Danny MacAskill’s Solar Eclipse

On Friday March 20th a Solar Eclipse plunged Europe into darkness. Photographer Rutger Pauw teamed up with Danny MacAskill to capture the moment on Danny’s homeland, the Isle of Skye in Scotland.

With just one small window of opportunity to get the shot he had dreamed about, Rutger and the team spent days scouring to select the perfect location. This clip gives a unique behind the scenes look at how they found the spot and how they managed to capture one of the most creative shots of the year.

grindtv

Click PLAY or watch the story behind this photo on YouTube.

(via Adventure Blog)

March 5, 2015March 4, 2015

Lichter and Forry – 1st winter PCT

… Shawn “Pepper” Forry and Justin “Trauma” Lichter trudged up a muddy hillside during a desert downpour to reach the southern terminus of the Pacific Crest Trail.

The two men had just completed what’s thought to be the first documented, wintertime through-hike of the iconic, 2,650-mile footpath from Canada to Mexico. …

During the early stages of the trip in Washington and Oregon they traveled on snowshoes. When they reached the Truckee area they switched to skis and spent about 400 miles “survival skiing” over and around rocks, brush and ice. For the latter part of the trip they wore lightweight hiking boots. ..

The joyous, muddy end of an epic Pacific Crest journey`

… Before this trip, the two combined had more than 55,000 miles of trail hiking experience in seven different countries.

Their bond is one forged by years of hiking and establishing new routes together: in 2007, they established a precursor to the 850-mile Te Araroa trail in the Southern Alps of New Zealand; in 2008, they became some of the first people to traverse the 850-mile Hayduke Trail in the Grand Canyon; in 2011, they traversed the Himalayan Mountains from the eastern Nepal border to the India-Pakistan border; and, in 2013, they completed the High Sierra Ski Traverse from Sonora Pass to Mammoth Lakes, California.

You get the idea: These guys are tough. …

Outside Online – First-Ever Winter Thru-Hike of the PCT

Thanks Fedak.

February 19, 2015February 15, 2015

VALLEY UPRISING — Official Trailer

VALLEY UPRISING is the much-anticipated documentary from Sender Films about the epic history of climbing in Yosemite National Park and the counterculture roots of outdoor sports.

Narrated by Peter Sarsgaard, the film features digitally-animated archival photography, spectacular climbing footage and interviews with Yosemite greats — from pioneers like Yvon Chouinard, Royal Robbins, Lynn Hill and John Long to cutting edge modern athletes like Dean Potter and Alex Honnold. Valley Uprising tells the story of the bold men and women who broke with convention and redefined the limits of human possibility in America’s legendary national park. …

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

I saw an edited version at the Best of Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour. Excellent. 🙂

February 17, 2015February 9, 2015

12 Long Walks in the USA

The series began with the Pacific Northwest Trail on July 2, 2011, and finished at the southern terminus of the Appalachian Trail on December 28, 2012. The total distance was approximately 14,302 miles (23,012 km). …

This Hiking Life

Total Bear Sightings: 48 (including 22 grizzlies)
Total Mountain Lion Sightings: 2
Total Pairs of Shoes: 28

See the HIGHLIGHT photos.

That’s Cam Honan.

I often name Andrew Skurka as the greatest hiker of modern times. But Cam’s done far more distance. And done more of the best hikes worldwide. 🙂

February 10, 2015May 9, 2026

100 Classic Hikes

36 countries on 6 continents.

Cam Honan:

Listed below are 100 multi-day hikes that I have had the good fortune of doing from 1995 to the present day. In my opinion they are all “great” or “classic” hikes, however I have refrained from assigning them any type of order other than alphabetical. How can one compare the jaw-dropping grandeur of high alpine regions to the stillness and timeless quality of the desert?

The Hiking Life

___

editor: I’ve started clicking my way through Cam’s impressive list.

By comparison, I’ve only done about 35 of those, in part or in whole.

Leave a comment if you know of any hiker who’s done MORE of the world’s best hikes?

February 9, 2015February 7, 2015

The Man Who Put Nepal On The Tourist Map

Karna Shakya

Meet The Man Who Put Nepal On The Tourist Map

Last year I tried to get space in one of the Kathmandu Guest House inexpensive legacy rooms. It seemed impossible in November. They are constantly full.

February 7, 2015February 5, 2015

Sufferfest 2: Desert Alpine

Cedar Wright and Alex Honnold

This time, a month riding their bikes and climbing desert towers in the American Southwest should be a piece of cake for these fast friends. Or will it? …

Click PLAY or watch a clip on YouTube.

Radical Reels Night People’s Choice Award at the BMFF Festival – sponsored by Deuter.

That was our favourite of 8 short films in the Best of the Banff Mountain Film Festival program – night 2.

January 7, 2015January 7, 2015

Cheryl Strayed’s Lost – a review

… based on the memoir Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed.

The film stars Reese Witherspoon and Laura Dern. …

In 1995, Cheryl Strayed decides to hike more than a thousand miles of the Pacific Crest Trail alone, as a way to heal herself, following her divorce, the death of her mother, and years of reckless, destructive behavior. …

The film garnered mostly positive reviews, with much acclaim going to Witherspoon’s physical and mental performance and Vallée’s direction. The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported a 91% approval rating …

wikipedia

Click PLAY or watch the trailer on YouTube.

Reese was nominated for a 2015 Golden Globe as Best Actress.

Hikers, especially PCT hikers, are mostly pissed that Strayed has gained so much fame for being so woefully unprepared. She hiked about 1000 miles of the 2,663 mile thru hike.

I must say, however, that I enjoyed the book. And enjoyed the film.

This movie is recommended. 🙂

Though Cheryl Strayed should probably stay far away from real hikers, she’s super happy with how the film turned out.

December 16, 2014

new film – A Walk in the Woods

A Walk in the Woods / U.S.A. (Director: Ken Kwapis, Screenwriters: Rick Kerb, Bill Holderman)

An aging travel writer sets out to hike the 2,100-mile Appalachian Trail with a long-estranged high school buddy. Along the way, the duo face off with each other, nature, and an eccentric assortment of characters. Together, they learn that some roads are better left untraveled.

Cast: Robert Redford, Nick Nolte, Emma Thompson, Mary Steenburgen, Nick Offerman, Kristen Schaal.

Premiere is at … Sundance. No surprise.