The Abominable Snowman 1957

Arrival at Rong-ruk monastery and decision to join the expedition

Dr. Rollason, his wife Helen, and their assistant Peter Fox arrive at the monastery as guests of the Lama during a Himalayan botanical expedition. A second expedition led by Tom Friend arrives to search for the Yeti. Despite objections from Helen and the Lama, Rollason decides to join Friend's team to pursue scientific curiosity.

First climb and discovery of footprints; McNee injured

The two groups climb into the high mountains and discover giant footprints in the snow, hinting at the Yeti's existence. Tensions rise between Rollason and Friend about methods and goals. Andrew McNee is injured by a bear trap set by Ed Shelley to catch the creature.

Kusang spots Yeti up close and triggers rescue plan

Kusang, the Sherpa guide, glimpses the Yeti at close range and warns that man should not have seen it. He flees back toward the monastery, prompting Helen and Peter Fox to decide to mount a rescue mission. The presence of the Yeti becomes personal for the monastery-bound group.

Yeti proximity awakens psychical tension; Shelley kills a Yeti

The Yeti's proximity seems to affect McNee psychically, signaling danger. Shelley, eager to prove himself, shoots and kills a Yeti. The act raises questions about the true nature of the creature and the lines between science and exploitation.

McNee dies after hearing Yeti calls

The next day, McNee leaves his tent, drawn by haunting Yeti calls, and falls off a cliff while hobbling toward the sounds. His death underscores the escalating danger and the Yeti's elusive intelligence. The expedition's mood shifts from curiosity to peril.

Plan to trap a live Yeti using a steel net

Friend proposes a daring plan to trap a live Yeti by suspending a steel net from the cave ceiling, with Shelley waiting as bait. Rollason opposes the reckless scheme, while Shelley is determined to confront the creature. Friend provides Shelley with a rifle, though the weapon is loaded with blanks.

The trap yields Shelley's death; debate over cause

A Yeti arrives and becomes entangled in the net; Shelley fires at it with the blank-loaded rifle. Shelley is found dead shortly after, with Friend noting the Yeti killed him, while Rollason argues that no marks indicate a struggle and suggests Shelley's death was due to panic and the rifle misfire. The moral complexity of human fear versus animal response is laid bare.

Friend exits with dead Yeti; telepathic influence on Rollason

Friend decides to flee the scene with the dead Yeti's body, but the Yeti telepathically plant thoughts in Rollason's mind and make him hear Shelley's voice calling for help. Rollason feels the heavy burden of the situation and senses the Yeti's intelligence. The line between manipulation and reality blurs for him.

Friend killed by an avalanche sparked by gunfire

In a panic, Friend rushes outside after hearing Shelley's imagined voice and fires his gun, triggering a crushing avalanche that claims his life. The expedition's risk escalates as nature itself becomes a weapon in the Yeti's theater. Rollason's skepticism of human plans deepens.

Rollason seeks shelter; Yeti retrieve the body

Rollason takes refuge inside a cave where two Yeti arrive to recover their fallen comrade's body. He witnesses the Yeti's coordinated response and begins to grasp their intelligence and broader purpose. The danger now is no longer only about capturing a creature but about humanity facing a patient, calculating species.

Rescue party finds Rollason; Yeti presence evident

The rescue group later discovers Rollason at a halfway-point hut, having been brought there by the Yeti themselves. The group is stunned by the evidence of the Yeti's intervention and the apparent guide to Rollason's survival. The dynamic shifts from scientific curiosity to existential threat.