Everest experience is the subject of a National Geographic book scheduled for release in October 1997. On May 23 Breashears returned from his fourth ascent of Mount Everest where he co-produced and photographed a piece on high altitude physiology for the PBS science series NOVA.