One of the avalanches seen in the film was real and was captured on camera on the spot. It was a threat to cast and crew as well, nearly burying them alive.
During shooting in sub-zero temperatures, Leni Riefenstahl developed severe frostbite and a bladder infection that would plague her for the rest of her life.
Director Arnold Fanck took the film to Universal Pictures but they felt that the script was too thin and turned it down, so Fanke financed the production himself.
In the film Inglourious Basterds (2009), when Shosanna is changing the marquee at the cinema, this is the film being advertised on the marquee that she is taking down to replace with the Max Linder festival.
Two directors were necessary because one, Arnold Fanck was an expert at shooting, while the other Georg Wilhelm Pabst was an expert at shooting indoor scenes on a set. Pabst was also there to advise Fanck on how to work with a story, due to the fact that Fanck's previous work had been with simple outdoor footage.