Video: How The Wolves Of Yellowstone Impacted The Environment There

Yellowstone National Park is one of my favorite places on the planet. It is a beautiful, breathtaking landscape, with some amazing wildlife on display. Back in 1995, wolves were famously reintroduced to the park, without anyone knowing for sure what they would do to the ecosystem there. Turns out, they have had quite an impact, in ways that no one could have predicted. The video below shares some insights into that vary thing. It is four minutes that are likely to fascinate anyone who has a love for the outdoors.

Video: Yellowstone Timelapse

This video captures one of my favorite national parks in all of its glory. Yellowstone is definitely an amazing place and this timelapse video manages to show off some of the more spectacular settings there, including numerous geothermal features that the park is famous for.

Timelapse: Yellowstone National Park from Roadtrippers on Vimeo.

Video: The Primordial Landscapes of Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons

Yellowstone National Park and the Grand Tetons are two of my favorite places. This video captrues them in their stunning beauty. Seven minutes of pure bliss from two great national parks. Enjoy.

Primordial ---- Yellowstone / Grand Tetons from Voortex Productions on Vimeo.

NPCA Implores President Obama To Improve Air In National Parks

The National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) has petitioned President Obama urging him to take immediate action to clean up the air in America's national parks. This move comes after the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) took air samples in ten of the nation's most iconic parks and found that while air quality is improving it is doing so at an incredibly slow rate. So slow in fact, that the NPCA predicts it could take up to 300 years before the parks return to their natural states.

The complete list of the ten parks the EPA surveyed, along with the estimated year that each will return to its level of natural air quality are listed below.

• North Cascades National Park (Washington) – 2276
• Badlands National Park (South Dakota) – 2265
• Voyageurs National Park (Minnesota) – 2177
• Yellowstone National Park (Wyoming/Montana/Idaho) – 2163
• Theodore Roosevelt National Park (North Dakota) – 2158
• Big Bend National Park (Texas) – 2155
• Grand Canyon National Park (Arizona) – 2127
• Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park (Colorado) – 2119
• Joshua Tree National Park (California) – 2106
• Sequoia National Park (California) – 2096

The 1977 Clean Air Act and the 1998 Regional Haze Rule were created to help improve air quality in the national parks. But thanks to loop holes in those pieces of legislation, clean-up is going much slower than expected. The NPCA's petition to the President encourages him to close those loop holes and hold polluters responsible for their actions. By taking these actions it is hoped that the air quality can being to improve much sooner. To add your name to the petition, click here. 

As someone who happens to love America's national parks I have to whole heartedly get behind this petition. The parks are some oft he best outdoor playgrounds in the world and they really should be protected for future generations to enjoy too. I'm encouraged to hear that air quality is improving but it is sad to hear that it could take up to ten generations to get them back to their natural state. If that is as unacceptable to you as it is to me, then click on the link above and add your name to the petition.

300 Years for Clean Air? Our National Parks Can’t Wait! from NPCA on Vimeo.

Unbranded: A 3000-Mile Journey Through The American West On Horseback

A lot of people don't realize it, but the American west still has herds of wild horses that inhabit portions of the country. It is estimated that about 37,000 of the animals still roam the west today and these strong, sturdy creatures are uniquely adapted to their environment. That makes them a particularly good choice for a new equestrian expedition that is set to get underway on March 15th. That is when a group of four riders will set out on a 3000-mile long odyssey that will form the basis of a new documenary entitled Unbranded.

In few short weeks, riders Ben Masters, Thomas Glover, Ben Thamer and Jonny Fitzsimons will embark on their adventure, starting at the border of Mexico and heading north. Their route will take them more than six months to complete, crossing through Arizona, Utah, Idaho, Wyoming and Montana before finishing at the Canadian border. Along the way they'll pass through such amazing locations at the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone and Glacier National Park.

The four men will ride this trail with 17 horses, each of which were previously wild mustangs. Their journey wouldn't be possible without these amazing animals and the film that they will shoot will be a testament to the partnership between rider and horse. Through this film they hope to not only recapture the spirit of adventure in the Old West but also share with viewers the story of these wild mustangs, many of which are available for adoption to those looking to add a high-quality horse to their stable, ranch or farm.

The route that the team has elected to follow is a custom one that they've selected themselves in an effort to experience the true backcountry of the places they'll be visiting along the way. The path will lead along portions of the Arizona Trail, Great Western Trail and the Continental Divide Trail, passing through deserts, canyons, mountains and plains along the way. It should make for a stunning and dramatic backdrop to their adventure.


Sometime back, the men started a KickStarter campaign in an effort to raise funds to make this film. I'm happy to report that with three days left in their campaign, they have exceeded their budget and plans are moving ahead as expected. In fact, they've already begun filming the early parts of the film, capturing footage of the riders working with their horses before they set out. The video below is from that KickStarter and will give you an idea of what to expect from this film when it is finally released.

The expedition is expected to finish up around September 20th of this year.

Video: The Beauty of Yellowstone

Cinematographer/Photographer David Stubbs spend a considerable time in and around Yellowstone National Park in 2011 and managed to capture some amazing footage of that beautiful place. The video below gives us a glimpse of that place, which is amongst my favorite destinations on the planet. The footage of the two moose sparring with one another is worth the watch alone, as moose aren't particularly plentiful in Yellowstone. Enjoy!

Thanks to The Goat for sharing this.