Time Inc.'s Sports Illustrated and Endemol Shine Beyond USA, the digital division of Endemol Shine North America, have partnered to make cinematic history by producing a virtual reality documentary series that follows the journey of four climbers during their 2016 summit of Mt. Everest.

The multipart, multi-platform production, the first complete ascent of Everest in VR, will premiere in early 2017 on Time Inc.'s new LIFE VR platform and SI.com in 360-degree video.

Sports Illustrated will also feature coverage of this historic endeavor across its print and digital properties. The production, to be entitled "Capturing Everest," is presented by Sports Illustrated.

LIFE VR, an extension of the historic LIFE brand, is Time Inc.'s dedicated virtual reality platform featuring next-level storytelling from across the company’s global titles. The forthcoming "Capturing Everest" series will be the first VR experience presented by Sports Illustrated to be housed on the new platform, alongside immersive content from other Time Inc. brands like Time and The Drive.

"Attacking the world's highest summit seemed like the perfect place to go with our new VR initiative, and by partnering with Endemol Shine and adding in the world-class storytellers from Sports Illustrated, I think we have something truly special and unique to offer our audience," said Mia Tramz, Managing Editor of LIFE VR. "We can't wait to bring viewers along for this once-in-a-lifetime journey. This is exactly the type of experience LIFE VR was created for."

Shot on location over a two-month span, the "Capturing Everest" team employed a variety of 360-degree video capture methods while enduring some of the planet's most extreme conditions. Specialized cameras rigged to zip lines and body harnesses on the climbers offer first-person views of Mt. Everest in unprecedented fashion.