Most Americans who are experienced multi-day hikers have heard of the John Muir Trail. It’s a frequent topic in Backpacker Magazine, and was voted a few years back as America’s best backpacking experience.
In any book about North American trails, the JMT will hold its own against far longer expeditions, like its big brother, the Pacific Crest Trail. If you’re an American who owns a backpack with a volume large enough to store a week’s worth of food, or you know what a bear canister is, you’ve probably heard of the JMT.
But what about non-backpackers—folks who may enjoy an occasional walk in their local wilderness but could never imagine walking, end-to-end, a 211 mile, well maintained trail, winding through some of the most beautiful scenery on the planet?
In a very small way, that’s what my book is about. Although even seasoned backpackers could learn a lot from “Planning Your Thru-Hike of the John Muir Trail,” especially about the trail itself and what it takes to plan this particular trip, the book is also aimed at those who might never consider a hike of this length.
But what if, instead of doing this in a very small way, you did it right; pulled out all the stops? What if you could find a videographer, sound technician and support crew willing to hike the whole thing? Perhaps you could add a still photographer? And then, because every great story deserves great music, throw in a couple of musicians? What if you turned THEM loose on the trail and had THEM tell its story.
That’s exactly what The Muir Project has done, and the results, thus far, are breathtaking. Check it out:
MILE… MILE & A HALF (trailer 1) from The Muir Project on Vimeo.
Good hiking, Ray