Friday's Video

When humans take flight (from the Imax movie Adrenaline Rush):

Last Walk Around Mirror Lake - Boom Bip (Boards of Canada Remix) from FroschYankee on Vimeo.

Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com

Friday's Video

Ever wonder what it is like to be rescued off of a big mountain like the Grand Teton because you are too injured to get down on your own? Well, it goes a little something like this:

Shattered from getungrounded on Vimeo.

Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com

Video: Climbing Mt. Shasta

Earlier in the year I posted an excellent video from Ryan Commons that documented his seven-day hike across the Sierra Mountains along the John Muir Trail.

Ryan has recently posted another amazing video, this time showing what it takes to climb Mt. Shasta, the 14,179-foot tall snow capped volcanic peak in the Cascade Mountains of California.

It's 20 minutes in length, but well worth it if you love seeing beautiful scenery:

Summiting the Volcano, Mt. Shasta California from Ryan Commons on Vimeo.

Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com Detailed information on trails in the Smoky Mountains; includes trail descriptions, key features, pictures, video, maps, elevation profiles, news, and more.

Video: Grizzly bears charge photographer

This will keep you awake in your tent at night:




Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com Detailed information on trails in the Smoky Mountains; includes trail descriptions, key features, pictures, video, maps, elevation profiles, news, and more.

Final GSMA Hike the Smokies Challenge video

The final video from the Hike the Smokies Challenge series has been posted on the Great Smoky Mountain Association's website.

The new video discusses water safety in the park, mainly around waterfalls and stream crossings. Ranger Chuck Hester relays a pretty scary story about a young man who's leg became trapped against a rock in one of the streams in the park.

You can view the video by clicking here.


Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com

The Perseid Meteor Shower in Time Lapse

Check out this very cool time lapse video of the Perseid Meteor Shower and the galactic core of the Milky Way as seen from Joshua Tree National Park.

These photos were shot from August 12-15, by Henry Jun Wah Lee, during the peak nights of the annual astronomical event when an estimated 60 to 90 meteors per hour can be seen.

(Please note that a slow running computer may not show the streaking stars very well)

Joshua Tree Under the Milky Way from Henry Jun Wah Lee on Vimeo.

Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com

2010 Wenger Patagonian Expedition Race

Below is a video clip from the Wenger Patagonian Expedition Adventure Race, one of the premiere events on the adventure racing calendar.

The race takes place in Patagonia, one of the most beautiful places on Earth. Patagonia is a region located in Argentina and Chile at the southernmost portion of South America.

I posted this video, not for the race itself, but for the stunning beauty of the land in which it takes place.

By the way, it doesn't state it anywhere, but it sounds like the video is being narrated by Phil Liggett of Tour de France fame.




Free Shipping over $45 at Altrec Outdoors


Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com

The Mt. LeConte Lodge Llama Train

The Mt. LeConte Lodge Llama Train is the latest video from the Great Smoky Mountains Association.

Using the Trillium Gap Trail three times a week, llamas are used to keep the LeConte Lodge stocked with supplies, including fresh linens. On the return trip, the llamas transport garbage and dirty laundry back down the mountain.

The park service originally used horses, but switched to the more sure-footed llamas in 1986.


© GSMA 2010. All rights reserved.


The Trillium Gap trailhead is located off the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail, just east of Gatlinburg. For more information on hiking the 7-mile Trillium Gap Trail to the summit of Mt. LeConte, please click here.


Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com

Traversing the Khumbu Icefall

I saw this on the Adventure Blog the other day.

This excellent video captures the experience of crossing the infamous Khumbu Icefall from the perpective of the climber.

The video was shot with a helmet-mounted camera as climbers passed over the Khumbu glacier just above Base Camp on Mt. Everest this past spring:




Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com

America's Favorite Journey: The Blue Ridge Parkway

This past Tuesday night, WRAL out of Raleigh, NC broadcasted an excellent short documentary on the Blue Ridge Parkway. The film will also be shown in Charlotte and Durham over the next several days, and on UNC-TV, the statewide PBS network, at some point as well.

Fortunately you don't have to live in North Carolina to see the film. WRAL has made the 22-minute film available on their website.

In addition to a short historical overview, the film tells the story of the Parkway as seen through the eyes of visitors and some of the small business owners who depend on the road for their living. The film also includes two people that frequent readers of this blog may recognise. Smoky Scout and Danny Bernstein offer up the hikers perspective of the Park.

The remaining broadcast schedule is as follows:

WRAL-TV, Raleigh, June 29, 7pm
WILM-TV, Wilmington, June 29, 7pm
WJZY-TV, Charlotte, July 4, 8pm
WMYT-TV, Charlotte, July 4, 8pm
WRAZ-TV, Durham, July 11, 2:30pm


Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com Detailed information on trails in the Smoky Mountains; includes trail descriptions, key features, pictures, video, maps, elevation profiles, news, and more.

Video: Hike to Charlies Bunion

The Hike to Charlies Bunion is the latest video from the Great Smoky Mountains Association. This outstanding video presents some stunning views from the famous rock outcropping along the Appalachian Trail:


© GSMA 2010. All rights reserved.


For more information on hiking to Charlies Bunion, please click here.


Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com Detailed information on trails in the Smoky Mountains; includes trail descriptions, key features, pictures, video, maps, elevation profiles, news, and more.

Video: A Year in the Smokies

Experience a year's worth of Smokies moments in this short film from the Great Smoky Mountains Association. Take a look back to the many places 2009 has taken the GSMA video blog.





Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com Detailed information on trails in the Smoky Mountains; includes trail descriptions, key features, pictures, video, maps, elevation profiles, news, and more.

Frazil Ice

The last gasps of winter in the Yosemite Valley.

Check out this amazing video showing the "giant slurpee" that forms when "frazil ice" collects on Yosemite Falls and flows down Yosemite Creek each spring like a lava flow.

As you might expect, the scenery in this film is awesome:





Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com Detailed information on trails in the Smoky Mountains; includes trail descriptions, key features, pictures, video, maps, elevation profiles, news, and more.

Video: Linville Gorge Wilderness Area

Blue Ridge Outdoors recently published a short article on the Linville Gorge Wilderness Area. Included in the article was a short video taken at sunset in the springtime at Wiseman's View in the Linville Gorge.

The video gives a nice overview of this spectacular wilderness:




For more information on hiking in the Linville Gorge Wilderness, please click here.


Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com Detailed information on trails in the Smoky Mountains; includes trail descriptions, key features, pictures, video, maps, elevation profiles, news, and more.

Video: Cades Cove Reopening

Below is the latest video from the Great Smoky Mountains Association. The video shows some of the highlights from the recent reopening of the Cades Cove Loop Road, including a couple of interviews with visitors partaking in the festivities:




Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com Detailed information on trails in the Smoky Mountains; includes trail descriptions, key features, pictures, video, maps, elevation profiles, news, and more.

In case you can't make it to the Smokies this spring...

....here's the latest video from the Great Smoky Mountain Association showing the serviceberry, redbud, silverbell, trillium, and dogwoods that are blooming in the lower elevations right now:




And if you can make it, and need some suggestions on the best trails to see wildflowers, please click here.


Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com Detailed information on trails in the Smoky Mountains; includes trail descriptions, key features, pictures, video, maps, elevation profiles, news, hiking gear store, and more.

Happy (belated) Birthday to the Grand Canyon

Yesterday the Grand Canyon National Park turned 90 years old. On February 26, 1919, the Grand Canyon became the 15th national park added to the system. To help celebrate, check out this awesome aerial view video I found on the Backpacker Mag blog site:




Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com Detailed information on trails in the Smoky Mountains; includes trail descriptions, key features, pictures, video, maps, elevation profiles, news, hiking gear store, and more.

Video: Paddling Through Tibet

Pretty cool video of kayakers paddling through the incredible scenery of Eastern Tibet:

Tibet Kayak Mission from Kayak TV on Vimeo.

Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com Detailed information on trails in the Smoky Mountains; includes trail descriptions, key features, pictures, video, maps, elevation profiles, news, and more.

Video: 3 Legged Bear Walking Upright

Check out this amazing video making the rounds on the internet. This is a video of a three-legged mama bear walking upright with her cub.

No one seems to know how the bear lost her right paw and foreleg (my guess is it's likely the bear was caught in a trap at some point), or where the video was taken.

I've been wrong before, but the video looks to be legitimate:




Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com Detailed information on trails in the Smoky Mountains; includes trail descriptions, key features, pictures, video, maps, elevation profiles, news, and more.

Video: Winter wonderland in the Smokies

In case you can't make it to the Smokies to check out the winter wonderland left behind by the latest snow storm, at least you can enjoy it vicariously through the latest short film from the Great Smoky Mountains Association:




Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com Detailed information on trails in the Smoky Mountains; includes trail descriptions, key features, pictures, video, maps, elevation profiles, news, and more.