Video: Grand Canyon and Monument Valley Timelapse

Our friend Gavin Heffernan from Sunchaser Pictures have released yet another spectacular timelapse, this time with breathtaking images from the Grand Canyon and Monument Valley in Arizona. As usual, this video is mesmerizing to watch. Words can't really describe it, so just watch and enjoy.

YIKÁÍSDÁHÁ from Sunchaser Pictures on Vimeo.

Video: The Dramatic Effects of Wind and Water on the American Southwest

We all know that wind and water can have a dramatic impact on the environment, particularly after millions of years of being able to relentlessly attack the stone over which they flow. There are few places where that is more evident than in the American southwest, where canyons and gorges are common. The video below gives us a glimpse of those places, showing us just how beautifully they have been carved by these forces of nature.

 EROSION from Brett Lyon on Vimeo.

Video: Discovering Adventure On The Colorado River In The Grand Canyon

Defining adventure is a very personal thing. What make up an adventure for me, may be very different from what is an adventure for you. This short film follows a group of kayakers as they paddle the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon, while also seeking to define what "adventure" means to each of them. It is a compelling little documentary that will leave you thinking about the topic, and pondering exactly "Why We Go."

Why We Go from Brett Mayer on Vimeo.

Video: Running Rim to Rim to Rim In The Grand Canyon

If yesterday's video of trail running in Patagonia wasn't enough to get you motivated, than perhaps this fantastic video will. It was shot last October in the Grand Canyon, where trail runners Jeff Pelletier and Karl Woll did a double crossing of the Grand Canyon (rim-to-rim-to-rim), covering 46 miles, over 14 hours, in the process. Along the way, they captured some fantastic images from the trail. This short-film captures the essence of that adventure incredibly well.

Thanks to Karl for sharing this. Great work!

Video: Rafting The Grand Canyon

Running the Grand Canyon is one of the best rafting adventures on the planet. Setting out from Lee's Ferry and paddling down river to Diamond Creek can take in excess of two weeks to complete as travelers pass through an incredibly remote and beautiful wonderland. You can make that journey yourself in the video below, which follows a team of 16 as they paddle through the Canyon over a 16-day period. Looks like quite an amazing adventure.

Erik Weihenmayer Continues Prepping To Paddle The Grand Canyon

Back in November I shared the amazing story of how blind adventurer Erik Weihenmayer was preparing to kayak the entire length of the Grand Canyon. At the time, Erik was training at the U.S. National Whitewater Center in North Carolina to build all of the skills he'll need to paddle the Canyon. It turns out, Erik has been continuing to work on those skills and has even been spending some time in the Grand Canyon itself.

In a recent post to his blog, Erik shared an update on his progress. He had just returned from a 12-day paddling excursion to the Canyon that gave him an opportunity to assess how far his skills have come and determine if kayaking 225 miles down the Colorado River is an actual possibility in the future. While he admits that he continues to have severe anxiety while running some of the more wild rapids, he is beginning to think that this expedition may happen. He says he isn't quite there yet, but the plan is to paddle the river next summer, so he still has 16 months to get ready.

Erik is a guy who never ceases to amaze me. We are, after all, talking about man who became the first visually impaired person to summit Everest and the rest of the Seven Summits for that matter. He's also competed in adventure races, ridden in the Leadville 100 mountain bike race and cycled from San Francisco to Denver. And that is just the tip of the iceberg on his adventure resume. Now, he is set to take on the Grand Canyon, which quite simply put, must be an incredibly scary thing for a blind person. Yet he continues to push boundaries both for himself and how a the world perceives what he is capable of. That may be his greatest accomplishment yet.

The video below was shot on his recent paddling trip. It shows Erik making the first blind descent of Granite Rapids. He may think he's not ready, but his skills look sharp to me. I can't wait to follow his attempt on the full river next year.

Thanks to Clyde Soles for sharing this story. Very inspirational.

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.

Erik Weihenmayer To Paddle The Grand Canyon

Looking to start your week off with a little dose of inspiration? Then look no further than this article on Erik Weihenmayer that was published by the New York Times last week. Most of us are aware that in 2001 Erik became the first blind person to summit Everest and since then he has continued to amaze with his various other adventures, which include climbing the rest of the Seven Summits, cycling from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh in Vietnam and competing in adventure races, amongst numerous others. But now he is planning a challenge of a completely different nature as he is currently preparing to kayak down the Grand Canyon.

In the article, the New York Times caught up with Erik while training at the U.S. National Whitewater Center in North Carolina, where he can perfect the skills needed to kayak the Colorado River through the Canyon. Those skills are daunting for someone with normal vision, but for Erik they require a completely different level of dedication. He says that he paddles by listening to the water around him and feeling what is beneath his boat and paddle. It is an intuitive approach to the sport that can only be mastered through practice and experience. Even with that experience however, Erik is trailed by a friend while out on the water who gives him verbal directions on which way to go and how far to turn.

There is no specific date set for when Weihenmayer will make his attempt on the Grand Canyon, although he says that if his training continues to progress that he hopes to do so next year. The trip will be a long and demanding one through some remote parts of the country. Erik says that they won't even be able to use satellite phones to stay in contact on certain sections of the paddle, which will be a multi-day affair.

Considering all of the things he has accomplished, you would think at some point I would cease to be amazed at the things that Erik does. But paddling the Grand Canyon will be yet another amazing feat to add to a resume that is already full of fantastic adventures.

Video: Grand Canyon In Timelapse

When you think of locations that would make for a great timelapse videos, the Grand Canyon would seem to be right at the top of the list. This video more than confirms that as it simply captures one of the most stunning landscapes on the planet in the best way possible. The video was made over seven weeks in April, May and June, when more than 80,000 photos were take throughout the Grand Canyon region. The filmmakers even managed to capture the solar eclipse that took place back in May and it all makes for a grand 5+ minute experience.

Grand Canyon : Blink of Time from GOTM Films on Vimeo.

New Endurance Stage Race Grand To Grand Ultra Begins This Weekend

A new ultra-length stage race is set to get underway this weekend in the western United States, where some of the top endurance runners in the world have gathered to take on a unique course that will undoubtedly challenge them both mentally and physically. The seven-day, six-stage event will cover more than 160 miles (257 km) and feature over 21,700 ft (6614 meters) of vertical gain.

The race is called the Grand to Grand Ultra, deriving its name from the fact that it begins at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon and ends at the summit of the Grand Staircase in Utah. Over the course of next week, competitors in the event will be running an average of 28 miles per day, mostly through remote desert regions as they pass through two national forests and Zion National Park on their way to the finish line.

As is typical with these kinds of events, the G2G Ultra requires that all of the competitors be self supporting while out on the course. That means they won't just be running more than a marathon per day, but they'll also have to carry all of their gear with them while out on the course. Mandatory gear includes first aid and emergency supplies, a windproof jacket, lightweight sleeping bag and more. They'll also need to haul their food and water with them as well although they will receive fresh water at each of the checkpoints they pass through along the way.

One of the things that I find most interesting about this race is that the organizers are giving away some of the proceeds to charity. This year they selected one of my favorite organizations, impossible2Possible, to be the beneficiary of those charitable contributions. I've written numerous times about the efforts of i2P, which encourages education and physical activity through the use of adventure. The non-profit organizes a couple of expeditions to remote places on the planet each year and then interacts with students and faculty in a variety of classrooms to help raise awareness of global issues. It's a great program and one I'm always happy to see get some attention.

The G2G Ultra actually begins Sunday morning at the North Rim. While it is underway you should be able to get updates from the official website. And if you want to take part in the 2013 version of the race, they are already accepting early bird applications.

Video: Last of the Great Unknown Trailer

The Grand Canyon is, without a doubt, one of the most spectacular outdoor settings on the planet. But when most people think about it, they conjure up images of the immense rift in the Earth's surface that stretches for 277 miles (445km) in length and is as wide as 18 miles (29km) at points. What most people don't know however is that Grand Canyon also has a series of twisting, narrow, labyrinthine canyons that are seldom visited and haven't been completely explored.

In a few weeks time a new documentary will be unveiled at the 5Point Film Festival entitled Last of the Great Unknowns. That film follows a team of explorers who descended into those canyons and explored some of the more remote areas of the GC, and in the process may have become the first humans to ever see some of those places. The trailer for that documentary is below and it looks amazing.

Thanks to the Best Hike Blog for the tip.