Episode list

Episode 1 leads from metropolitan Monaco through the wild and empty Western Alps onto the summit of Mont Blanc. In the magnificent Stura Valley, Messner visits the last peasants and sheep growers and hears about their fight against wild boar and wolves. The old Arneodo returns to the deserted mountain village of Narbona which he left fifty years ago. In the thousand years old monastery of Boscodon, Messner meets the charismatic Brother Jean. Contrasts: In the idyllic mountain village of La Grave people put their hope on a music festival, while in the glacier regions of Les Deux Alpes, snowboarders and mountain-bikers use the Alps as a sports arena and a "Mountain of Hell".

Episode 2 leads from Vienna to Messner's home country, South Tyrol. In the cold Eastern Alps, "agro rebel" Sepp Holzer works miracles - such as growing lemons at an altitude of 1300 meters. In the idyllic valley of Oetztal Messner encounters extremes: the legends of local historian Hans Haid and the ski-lift machinery of tourist manager Jakob Falkner. Traffic engineer Michael Prachensky presents his "Talpino" project, which could move containers across the Alps on air cushions. Excerpts from Luis Trenker's World War I film classic "Mountains in Flames"are contrasted with the peaceful development of South Tyrol, commented by Reinhold Messner in his mountain museum at Sigmundskron castle.

Episode 3 leads through the Swiss high Alps - picture book mountains... At the Eiger north face, above Grindelwald, Messner ropes down with permafrost researcher Stephan Gruber. It's about the stability of rock faces in the times of climatic change. At the Gotthard pass Messner visits former strongholds of the Swiss army - now turned into a museum and a hotel. 1000 meters below, a gigantic tunnel is being excavated. In Vrin famous architect Gion Caminada talks about the future of the idyllic and prosperous village which had been loosing inhabitants over the past decades. On the "Musenalm" mountain pasture three generations of peasants lead "Heidiland" and their Alpine dairy into the 21st century. At the legendary Matterhorn above Zermatt Reinhold Messner gives a resume; of the future of the Alps.