Kevin Lee, executive producer, gives inside look into the Summit

The Summit just finished airing its finale last week. Fans are curious as to whether or not there will be a season two. They, also, want to know the logistics on how , what and why what made it to our television screens each week.

Kevin Lee

Lee has no issue with sharing any behind the scene insight with fans.

Although fans were told the climbers were climbing the New Zealand Alps, geography tells us that the Alps are made up of more than one mountain. Climbers climbed Mount Head to the summit. Mount Head is in the Mount Aspiring National Park in the Te Wahiporinamu World Heritage Site.

Admitting that the route taken was not a direct route that appeared on our television screen each week. Lee said ” A lot of scouting ahead of time was to find the most interesting obstacles. So the path was indirect to hit those obstacles.”

For instance, Lake Lochnagar is pretty far from Mount Head if you look at the map of the area. We are told the map shown on our television screens was correct. But did not show every turn. The route is more indirect than it is direct.

Kevin Lee Explains Navigation

The climbers navigated each day in one of the following ways:
1) A guide – This was for safety reasons. The guide would walk in front of the cast to make sure the cast was going the same way and on the same terrain as the guide.
2) An Overview Map was provided each day to the cast. Viewers often seen and heard them discuss the route shown on the map.
3) A more detailed map – It was explained that on the back of the map provided each day was glued a more topographical map. This map was swapped out each day. It featured details of that day’s route.

When asked if the cast really walked the whole distance Kevin responded with a resounding “YES!!!” The cast walked the whole 100 miles. Although Mount Head is not one of the tallest mountains making up the New Zealand Alps; it is roughly 8,500 ft. high.

Lee discusses Conspiracy Theories

As far as the conspiracy theory that the cast was transported to different locations that did not happen. Unless it was part of a twist as seen with Patti and Amy, who were taken to the next checkpoint.

The whole cast was evacuated during a very bad storm. But they were returned to the exact same spot when the storm had passed. Fans heard Manu mention this on the show telling them they had to make up for the lost day.

  He Explains Production Cuts

Although we only saw them walking for a few minutes on the show, in reality the climbers walked for six or seven hours a day. Kevin said “We only showed related minutes of them walking. It’s a little dull to watch them walk for long periods of time.”

We watched the climbers tackle several obstacles including a rope bridge, a cliff to climb on a ladder, ziplining across a cavern, hanging from a rope on a helicopter .

The Summit is like no other reality show. There is a lot of safety involved. The climbers were never shown on television getting into their safety harnesses. Nor the crew resetting an apparatus or getting briefed on how to traverse certain obstacles.

“When the climbers numbered a lot, it took three or four hours to traverse an obstacle. But as the numbers got smaller it took only a couple of hours.”  Kevin Lee told us. “All that stuff takes time. That’s why when you see them rolling into a checkpoint camp it really is the end of the day.”

Climbers Made Checkpoints 99% of The Time

Although the first night the climbers slept in a bivy camp, we are told they made the rest of the checkpoints on time each day. On the show we saw the climbers spend a lot of time talking about cutting the slower climbers; but in reality they never really slowed them down that much.

Asked if there is a season two what would be some of the changes fans would see. If any changes were to be made. Lee stated “There will probably be more distance between checkpoints for one.”

As far as the twists the climbers had to face, we’re told some were thought out in advance but not all. We learned adjustments had to be made as the story unfolded. All mid-season changes were approved by the network.

“CBS has a person on site to make sure it is fair for all contestants.” Kevin  Lee Said. “Every show including Survivor has a standard and practices representative from a legal standpoint to make sure it is fair and gives the stamp of approval so to speak.”

Here’s to hoping there is a season two. The Summit aired on CBS and Paramount Plus Wednesday 9:30 PM ET right after Survivor.

Photo Credits: Paramount Plus
Quote Excerpts: Reality Blurred