While some may miss the bustling chaos of city life during the worldwide lockdown, others sheltering in place can’t wait to break out of their cabins and into the great outdoors — void of walls and screens.

It may be awhile before we can break free and run wild — and in less than 6 feet of one another. But in the meantime, we can turn to storytellers and movie makers who have made some of the world’s most stunning, natural surroundings into secondary characters in their films.

In many of the movies, a protagonist sets off on a solo adventure that becomes a rite of passage. In both Wild and The Way, the main characters (played by Reese Witherspoon and Martin Sheen respectively) try to deal with grief and loss by hitting the trails on hiking trips.

In The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, Ben Stiller’s character heads to the otherworldly landscape of Iceland on an impulse in search of adventure and to break with monotony.

In 127 Hours, the stunning canyons of Utah serve as the background for a dramatic mountain climbing trip gone horribly wrong. The film stars James Franco and is based on a true story.

Cite…

Through the Great Southwest is a newly released documentary film in which Darwin Rakestraw makes his directorial debut, in partnership with the Arizona Trail Association. The film follows the community behind the 800-mile Arizona National Scenic Trail (AZT) that spans the length of Arizona, between Mexico and Utah.

A trail deeply diverse in geography and history, the AZT is truly a modern multipurpose trail—loved and used by an array of hikers, runners, riders, equestrians, and supporters from across the state. The film showcases the stunning landscapes of the trail, while exploring the impact this path has on users and community members.

In just 40 minutes, the film encourages people to participate in a broader conversation about the trail and its community. In a uniquely thoughtful manner, the film highlights the people most intimately involved with the AZT, like Matt Nelson, Executive Director of the ATA, and Rob Bauer, the volunteer who has made nearly 100 iconic gates for the Arizona Trail.

Unlike other short trail documentaries before it, Through the Great Southwest focuses on the faces behind the scenes that give these iconic trails the energy and direction (quite literally) hikers see as end-users. It leaves the viewer with a deep sense of gratitude not only for the beauty of the trail itself, but the community members and advocates who are deeply proud to have put this trail on the map.

See trailer here…

Horace Sowers Kephart (September 8, 1862 – April 2, 1931) was an American travel writer and librarian, best known as the author of Our Southern Highlanders about his life in the Great Smoky Mountains of western North Carolina and the classic outdoors guide Camping and Woodcraft.

Kephart’s vision helped to establish Great Smoky Mountains National Park. His life as an author, scholar, and outdoorsman is told in captivating detail in this historic documentary with never before seen photographs, documents and original music and art.

Libby Kephart Hargrave, great-grandaughter, presents a fond remembrance in this documentary film that is part biography and geneology, part historical record. Libby does a little bit of everything: she produces and directs, writes, plays and sings some of the music, conducts interviews and narrates. Her hands are all over this loving tribute. She spent years of her life compiling it.

Biography

Kephart was born in East Salem, Pennsylvania, and raised in Iowa. He was the director of the St. Louis Mercantile Library in St. Louis, Missouri from 1890 to 1903. In these years Kephart also wrote about camping and hunting trips. Earlier, Kephart had also worked as a librarian at Yale University and spent significant time in Italy as an employee of a wealthy American book collector.

In 1904, Kephart’s family (wife Laura and their six children) moved to Ithaca, New York, but Laura and Horace never divorced or legally separated). Alcoholism played a part in the estrangement and in Kephart’s eventual mental breakdown. To help recover his wits, Horace found his way to western North Carolina, where he lived in the Hazel Creek section of what would later become Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Here Kephart was seeking what he called his “back of beyond.”

Hargrave tells the story of Kephart’s family and young adult life with a series of vignettes and historic documents, and her narration. The first half of the film is devoted to exploring Kep’s family, his studies, his professional life… and his demons.

The second half of the film, Hargrave conducts a number of interviews with historians in and around the North Carolina Smokies to expand upon Kephart’s later adult life… his discovery of mountain living, and his advocacy for what was to become the most popular national park in all the land. Hargrave even managed to obtain the cooperation and assistance of Ken Burns and Dayton Duncan, producers of the wildly popular national parks documentary series, America’s Best Idea.

Along with the likes of John Muir, Horace Kephart was one of the great original conservationists. Through the use of archived documents and historian anecdotes, Hargrave paints a picture of this man who loved his Smokies and would do anything to protect the mountains.

Unfortunately, Kephart was killed in a tragic car accident just a few short years before the fulfillment of his dream of a national park. His legacy lives on today, however, and you will find his name on a mountain and creek within the park boundary. He is buried in Bryson City, NC, the town he called home for the last 21 years of his life.

Here is a trailer from the Kephart documentary:

How Can You See This Documentary?

Horace Kephart – His Life and Legacy DVD is available from The Horace Kephart Foundation and the Great Smoky Mountains Association for US$14.99, a bargain for the historic perspective of this iconic American presented by Ms. Hargrave’s work.

Each year, Libby Kephart Hargrave presents the Horace Kephart Days Celebration. Look for it in Western North Carolina, usually in spring. More info here.

Original painting "Kep's Boots" above is by Joanne Kephart Bleichner and copyright The Horace Kephart Foundation.

Disclosure: I participated in a crowdfunding campaign to help get this film financed. Libby Kephart Hargrave worked tirelessly for years to make the end result happen. Fundraising, while important, was but a small part of the love and dedication she poured into this documentary about her great-grandfather. My small donation was money very well spent.

This post was created by Jeff Clark. Please feel free to use the sharing icons below, or add your thoughts to the comments. Pack it in, pack it out. Preserve the past. Respect other hikers. Let nature prevail. Leave no trace.

In the winter of 2013 filmmaker Chris Galloway set out to thru hike the Appalachian Trail starting on Springer Mountain, Georgia and walking over 2,000 miles to reach Mount Katahdin, Maine.

In the course of his seven month trek, Frost (as he came to be known on the trail) trudged through deep snow drifts on the Smoky Mountain crest, savored a brief Appalachian spring, and battled clouds of mosquitoes in a record-breaking rainy summer. He experienced grief, growth, and triumph, from the joy of getting engaged to the pain of a family tragedy. Along the way he formed deep bonds of friendship with other travelers making their own journeys on the trail.

The Long Start to the Journey reveals the Appalachian Trail through the lens of one man’s journey across it. It is a personal narrative that also digs deep into the history of the A.T. — the vision and values that inspired generations of volunteers to build this iconic trail. This is a story of the impact that the A.T. has on those who walk it… of why wilderness is something essential for humans in the modern world.

Disclosure: I participated in a crowdfunding campaign sponsored by the Appalachian Trail Conservancy to help get this film financed. Chris and Larissa Galloway worked tirelessly for more than two years to make the end result happen. Perhaps his 2,000 mile hike was the easiest, and most relaxing part of the endeavor.

About the Production Team

One of the things that appealed to me about helping to fund this project was that Chris Galloway is a local boy, a writer, photographer, and filmmaker based out of Black Mountain, NC. He started out telling river stories with his award-winning film The Green Race Movie, a documentary about a class V kayak race in the mountains of North Carolina. Taking a quiet, patient approach to filmmaking, Chris is drawn to stories of creativity, culture, and outdoor adventure. His independent production company Horizonline Pictures has produced work for clients ranging from summer camps to tech startups to some of the largest brands in the outdoor industry. Here he is on day 1 at Springer Mountain.

Larissa Galloway, known as “Sunshine” on the trail, is a two-time A.T. thru-hiker (2004 and ‘05) and currently works as a nurse in the NICU at Mission Hospital in Asheville, NC. While supporting Chris on his hike, Sunshine covered over 350 miles of the trail with him, helping to document the journey and providing valuable insight and advice along the way. When not visiting Chris on the trail, Sunshine was content-manager for the production, downloading memory cards as he shipped them home, then returning them by mail with letters and chocolate.

Phil Moore is the front man for the band Bowerbirds. He and his partner/co-creator Beth Tacular live in a cabin they built in the North Carolina woods where they work on music, art, and raising their new baby boy, Autry. Phil wrote original music for The Long Start to the Journey, and he created a selection of songs that add a rich bed of emotion and intrigue beneath the storyline of the film.

The Film

Recent major motion pictures like Wild and A Walk In the Woods have brought national attention to America’s long distance trails. They are both fun and intriguing stories. The thing is, though, the protagonists in each of those stories never actually completed their respective trail. Sure, they traversed long portions, but neither knew the complete set of emotions that must be mastered by those who finish what they start. Chris Galloway is one of those finishers. That should not be minimized.

From the moment I turned on the DVD I realized The Long Start to the Journey is a quality production. The cinematography and still photos are stunning. The editing paints a complete picture. Galloway succeeds in bringing the Appalachian Trail alive. If you’ve never considered hiking even a mile of the A.T., this might be your motivation. If you’ve been there before, Chris reminds you of the beauty that is to be found around every turn. As Sunshine said, “To love the hike you need to see the beauty and appreciate the beauty.” It is so much more than simply beating in miles. “It is a privilege to be out there.”

The long green tunnel through Shenandoah National Park.

Chris took the time to explain the history of the Appalachian Trail. From the ideas and imagination of Benton MacKaye, to the sweat and blood of Myron Avery and the many thousands of volunteers that built and maintain the A.T., this is perhaps the most successful volunteer project in the history of our great country. Still a young man, Chris issued a call to action for those of his generation to become more involved, noticing along his journey that nearly all of the volunteers were of middle age or older.

The film itself is more about life’s journey, not just the trail. Sure, you’re taken through each of the 14 states traversed by the A.T., but videologs are a dime a dozen. With Galloway’s direction and narration, we the audience are led to understand a number of truths. Even if you never go to the wilderness, it is essential just to know it is there. The trail, and its people, lead you to conclude that age, race, gender, and economic status are of less importance. There is truly very little in life that we need, and that family and friends are first among them.

Whether it be visits from family at strategic points along the trail to help boost sagging spirits, or new companions that become life-long friends, the trail provides certitude. Trust on the trail is immediate. It does not come so easily in civilization. Those people you survive the trail with become extremely close to you. They intuitively know you, understand you, feel everything you feel.

Starting his quest in early February, a month earlier than most thru hikers, Galloway experienced the worst of what can be found along the Appalachian Trail as well. Weeks of snow and winter weather through the Great Smoky Mountains, rain seemingly everywhere as spring turned to summer, and the agony and torment of New England mosquitoes. Throughout it all, for the most part he managed to maintain a positive attitude and see the experience for what it was, “Seeing oneself as who you feel like you are and who you want to be.” It can fill even the most demure introvert with supreme confidence.

Thru hiking has a way of drawing people in a transitional period in their life. For Chris, the change was from twenty-something to mature adult, and from bachelor to married man. While in Virginia, famous for giving thru hikers the blues because of the length of the A.T. within the same state, Chris came close to quitting because of pain and suffering from blisters and a bad ankle. Digging deep into his inner reserve, he gutted out the discomfort and never quit. Marketeers will also tell you that Virginia is for Lovers, and so it was on the night at Grayson Highlands where Chris proposed to Sunshine.

Once he reached Vermont and New Hampshire, Chris had the most time of his trek completely to himself. He learned to love the quiet. He described the silence as beautifully as his surroundings. He also described a sense of bewilderment, knowing how much he and his life had changed. The Appalachian Trail isn’t a magical cure-all for our problems. It is, after all, just wilderness. But therein lies the perplexity. It is just wilderness, but it is also ever important wilderness, undeniable wilderness, absolutely necessary wilderness. It is a gift.

Chris Galloway and his family had a glorious reunion and well-earned celebration when he arrived at Mount Katahdin seven months after he started his journey. He had endured a lot, including unspeakable tragedy. He had discovered a lot: about our nation, about the trail and its people, and about himself. As he concluded, “If you go to enjoy the beauty of Nature, and to slow down, you may come away with much more than you looked for.” As the title of this very fine film describes, Chris also realized that he was just at the start of life’s journey.

How Can You See This Film?

The Long Start to the Journey is available from TheATMovie.com on DVD for US$18 and on BluRay for US$25. In my mind, that is a bargain for the entertainment value. I thoroughly enjoyed the presentation, finding myself smiling any number of times, as well as feeling the cold, feeling the pain, and finally feeling the conquest.

I would be remiss if I didn’t also mention the compelling score by Phil Moore. The songs are what I hear when I’m sitting beside a crystal clear mountain stream, or standing on the tallest pinnacle peering as far as my eye will take me. Moore captured the essence of the wilderness.

The Long Start to the Journey is a fine example of living vicariously through others. If you can’t thru-hike yourself, do it from the comfort of your living room by watching this film. You should at least get some ideas for great day hikes or section hikes, and a deeper appreciation for the level of endeavor and accomplishment by those who find their own journey on the Appalachian Trail.

Here’s a short snippet:

Disclosure: I participated in a crowdfunding campaign sponsored by the Appalachian Trail Conservancy to help get this film financed. Chris and Larissa Galloway worked tirelessly for more than two years to make the end result happen. Perhaps his 2,000 mile hike was the easiest, and most relaxing part of the endeavor.

This post was created by Jeff Clark. Please feel free to use the sharing icons below, or add your thoughts to the comments. Pack it in, pack it out. Preserve the past. Respect other hikers. Let nature prevail. Leave no trace.

by Isaac and Bjornen Babcock

Central Idaho’s Frank Church-River of No Return is a wilderness of steep, rugged mountains, deep canyons, and wild, whitewater rivers. The Salmon River Mountains, located south of the Main Salmon and west of the Middle Fork, are the most massive range, and dominate the Wilderness. North of the Main Salmon River are the Clearwater Mountains, east of the Middle Fork are the Bighorn Crags. The Salmon River Canyon is one of the deepest gorges in North America, deeper even than the famous Grand Canyon of the Colorado in Arizona. But in contrast to the Grand Canyon, the Salmon River Canyon is not noted for sheer walls and towering heights, but instead for the variety of landscapes visible from the river; wooded ridges rising to the sky, huge eroded monuments and bluffs and slides, picturesque castles and towers, and solitary crags.

It is the largest contiguous wilderness area in the lower 48 States. This land is home to numerous species of wildlife, including wolves, who have just returned after 50 years of near absence. A young couple, Isaac and Bjornen Babcock, chose this wilderness for their year-long honeymoon. But what begins as a romantic adventure becomes something much greater for the couple — and a tale of hope and celebration for every life trying to make it in the unforgiving heart of the wilderness.

Isaac has been a wildlife biologist studying wolves for more than a decade. He and his new bride Bjornen planned to use their year in the wilderness as a working honeymoon of sorts, making this documentary film and examining up close the lives of the wolf packs that inhabit the wild land. River of No Return, available in the Nature on PBS series is their finished package. In the film’s introduction Isaac talks about how this wilderness is appropriately named, “There’s no coming back from the River of No Return unchanged.”

The film follows the Babcocks through each of the four seasons as they follow the Salmon River, climb tall and rugged peaks, and camp in lush mountain meadows all the while filming adorable creatures at play and survival. This area is home to crazy birds like the dippers who comically dip up and down, and dip in the river for insects. Besides the wolves, the Babcocks captured otters, bighorn sheep, elk, deer and coyotes all on film.

Bjornen, unfortunately, in addition to experiencing the unforgiving wilderness was also having to deal with a new rheumatoid arthritis diagnosis that she learned about just before the undertaking. She had some very tough days with excruciating pain. But she soldiered on, once saying, “I’d choose an adventure with hardship over no adventure at all, anytime.”

Unlike the rough and tumble early days of the United States, modern society and culture and population have made it so that we have to create places that are called wilderness. For a homesteader in Idaho in the early 19th century, anytime they stepped outside their front door they were stepping into the backcountry. Humans shared the land with wolves, and bears, and wildcats. It was understood. Many species have since been hunted nearly out of existence.

That is one of the primary reasons why the Wilderness Act of 1964 was so important to the survival of many of the predatory species that are native to North America. As Isaac so succinctly put it, “Wolves need a place to live by their rules, not ours.” If you, your children, and your grandchildren wish to continue enjoying wild places and wild things, it is incumbent upon us all to continue the principles of those who crafted the Wilderness Act. Don’t be fooled by those who wish to sell our public lands to the highest bidder. Those bidders will be the mining, oil and gas, and timber industries who want only to rape the land for their bottom line.

It was hard on Isaac and Bjornen to live that year in the wilderness. Isaac was constantly toting around extremely heavy camera equipment. Bjornen was in near-constant pain. It was cold. It was humid. They were attacked by unrelenting mosquitos. But when all was said and done, they hated to see their adventure end. As Isaac concluded, “I found something I didn’t even know was lost — a way of life so simple and so complete.”

River of No Return is 53 minutes in length and is available for streaming on the PBS website, or for purchase in DVD or Blueray format. While you’re there, be sure to also check out many of the other outstanding documentary films of the Nature on PBS series.

Here is a brief sample:

This post was created by Jeff Clark. Please feel free to use the sharing icons below, or add your thoughts to the comments. Pack it in, pack it out. Preserve the past. Respect other hikers. Let nature prevail. Leave no trace.

The Way of St. James, is commonly known by its name in Spanish: El Camino de Santiago. The name comes from any of the pilgrimage routes to the shrine of the apostle St. James the Great in the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, northwestern Spain. Tradition has it that the remains of the saint are buried in the cathedral. Many take up this route as a form of life pathway or retreat, for spiritual growth.

The earliest records of visits to the shrine dedicated to St. James date from the 9th century, in the time of the Kingdom of Asturias. The pilgrimage to the shrine became the most renowned medieval pilgrimage, and it became customary for those who returned from Compostela to carry back with them a Galician scallop shell as proof of their completion of the journey.

The scallop shell, often found on the shores in Galicia, has long been the symbol of the Camino de Santiago. Over the centuries the scallop shell has taken on mythical, metaphorical and practical meanings, even if its relevance may actually derive from the desire of pilgrims to take home a souvenir.

THE WAY film is a powerful and inspirational story about family, friends and the challenges we face while navigating this ever-changing and complicated world. Martin Sheen plays Tom, an irascible American doctor who comes to France to deal with the tragic loss of his son Daniel (played by Emilio Estevez). Rather than return home, Tom decides to embark on the historical pilgrimage “The Way of St. James” to honor his son’s desire to finish the journey. What Tom doesn’t plan on is the profound impact this trip will have on him. Through unexpected and oftentimes amusing experiences along “The Way,” Tom discovers the difference between “the life we live and the life we choose.”

Upon learning of his son’s tragic death, Tom flies to France to identify the body, oversees its cremation and decides on the spot to scatter the ashes along “The Way” through Spain that Daniel had planned to trek. In a nice, and convenient touch, he even uses Daniel’s backpack and hiking gear.

You Don’t Have to Be Alone

Inexperienced as a trekker, Tom soon discovers that he will not be alone on this journey. On “The Way,” Tom meets other pilgrims from around the world, each with their own issues and looking for greater meaning in their lives: a Dutchman name Joost (Yorick van Wageningen), a Canadian named Sarah (Deborah Kara Unger) and an Irish writer named Jack (James Nesbitt), who is suffering from a bout of writer’s block. Aside from the main actors, those seen on-screen are real pilgrims from all over the world.

From the unexpected and, oftentimes, amusing experiences along “The Way,” this unlikely quartet of misfits creates an everlasting bond and Tom begins to learn what it means to be a citizen of the world again. He also starts to unravel the totally unresolved relationship with his dead son.

In addition to his acting credit, Emilio Estevez wrote, produced and directed “The Way.” He was inspired by his son, cast his father as the star, and dedicated the film to his grandfather. It’s a sweet and sincere story of pilgrimage that can at times be uplifting, like in the scene with the gypsy father who helps Tom recover his stolen backpack.

The sometimes surly band of pilgrims are traversing beautiful and historic country, and along the way they encounter colorful locals and other fellow hikers, have some small adventures and inevitably nearly lose the container of ashes. At the end, Tom has mellowed completely, arrived at some sort of reconciliation with his son, and forgiven him for having undertaken the fool pilgrimage in the first place.

Santiago de Compostela – Photo from Wikimedia

No Need to Be In a Hurry

The film does make a nice travelogue as Tom walks “The Way” and takes in the scenery. If you’re looking for fast-paced action, you won’t find it here, as “The Way” is just like actual trekking. It’s slow, sometimes plodding, but it helps you understand the essence of European long distance thru-hiking.

It isn’t tents and mice-infested shelters. Unlike thru-trails in America like the Appalachian Trail or the Pacific Crest Trail, El Camino de Santiago passes through village after village. So the vino flows freely and the tables are full of nourishment like fresh fruit and vegetables, or a lamb from the countryside. The pilgrims are staying the night is hostels or other shared indoor sleeping quarters. These close quarters help add levity to Tom’s sometimes tedious adventure.

“The Way” was inspired by Emilio Estevez’s own son, Taylor. It started in 2003 as a project when Taylor, at the time 19 years old, and Sheen, whose The West Wing TV series was in hiatus, took part in the pilgrimage route. Taylor, who served as an associate producer on the film, had driven the length of the Camino with his grandfather. The movie was released in 2011.

Estevez also found inspiration in his vineyard, Casa Dumetz, where he wrote much of the dialogue for the film. Exploring the universal themes of loss, community and faith, he saw parallels with the characters in The Wizard of Oz. I found it easy to relate with the character of Tom, simply because he is approximately the same age that I am now.

I enjoyed “The Way.” It may not be for everyone, particularly if you don’t understand the appeal of hiking, but it resonated with me because of the concept of seeking. Seeking meaning. Seeking companionship. Seeking acceptance. Seeking answers.

Perhaps you too will find some answers if you watch “The Way.”

Buen Camino!

This post was created by Jeff Clark. Please feel free to use the sharing icons below, or add your thoughts to the comments. Pack it in, pack it out. Preserve the past. Respect other hikers. Let nature prevail. Leave no trace.

Disclosure: The DVD distributor for the Muir Project produced documentary “Mile…Mile and a Half” contacted me to watch this film at no cost to myself. My only responsibility was an agreement to complete a review. I was not pressured in any way to make a positive endorsement.

A group of artists leave their daily lives behind to hike the John Muir Trail and bring back their experiences and inspiration. From Yosemite Valley to the highest point in the contiguous US – Mt. Whitney. 219 miles in 25 days.

In an epic snow year in the High Sierras, they leave their daily lives behind in search of new adventures. They seek the thrill of the trail, the challenge of the miles, and the ability to capture the beauty and wonder of the journey itself.

Along the way, they are joined by musicians, painters, teachers and other adventure-seekers. In the midst of the grandeur and daily grind, they discover what matters most is the opportunity to seek adventure wherever and whenever you can.

What began as an adventure to see if this small band of friends could complete the trail, became the need to capture the experience in order to share the trail with others. Their hope is that you will be so inspired by this film, that you take that first step towards your own adventure. Mile…Mile & A Half is the feature-length documentary of that story. Come see how life on the trail shapes the lives of artists and individuals.

A Merry Band of Adventurers

Happiness! After watching Mile…Mile and a Half I was left with an overwhelming sense of happiness. The friends who took on this daunting task of hiking the 211-mile John Muir Trail and filming a documentary of it to boot, were simply happy people. They were happy before they started. They were happy along the way. And they managed to share that sense of happiness with me as I watched their adventure unfold.

Not always easy to pull off, the sense of togetherness and friendship exhibited by the compatriots who challenged the JMT was genuine and heartfelt. These good friends truly enjoyed being in each others’ company, and sharing the awesomeness of the California wilderness together. It wasn’t forced. It was comfortable and relaxing.

But what makes Mile…Mile and a Half more than just another hiking flick is the professional quality film and sound effort put into the journey. In addition to the stamina required to carry food and other supplies for a 25 day backpack, the filmmakers also carried dozens of pounds of top notch camera and sound equipment to show the gorgeous peaks and valleys, lakes and streams, and emotion of the John Muir Trail.

The JMT Isn’t for Everyone

You will learn in the first 20 minutes that hiking the John Muir Trail isn’t for everyone. It is hard. It’s more than 50,000 feet of elevation change while carrying 50 pounds or more on your back. And the elevation is high; nearly the entire trail is over 7,000 feet, with most of it above 10,000. It will test your legs and lungs, and test your will. In fact, the crew was reduced by one after only five days because of the exertion required.

It’s nearly a month of living in the wilderness and fending for yourself. If you want a shower at the end of the day forget it. Sure you can jump in a pure alpine lake, but it is cold; darn cold. You will cross roaring torrents that may knock even the strongest among us down, or worse. The snow on the high mountain passes is frigid and slick and endless, and your next step may be your last.

A four-week backpacking trip will test your ability to plan and prepare. There are four resupply points along the 211-mile length of the JMT where you can get more food, or first aid, or climbing accessories. You must make your miles to reach your resupply before you run out. Shoot, before you even start you have to plan what is going to be in the resupply buckets when. It is a logistical challenge.

No, the John Muir Trail isn’t for everyone, but if you are up to the challenge the rewards are immeasurable.

The John Muir Trail

The film follows a crew of five great friends from their start at Happy Isles in Yosemite Valley to the top of Mt. Whitney, at 14,505 feet the highest point in the lower 48 states. Along the way they pass through Yosemite National Park, Ansel Adams Wilderness, Devils Postpile National Monument, John Muir Wilderness and Sequoia/Kings Canyon National Parks. The cadre of hikers ebbs and flows as they lose one, gain two, then more… all artists in their own way contributing to the goal of sharing the John Muir Trail with us.

The scenery is simply stunning. The photographers had the dedication to do it right. For the most part the weather cooperated. Of the 25 days spent hiking the trail, only two were truly bad weather days when filming wasn’t possible. On the flip side, they encountered a 200% snow year, so crossing the mountain passes was even more daunting than usual because of the snow pack that remained even in July. The snow, however, contributed to the perspective of the photography.

The JMT also passes bowl after bowl of high alpine lakes, each more beautiful than the previous. Most of their overnight campsites were on the bank of a lake, a truly remarkable joy to wake up to. Whether for an after-hike swim or a crisp refreshing drink for a tired and weary hiker, there isn’t much more revitalizing than an alpine lake.

Morning by an Alpine Lake

Did I Tell You This Was Fun?

Much of the film is comedy gold. This is a bunch of really funny guys, and they know how to have a good time. From the self-effacing commentary, their encounter with a hungry marmot, to the sheer child-like joy they experienced glissading down the snow pack, these friends are relaxed with each other and in their environment.

They put you at ease immediately. Mile…Mile and a Half is a feel good film. Yes, ultimately the film is documenting the John Muir Trail, but it is also about the people. Great friends, and then eventually even strangers, all bond together in a common goal of experiencing the natural wonder that is the High Sierra. I’m not sure the film works as well as it does if the core group were not already so comfortable together.

As someone who is interested in the how part of getting things done, I enjoyed the occasional brief vignettes where they would show how they setup their equipment. The sounds of frogs chirping in the evening, or a babbling mountain stream were recorded to help me feel like I was there as well. Carrying a time-lapse rail all that way certainly was a burden, but definitely added to the quality of the end result.

Sometimes It Is About the Journey

Truly Mile…Mile and a Half is. Yes, it’s a journey on the JMT, but it is also a journey of discovery, and camaraderie. It is a journey that tests your will and your limits, and of taking care of one another, and a journey that offers ample time for quiet reflection and profound awe. The John Muir Trail is surrounded by some of the most beautiful scenery found anywhere in the world, and the filmmakers have done an admirable job of displaying that.

I thoroughly enjoyed the film. Like the hikers, I was somewhat sad when they reached their goal at Mt. Whitney, but happy in having shared their experience. I learned what it can be like to hike the John Muir Trail. If I ever decide to tackle the adventure myself, I am better prepared for what to expect. Oh, and I would love to have a copy of that illustrated journal seen in the film. It rocks!

The crew did a nice job of paying respects to John Muir the man, and I am grateful to all involved in the production of Mile…Mile and a Half for helping us to become stewards of his legacy.

Mile…Mile and a Half is available for download or purchase on BluRay or DVD from the Muir Project website, for download on Amazon, or by contacting the distributor Passion River Films. Why not treat yourself with some of that holiday loot you collected?

Here’s one of several trailers you can view on the Muir Project website:

Disclosure: The DVD distributor for the Muir Project produced documentary “Mile…Mile and a Half” contacted me to watch this film at no cost to myself. My only responsibility was an agreement to complete a review. I was not pressured in any way to make a positive endorsement.

This post was created by Jeff Clark. Please feel free to use the sharing icons below, or add your thoughts to the comments. Pack it in, pack it out. Preserve the past. Respect other hikers. Let nature prevail. Leave no trace.

Disclosure: The producer of Tell It on the Mountain — Tales from the Pacific Crest Trail contacted me to watch his film at no cost to myself. My only responsibility was an agreement to complete a review. I was not pressured in any way to make a positive endorsement.

It takes a special kind of person to drop everything and walk through the woods for five months. But in a way, these hikers are just like you and me. They have jobs and families, they love their creature comforts. Yet something pulls them to be in nature, to leave everything behind and embark on what’s called a thru-hike.

Thru-hiking the Pacific Crest Trail involves walking 2,663 miles from Mexico to Canada. The journey lasts from April to October. That translates into about 20 miles a day, every day—on foot. These brave souls face bone-dry deserts, raging rivers, snow-covered mountains, mosquitoes, blisters, torrential rains… and the urge to quit.

Tell It on the Mountain — Tales from the Pacific Crest Trail is an independent documentary film that puts you right on the edge of the razor ridges, and right in the emotional faces of those who dare to try. This is the first film from producer and director of photography Shaun Carrigan, a sports broadcaster who has worked on the Summer and Winter Olympics, the World Series, the Daytona 500, and Major League Baseball. He hiked 1,400 miles of the PCT during the production of this film, toting the necessary survival and photographic gear.

Lisa Diener is the director, editor and writer. This is her directorial debut, but her documentary post-production and electronic art experience is extensive. The music was written by Ian Franklin Wilkerson, a singer/songwriter and owner/founder of Bay Area Music Therapy.

When you watch Tell It on the Mountain — Tales from the Pacific Crest Trail, you will follow a half dozen of the 300 or so hikers who attempt a PCT thru-hike every year. Armed with portable cameras, they give us an insider’s view into what it takes to spend half a year living in the wild.

12 Reasons to Watch Tell It on the Mountain

1) The scenery, the wilderness, the wildlife. From the desert of Southern California into the gorgeous, but treacherous high mountain passes of the Sierra Nevada, through 10 national parks and monuments, and 24 national forests, crossing rivers and streams, swimming in alpine lakes, and exploring the Cascades of Upstate Washington — Carrigan’s cinematography is stunningly beautiful. I wish there was more, but editing for feature-length time is understandable.

2) You will meet characters with names like Billygoat, Iñaki, Eagle Eye, Jackalope, Sauerkraut, & Alina. Scott Williamson is a remarkable speed and long-distance hiker who has completed the Pacific Crest Trail more than a dozen times, has yo-yoed it twice, and until very recently was the unsupported speed record holder at 64.5 days. Seemingly, nothing will deter him.

Billygoat is a retired railroad worker from Maine who left it all behind in his 50s, and has been calling the trail his home ever since. I get it man. Alina and Sauerkraut are a happy-go-lucky European couple who were thru-hiking the PCT for the first time. Jackalope and Eagle Eye were hiking 2,000 miles to meet friends and family for their wedding ceremony. Yep, that was their plan. Iñaki, the insightful solo-hiker of the group is a seasoned thru-hiker, having done the Pyrenees Mountain Trail, the Arctic Trail in Northern Scandinavia, the Colorado Trail in the U.S., and through the Alps to the Mediterranean Sea.

3) You will learn about the importance of planning. Long distance thru-hiking is a logistical ballet. You must deal with weather, food & shelter. Planning your resupply stops, and getting your replacement gear and nourishment to those stops is as complicated as directing the Nutcracker. This film will teach you the mechanics involved in making sure you have cold weather gear when you reach the mountains, fresh socks to replace the ones with 300 miles on them, and high-calorie, low-weight food that will keep your body nourished for 10 days at a time.

You have to understand your own pace. You have to know what little villages and communities will accept and store your mailed resupply packages. You must anticipate the unexpected, because not much of anything that happens to you is expected. You can’t change Nature, so you adjust. No better an expert than Scott Williamson demonstrates his logistics planning.

4) You’re a chicken; so you can thru-hike a multi-thousand mile trail from your living room. What better way to convince yourself you really don’t want to do this than to see the suffering and tribulations of others. It ain’t easy folks. If you don’t keel over from exhaustion, perhaps the fear will petrify you. Or, what better way to see just how awesome it is, and begin planning your own trip immediately. This film will help you make up your own mind.

5) You don’t like camping in the woods, so you let others do it for you. That’s right. There aren’t pit toilets or hot showers on the PCT. If slithery snakes, swarms of mosquitoes, or a scorpion crawling on your mattress pad give you the willies, then you’re a lot better off watching the rag-tag cast of characters deal with the unwanted. You’re bound to chuckle at their misfortune, as well as shed an occasional tear for their pain and disappointment.

Instead you dig cat holes, and bathe in a cold mountain stream. You learn to improvise and become a trail McGyver. After all, what could be more awesome than sleeping under the stars 30 miles from the nearest light source?

6) You will find out what it’s like to be desperate. Because sometimes even the best laid plans won’t help if you run out of water two days from the nearest source, or get stuck in the Sierra Nevada in a freak snow storm. The film demonstrates the human ability to cope. Whether it’s walking hundreds of miles with an in-grown toenail, or even a ruptured vertebrae, you will see how the characters persevere. Desperation is a powerful motivator. Setting goals, even if it’s just an hour or a mile at a time will see you through.

7) You might become a trail angel. If, after watching this documentary, you decide that thru-hiking isn’t for you… then perhaps you will become excited enough to still want to participate. That’s where the trail angels come in. Things like leaving gallons of potable water on the trail in the desert areas where it’s so dry the birds are building their nests out of barbed wire. Or inviting tired and weary hikers into your home for a hot shower and a warm bed.

Trail angels are akin to a support system for addicts. They offer community and encouragement. Their positive nature re-energizes even the most disheartened trekker. They motivate by reminding the hikers of their goals, by describing the beauty of the next picturesque landmark, or by simply telling you that they’re proud of you. Best of all, trail angels will give you a hug.

8) You will learn how to lose your vanity. After the first week, you won’t give two hoots about your appearance. Who cares anyway? It’s just you and the trail. You’re dirty. You stink. Your toes are blistered and rubbed raw like something the cat dragged in. Eagle Eye even said he liked to leave a coat of mud caked on his legs because it was natural sunscreen and insect repellent. Forget your hair. In fact, shave it all off. It’s less of a nuisance that way.

9) You will love the amateur philosophy. Iñaki in particular is quite adept at the philosophical one-liner. Whether is be about Nature or struggle, family and community or simply day-to-day living, he seemed to have an answer for most mental barricades he encountered along the trail. I looked forward to each of Iñaki’s appearances because I came to understand where he was coming from.

10) You’ll learn what life without worries is like. Let’s face it. One of the primary reasons that folks do something as bold as quitting their jobs, pouring their savings into hiking gear, and losing themselves on a National Scenic Trail is to get away from it all, to remove themselves from stress. And it works.

For each of the characters in the film, it was merely a matter of days before they were completely into the trail, and their hike. For all intents and purposes, the outside world didn’t exist anymore. The stress changed to mental and physical duress — something they realized they could deal with because each dawn brought a new day, a new chance. I was continuously struck by their optimism and happiness.

11) You will understand the value of conservation. The scenery along the trail, and the wildlife are priceless. The Pacific Crest Trail itself adds incalculable value to the human spirit. Take a look at the scene from Tuolumne Meadows and ask yourself if you want fracking 10 miles away. Walk among the redwoods in Kings Canyon and wonder whether the loggers should be allowed in. I can do without a housing development on the crest of the Cascades. Can’t you?

Wouldn’t you want a 31st century adventurer to be able to share the same experiences portrayed in this film?

12) These words will come to life for you. Perseverance, effort, coping, enduring, fear, challenge, dreams. A snake is the only animal that can’t fall down. So if you’re afraid of snakes, take the high road. When it’s so hot the hens are laying hard-boiled eggs, improvise. Make your own swamp cooler. The trail that has passed behind will give you confidence for what lies ahead.

The thru-hikers that Carrigan followed in his film never lost sight of their dreams. They overcame their biggest fears, and defeated the greatest challenges. No matter what, they endured, they didn’t quit. Some of the most poignant scenes in the film were as each reached the trail marker at the Canadian border and realized their journey was complete, their dream realized. They can tell one and all, “I hiked the Pacific Crest Trail.”

If you ask me what’s not to like about this film, there isn’t much. I could gripe a little about the editing I suppose. The film is just over two hours and probably could have been done nicely in 90-100 minutes. But if you cut scenes from the Southern California desert, I would probably want to add more footage from the Cascade Range. So I don’t envy that job. As it is, Ms. Diener did well.

Tell It on the Mountain — Tales from the Pacific Crest Trail is an ultimate example of living vicariously through others. If you can’t thru-hike yourself, do it from the comfort of your living room by watching this film. You should at least get some ideas for great day hikes or section hikes.

Tell It on the Mountain — Tales from the Pacific Crest Trail is available for purchase via digital download or DVD from the website or from Amazon. Why not treat yourself?

Here’s a short snippet:

Disclosure: The producer of Tell It on the Mountain — Tales from the Pacific Crest Trail contacted me to watch his film at no cost to myself. My only responsibility was an agreement to complete a review. I was not pressured in any way to make a positive endorsement.

This post was created by Jeff Clark. Please feel free to use the sharing icons below, or add your thoughts to the comments. Pack it in, pack it out. Preserve the past. Respect other hikers. Let nature prevail. Leave no trace.

Mile…Mile and a Half

MILE… MILE & A HALF (trailer 1) from The Muir Project.

There’s a reason that “Backpacker Magazine” ranked California’s John Muir Trail as the best Hike in the World in it’s November 2010 issue. Stretching 211 miles from Yosemite Valley to the summit of the contiguous United States’ highest peak, Mount Whitney, it rambles through some of the most breathtaking mountain scenery that the heart and mind could conceive. Most of your days are spent above 10,000 feet, where you’ll experience the High Sierras in all of it’s grandeur and beauty.

The Muir Project crew departed from Yosemite Valley on July 10th, 2011 and completed the trail at the summit of Mount Whitney on August 3rd. Along the way, they were joined by musicians, painters, teachers, and other adventure-seekers, all who became part of the story.

Tell it on the Mountain – Tales from the Pacific Crest Trail

Tell It on the Mountain (trailer) from Lisa Diener and Shaun Carrigan.

It takes a special kind of person to drop everything and walk through the woods for five months. But in a way, these hikers are just like you and me. They have jobs and families, they love their creature comforts. Yet something pulls them to be in nature, to leave everything behind and embark on what’s called a thru-hike.

Thru-hiking the Pacific Crest Trail involves walking 2,663 miles from Mexico to Canada. The journey lasts from April to October. That translates into about 20 miles a day, every day—on foot. These brave souls face bone-dry deserts, raging rivers, snow-covered mountain passes, mosquitoes, blisters, torrential rains… and the urge to quit.

Follow a half dozen of the 300 or so hikers who attempt a PCT thru-hike every year. Armed with cameras, they give us an insider’s view into what it takes to spend half a year living in the wild.

The Cairngorms in Winter with Chris Townsend

The Cairngorms in Winter with Chris Townsend (trailer) from Terry Abraham.

A celebration of the UK’s largest and highest National Park, The Cairngorms in Winter with Chris Townsend takes the viewer on a spectacular 96 minute journey through awe inspiring scenery in the heart of Scotland’s mountains.

Accompanied by an evocative musical score from Freddiehangoler, Terry Abraham’s feature-length debut reveals the grandeur and majesty of the Cairngorms through the eyes of local resident and internationally respected backpacker and author Chris Townsend (author of 17 books including the best-selling ‘The Backpacker’s Handbook’).

From the ancient Caledonian Pine forests of Glen Feshie to the bleak windswept plateau of the Moine Mhor and the monumentally precipitous flanks of Cairn Toul, The Cairngorms in Winter is a visual and audio feast that sets the benchmark for independently produced outdoor documentaries.

Chasing Ice

Chasing Ice Trailer from James Balog.

In the spring of 2005, acclaimed environmental photographer James Balog headed to the Arctic on a tricky assignment for National Geographic: to capture images to help tell the story of the Earth’s changing climate. Even with a scientific upbringing, Balog had been a skeptic about climate change. But that first trip north opened his eyes to the biggest story in human history and sparked a challenge within him that would put his career and his very well-being at risk.

Chasing Ice is the story of one man’s mission to change the tide of history by gathering undeniable evidence of our changing planet. Within months of that first trip to Iceland, the photographer conceived the boldest expedition of his life: The Extreme Ice Survey. With a band of young adventurers in tow, Balog began deploying revolutionary time-lapse cameras across the brutal Arctic to capture a multi-year record of the world’s changing glaciers.

As the debate polarizes America and the intensity of natural disasters ramps up globally, Balog finds himself at the end of his tether. Battling untested technology in subzero conditions, he comes face to face with his own mortality. It takes years for Balog to see the fruits of his labor. His hauntingly beautiful videos compress years into seconds and capture ancient mountains of ice in motion as they disappear at a breathtaking rate. Chasing Ice depicts a photographer trying to deliver evidence and hope to our carbon-powered planet.

This post was created by Jeff Clark. Please feel free to use the sharing icons below, or add your thoughts to the comments. Pack it in, pack it out. Preserve the past. Respect other hikers. Let nature prevail. Leave no trace.