Ever since I discovered hiking many years ago, I haven’t been able to go back. Previously, I only exercised at the gym. But since taking up hiking on (mostly) US trails, a whole world has been opened to me, that I never knew existed previously.
If you’re like me, you know what I’m talking about. You hit your first trail and it’s hard. You think to yourself you’ll never do it again. But you keep coming back for more punishment, aren’t you? Once you’ve had that very first fix, you’ve gotta try out other trails.
And that’s one of the greatest downsides to being a hiker. You’ll probably never get to see all of the world’s hiking trails. If only because you keep revisiting your favorite one. There just isn’t enough time in a single human lifespan to visit them all, let alone thru-hike them.
That’s why, sometimes, when I’m feeling lazy but still want to experience the feel of the hike… I’ll go out onto the web and search for videos about hiking. I have been streaming a lot of hiking movies from Vimeo as of late. And just for you, my dear Boot Bomb reader, I have compiled a top 10 list of my favorite Vimeo hiking movies so far!
1. Hiking the Wonderland Trail
This one is all about Mt. Rainier and it is filled with a a lot of great narritive information. Many fascinating details will be bestowed upon you when watching this movie. This is a truly timeless trail that will still be fascinating to hit even a couple of eons from now. It’s set to very atmospherical music. During winter, it’s a snowy trail, for sure. Make sure to bring hiking boots for the winter if you’re ever going to attempt this one yourself.
2. Dusty’s Trail
Dusty is the name of a young boy who was born with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. This is a very rare disease, which only occurs with every 1 in 3,500 male babies born. This is a very serious condition, which does not grant its bearer a long and prosperous life. Dusty’s family formed the Duchenne Coalition, in an attempt to raise awareness about the disease, by visiting Mt. Kinabalu in Borneo every year. This movie tells the story of Dusty’s life, and the remarkable climb his family made to the summit.
3. Wonder Mountains
This video is about the wonder mountain of Japan. All the well known ones are shown. Think of:
- Tateyama
- Yakushima
- Yatsugatake
- Hakuba
And more…
4. Climb for Freedom
Seven completely normal guys, average Joes like you and me, set out to take on a new adventure in an attempt to hit the reset buttons on their lives. They are choosing to take on the dreaded Mt. Aconcagua, Argentina. This is just one of Argentina’s many summits. Watch these guys train hard and grow stronger in their attempt to challenge, and ultimately defeat, Mt. Aconcagua.
5. Hard Way Home
In Hard Way Home, you get to look over the shoulder of a film maker, who has made the difficult decision to walk away from it all in order to let go of his troubled past. We get to watch him go through an enormous struggle, both mentally as well as physically. His goal: to thru-hike the Appalachian trail from Georgia to Maine. His journey is not a lonely one. Before the movie is over, you will meet many more hikers that he meets on his path.
6. Walk North
Follow an expert community as they take on the Appalachian trail, which stretches across a dozen different states along the east coast of the USA. It’s thousands of miles long, but these guys have seen every inch of it. This trail is much more than just another long hiking trail, though. If you haven’t hiked it, you’d have to see the movie to learn why.
7. Walking The West – Hiking The Pacific Crest Trail From Mexico To Canada
Another great story about a guy who’s had it with society. So what does he do? He cashes out his belongings and hits the trail. It’s 2 guys, actually… a New Zealander and an Irishman. That’s one helluva combination! That’s exactly what I thought when I first saw this movie. But it leads to some interesting interactions. Together, they hike well over 2,500 miles from Mexico all the way to Canada. They walk at 21 miles per day for well over 4 months. If you’re a hiker, you’ll realize this is quite a challenging pace.
8. Lost Coast
The beautiful state of California has a very remote coastal region. Ayup, this is the Lost Coast. This movie is an attempt at raising awareness of the spiritually bankrupt lives that we are currently leading in what we call ‘modern/civilized society’. Instead of focusing on materialism, this movie is trying to get our attention to shift towards the beauty of the natural world. And it does this very well.
9. The Climb to Katahdin
Another movie that is set on the Appalachian trail (this trail sure is popular!). It’s America’s oldest walking path. This follows the adventure of a couple and their dog, aptly named CamDog, because he’s wearing a cam. This family takes on the Appalachian and heads north. You can experience their adventure through their eyes, in their 6 month long adventure on this trail. CamDog will give you a really unique view of the trail, like you’ve never seen before.
10. Beauty Beneath the Dirt
Again, a movie about the Appalachian. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. You can never get enough of the Appalachian! Follow three people in their twenties, who are taking a break from school, in order to receive the most important education of all: life.
You can find all these videos, and more, by going to Vimeo and searching for the titles!
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