El Calafate: Climb a Glacier
Torres del Paine (via Puerto Natales): Trek the W
El Chaltén: Hike Mt. Fitz Roy
Buenos Aires: Chilllllllllll
Settle into your hostel/campground. We recommend the following budget-friendly options:
Linda Vista: centrally located larger apartment with kitchen
America del Sur: good vibes, not too far from town
El Ovejero: centrally located campground
Sign up for the following excursions at your hostel:
Perito Moreno (through Hielos y Aventura - the only guide that treks the glacier) for the following day, two options:
Big Ice: Hike along the balcony across from the glacier, boat over to the glacier, and trek on the glacier for 3.5 hours [ARS $4,000]
Minitrek: Hike along the balcony across from the glacier, boat over to the glacier, and trek on the glacier for 1.5 hours [ARS $2,400] - We did this one; 1.5 hours was plenty! Since it started sleeting icy rain, we were freezing towards the end.
A shuttle picks you up from your hostel for both of the above mentioned tours.
Bus ticket to Torres del Paine (through Always Glaciers or Experience Chile)
The Always Glaciers website is notoriously always down, but we were able to book tickets at America del Sur Hostel. The information on the hostel’s website is also misleading because it indicates you can avoid a stop in Puerto Natales - which was NOT true when we took it. The bus will drop you off at the Puerto Natales bus station, from where you will need buy another ticket to Laguna Amarga (the ranger station in Torres del Paine).
Though we didn’t know about this option prior to travel, Experience Chile (experiencechile.org) appears to have bus routes directly from El Calafate, allegedly direct to Laguna Amarga.
Day pack with water, book, and snacks
Hat, scarf, and waterproof mittens
Waterproof outer shell with at least two layers underneath
Waterproof pants (I even wore leggings under mine)
Thick, high-profile socks
Waterproof hiking boots
Chilean pesos (CLP) for border crossing, bus, and ferry tickets
Border Crossing: 18,000 during high season 1 October to 30 April
10,000 during low season 1 May to 30 September
Bus Tickets: 15,000
Ferry Tickets: 15,000
N.B. - The Always Glaciers bus stops at a small border town where you can exchange your ARS or USD for CLP.
Your passport
Lots of water, books, and snacks
Start with the catamarán, which takes you from Pudeto to Paine Grande. End at Las Torres.
Start at Las Torres, and end with the catamarán.
1 big backpack with raincover (63L Gregory)
1 small day pack
1 water bladder (3L Platypus)
1 waterproof hiking pant (wore over my leggings most days)
2 wicking leggings
2 ribbed tanks
2 wicking half zips
1 super warm, lightweight jacket (pictured)
1 lightweight rain jacket/windbreaker
3 pairs of high profile hiking socks
1 pair of waterproof gloves
1 fleece neckwarmer
1 beanie
1 pair of waterproof hiking boots (Danner Mountain 600)
Sunglasses
Trekking poles (helps your knees downhill)
Undergarments
Toiletries
Headlamp
Snacks, food, cooking supplies (unless you plan to buy dinners at the refugios)
Sleeping bag (rating for 32 deg F recommended)
Sleeping pad (I forgot mine at home!!! Had to buy a terrible substitute in El Calafate.)
Tent
TAQSA: 7:30, 16:30 [ARS $450]
CalTur: 8:00, 13:00, 18:30 [ARS $600]
Chaltén Travel: 8:00, 13:00, 18:00 [ARS $600]
TAQSA: 11:00, 19:30 [ARS $450]
CalTur: 8:00, 13:00, 18:00 [ARS $600]
Chaltén Travel: 7:30, 13:00, 18:00 [ARS $600]
Bahama living. 📸 -- @alexiskiil
Hanging loose in La Jolla. 📸 -- @davidbaghdikian
Change up the scenery. 📸 -- @stephentsmith
Take a deep breath and find that calm place. 📸 -- @jenn_staywild
Take a trip to the mountains. 📸 -- @mister.boring
Follow us on Instagram for more adventures! @freemanscollective
It's about the experience, not the destination. 📸 -- @adventureval
Take a look. 📸 -- @sethvdl
Where did you go this weekend? 📸 -- @josiahq
On the right track. 📸 -- @cechavo
Follow us on Instagram @freemanscollective for more amazing photos!
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Stay warm with our Big Sur blanket. 📸 -- @tanneryeagerphoto --
Travel with company. 📸 -- @shaun_ezell --
Sunset. 📸 -- @jonathanseagul --
Views before work. 📸 -- @stephentsmith --
Balboa Island. 📸 -- @outdoorphins --
What an amazing sight at Yosemite. 📸 -- @mister.boring --
Introducing Instagram Stories from Instagram on Vimeo.
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Hurricane Marie. If you surf in Southern California, hell if you surf anywhere, that name holds great significance. It was the first time the El Niño weather pattern had returned in over 10 years to the west coast. More importantly, it meant huge hurricane swells would hammer the coastline. They called it "Big Wednesday" and compared the powerful waves that day to the legendary Pipeline of the Hawaiian Islands. The largest of the swells peaking at a reported 20ft+, with at a world-famous break: The Wedge.
Drop into the madness with us.
]]>We've partnered with the amazing crew at Evident Outdoor. Check out their newest video and the first of many projects from founders Shaun Ezell and Josh Bokusky:
"A time lapse, video and aerial drone compilation of the Mammoth Lakes region of the Eastern Sierras. We spent the weekend working on our "Dare to Dream" video project and admired the footage from the stormy weekend that we decided to release a separate project on this short venture. Music by Bellarive Special Thanks to Bellarive music."
]]>MTJP | Redwood from More Than Just Parks on Vimeo.
]]>ZION is the culmination of nearly a month spent exploring Zion National Park during peak fall color. Exquisitely carved by the Virgin River over millions of years, Zion Canyon is one of the most stunning places on earth. But don't stop there! This park has so much more to offer outside of the main canyon. Golden meadows, sweeping vistas, red rock mountains, towering white temples, and powerful ancient rivers comprise this incredible treasure. This film was shot primarily in 8K.
Redwood National Park short film: vimeo.com/139893505
Olympic National Park short film: vimeo.com/108785446
Great Smoky Mountains National Park short film: vimeo.com/113248494
Joshua Tree National Park short film: vimeo.com/120995492
Acadia National Park short film: vimeo.com/148834441
To learn more about the More Than Just Parks Project please visit our website: morethanjustparks.com/
To learn more about the making of this video please visit: morethanjustparks.com/zion
To learn more about Zion National Park visit: nps.gov/zion/
Prints: morethanjustparks.smugmug.com/MoreThanJustParks/
Facebook: facebook.com/morethanjustparks
Twitter: twitter.com/MTJParks
Instagram: instagram.com/morethanjustparks
Email: morethanjustparks@gmail.com
Timelapse Gear:
Radian & Michron by Alpine Labs
alpinelaboratories.com/zion
Tent Shot at the end:
The Cave by Heimplanet
heimplanet.com
Music: Lights & Motion “Heartbeats”
By Arrangement with Deep Elm Records
www.deepelm.com
Thanks to Sea Raven Media: searavenmedia.com
Thanks to Chris Walker
Here are a few fun statistics from our trip:
Crew Members: 3
Time: 24 days
Distance: 100mi+
Photos/Videos: 35,000+
Digital Memory: 4TB
100% of your donations go toward making more captivating short films like the one we've already made.
Up Around The Bend - Creedence Clearwater Revival
Like a Rolling Stone - Bob Dylan
Start Me Up - Rolling Stones
Insane In The Brain - Cypress Hill
Crazy Train - Ozzy Osbourne
Kryptonite - 3 Doors Down
American Idiot - Green Day
Smooth ft. Rob Thomas
The Middle – Jimmy Eat World
Smells Like Teen Spirit – Nirvana
Matt and Kim - Let's Go
John Newman - Love me Again
C2C - Down The Road
Portugal. The Man - Purple Yellow Red & Blue
Ghostland Observatory - Give Me The Beat
RAC ft. Katie Herzig - 3AM (filous remix)
Radical Something - Paradise in You (SJUR Remix)
Listenbee - Nottamun Town
Etham - Cold Love
Isetern - Marley
Stay warm at your camp or in your living room with our Big Sur Blanket. Buy here.
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Hollow Caves - Heatwave (Filious Remix)
Chris Meid - Red River (Featuring Tyler Sjöström & Martin Wagler)
Ed Sheeran & Passenger - Thrift Shop (Kygo Remix)
Ed Sheeran - I See Fire (Kygo Remix)
Empire of the Sun - We Are The People (Flic Flac Remix)
Gear for the journey - Freeman's Co. Westcoast Wanderlust Trucker Hat - Click photo to learn more!
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#StepSwiftly
- Freeman's Co.
]]>One of the best things about being a collective is the community and culture that we strive to cultivate. We are proud to work with local artists and craftsmen to bring unique and authentic goods to our customers. It's these partnerships that build the foundation for our brand. We are pleased to introduce Michelle Gefre as our featured artist and our featured product: The Wild Cub Trucker Hat produced from our collaboration.
Hello, my name is Michelle Gefre and I am an artist, photographer and Zip Line Guide based out of Portland, Oregon. Being a Pacific Northwest native I have always had a love for the outdoors and a sense of adventure. I am a huge adrenaline junkie, I enjoy snowboarding, surfing, riding ATV’s and trying out any extreme sport to get my blood pumping. Some of the more extreme activities I have done, aside from my zip line profession, has been swinging on a giant swing and skydiving.
Running a travel and hiking blog comes with the territory of needing to travel and see new things. I have seen 8 countries(U.S., Mexico, England, South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Zambia) and have been to 6 of those as a solo traveler. That’s where my love for wildlife photography came in. Photographing African animals was unpredictable and exciting! Pretty soon I plan on using my main job as a Zip Line Guide to travel all over the world. I use the inspiration from what I see all over the world and at home and project it into my art.
When it comes to art I have always loved clean abstract black and white ink art, which is what I practiced for a long time. Art is a way for me to stay in one place but go everywhere at the same time. As I saw more of the world I began to appreciate the colors and its beauty, so I started experimenting with different mediums. I fell in love with watercolor. With my need to have clean lines, watercolor presented a challenge for me. It taught me that messy can be beautiful but that I could also shape medium to my liking. After all the trials and errors I found a way for me to combine two very different mediums, Ink and watercolor with some acrylic for stand out details, in my own way. That is the art you see me producing today. I was able combine my love for animals, landscapes and drawing/painting into one piece. I have filled my life with all of my passions and it hasn’t let me down yet.
Visit her site trailthesun.com for more info.
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Living in Asia, you get to meet interesting people. You meet interesting people wherever you go… but “Asian Interesting” is an entirely different breed. Their culture, surroundings, history, and dreams are so different from mine. And I love it. But you meet other people out here as well. Tourism is a huge industry and it manifests itself in an impressive variety of ways. The Thais specifically are renowned for doing anything for your money. While this results in incredibly entertaining interactions, it also leads to some less than fortunate ones as well. One that caught my attention is this current trend to discourage any activity that involves elephants. I have witnessed a near nonstop barrage of rumors and second hand misinformation regarding these wonderful beings. I had a few days to spare so I decided to go and see for myself. My plan was to talk my way into the most disgusting and heart wrenching environments I could find as well as the nicest, most lavish resorts and compare how the elephants are treated in each situation. My goal was to see if the rumored abuse existed, and if so, why.
What I found was a high correlation between the living conditions of the elephants to the living conditions of their owners. For the owners who live in poverty, making only a few dollars a day, their elephants lived in poverty as well. For those who lived within the nicest resorts Thailand has to offer, they lived like kings. My first stop was inland in an area I knew was poorer than your average Thai village. After asking around, I was introduced to a man that apparently trains the elephants that the jungle tours companies later buy. As far as the rumors went, these were the worst trainers that “broke” the elephants with whips and chains. This man was exactly what I was looking for – you could smell his poverty. After a short talk and a few quick jokes, he agreed to show me his place. I followed behind his scooter on my own and we went deep into the wet jungle. Finally we arrived at his property. It was a total dump. No power, no running water, and barely a roof over his head, this man lived alongside the elephant pens he had constructed. He could not afford walls around these massive pens so he simply chained them to a post. Plenty of room for necessities, however, it was still far from luxury. I did not witness any intentional abuse. No whips to be found, no signs of struggle, no open wounds on the animals, and the happy reaction given by these elephants to the sight of their owner was genuine and excited. He fed, pet, kissed, and snuggled them and they seemed to return all of his affection. He proudly showed me all of his animals’ best tricks. His favorite – “Kŏr Jóop Nòi!” (Can I have a Kiss?) If you have never been kissed by a baby elephant… well, then I have a suggestion for your bucket list.
From the deep jungle I decided to head towards the coast. I was looking for higher incomes and better living situations to see what effect this would have on the elephants. I had a strange tugging in my heart from that last experience but I shrugged it off and continued. The example of poverty I had held no signs of abuse, but I was still curious to see what it looked like when they actually had the means to provide a quality environment. Along my way I crossed golf courses and gated communities, terrible dirt roads branched off to newly paved Cul-de-sacs. I was getting closer. I picked the nicest resort I could find and after some quick wheedling with the guards, they were persuaded to show me around. This was an entirely different scenario. Each elephant had its own area to sleep and a large playground to eat and run around. It seemed no expense was sparred to make these elephants as happy as possible. I asked the main trainer why these conditions were the way they were. He told me the elephants were like a child. If you give them a toy, they’ll be happy for an hour. They just time this right so that hour is when these elephants are with the guests. Pleasantly confused, I thanked him for his time and made my way to the beach. This resort was absolutely abandoned. I walked through incredible gardens for several minutes without seeing another soul. No gate was locked and no guards were seen, so I wandered freely and enjoyed seeing the inner workings of these resorts. I finally heard some commotion as I arrived near the beach. It was time for the elephants to play.
Three elephants were let out and allowed to wander along the beach. They were accompanied by one trainer and two workers to clean up after these massive creatures. We were all given plenty of fruit and bundles of leaves to feed them and the elephants definitely weren’t shy. I walked down to the beach and one of them followed. He got near the water and had a seat. We shared my remaining pineapple and sat together, watching the waves go by. I was more shocked by the concept that elephants could sit than by the realization of just how precious this experience really was. But I enjoyed every moment nonetheless.
I saw a great difference between the two different scenarios. No sign of abuse but noticeable degrees of provisions and quality of living situations. I didn’t find any abuse but that doesn’t mean it’s not out there. I saw some intense people and impressively low standards of living. The poverty here is different than poverty I’ve seen before. It’s depraved. I remembered I still had a tugging in my heart after dealing with these people. It wasn’t until later that I realized what that was about. I was so focused on discovering the truth behind the quality of life of these animals that I completely overlooked the poverty stricken lives of their owners. These people live in the mud. No proper education and hardly any aspirations for a better life. These people are not stuck by any outside force. Only their content attitudes to hold them back. And that’s what was strange. Normally I would glorify a simple life… at the very least appreciate it. These men get to spend their day with some incredibly majestic creatures! There is no surprise why they have been worshipped for so many years. But perhaps it was their hygiene that allowed for my disconcerting feelings. I assume each situation is different, but for all the commonalities among these poor, two really stuck out from the rest: Poor Education and Low Ambition. My friends, never stop growing, never stop learning, and never stop dreaming of a brighter future. There is always room to better yourself. More importantly, there is always someone that could use your help. Be in a position in your own life to be capable and available to help those around you. Once there, contentment becomes appropriate.
]]>I enjoy music. I also enjoy visiting national parks. Sometimes, these two most enjoyable activities overlap. Certain albums take on a life of their own in certain parks, so I have decided to include a visual of what I see when I hear these albums along with my favorite track. Here are my top 6 (arbitrary number) national park albums:
6. Talk Talk- Laughing Stock
Here are beauties to behold. “Laughing Stock” is an album that has flown under the radar for pretty much all of its existence, but you would have to wonder how much Talk Talk care. The album itself is incredibly dreamy and natural, rarely commanding your attention as anything more than a beautiful soundtrack to beautiful scenery. It really does deserve to be higher on my list, but it is difficult to play without wanting to just fall asleep to it. It is great for a late afternoon drive following a heavy hike, as long as your driver can stay awake. My Track: New Grass
Visualize this:
5. Sigur Rós- Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust
Simply put, Sigur Rós makes some of the most beautiful music that I have ever heard. This comes as no surprise given the band’s attachment to Iceland, one of the most beautiful countries that I have ever seen filmed or photographed. This album holds special significance for me because of one particular moment while driving back from a long day of hiking the Lakes Trail in Sequoia National Park: listening to Ara Batur, a song that builds and builds to a beautiful, succinct crescendo, we came over a hill through the beautiful Sequoia forests and the light of the late afternoon sun came shining through the trees at the exact moment of the climax in beauty of both the auditory and visual senses when the song reached it’s glorious peak. Needless to say, we all looked at each other as though something otherworldly had occurred. My Track: Festival
Visualize this:
4. Woody Guthrie- My Dusty Road
This land is your land, this land is my land. It makes me sad to know that Woody Guthrie is not very well known by our generation. This man is a legend, one of the pioneers of the folk that has become such a constant in American music. Without Woody Guthrie, we may have had no Bob Dylan. His recordings are often songs mixed with rants about dust bowl blues, depression-era stories, and riding the rails. When listening to him in a National Park, you get a sense that the land around you echoes those who have come before you. My Track: This Land Is Your Land
Visualize this:
3. Marco Beltrami- 3:10 to Yuma
I love the American Southwest. As many of my closest friends can attest, I used to hate driving through Southern Utah on the way to Denver where I went to school. It has now become one of my favorite places in the entire world. Vast wastelands and beautifully crafted arches let my mind wander to a lonely, yet enticing place where there is still some sense of quietness in our busy, shrieking world. What does all of this have to do with the soundtrack to the film 3:10 To Yuma? Quite a bit, as I have yet to find a better soundtrack to this part of our planet. What Marco Beltrami has created in his Oscar-nominated work is a perfect Western scene which mixes more characteristic Western themes with a subtle acoustic guitar. I’ve yet to find anything better for a cloud-filled Southwestern day. My track: Bible Studay.
Visualize this:
2. Django Reinhardt- The Indispensable Django Reinhardt
There is a strange connection in my mind between Django Reinhardt and Woody Guthrie. They are not particularly similar in most ways, but somehow both of their brand of music takes me to the same place; a relaxed, peaceful place where I can focus less on the music and more on who and what is around me. The only reason that Django Reinhardt’s gypsy jazz is higher on the list than Woody Guthrie’s folk is that it makes for a better social piece. It hearkens back to a time when Americans were still learning what these parks were and what they would become. This is classic background music and just what is needed after a long day of hiking. My track: Beyond the Sea (La Mer)
Visualize this:
1. Sigur Rós- Takk
As I said earlier, Sigur Rós makes incredibly beautiful music. Their 2005 album Takk is, in my mind, not only their best (at least at this point as they are still making music), but also their closest to nature. The album rises like a mountain and falls as though in a valley, at times reaching high points of near ecstasy and at others dropping down into the deepest and most solemn places of sound. At one point while in Sequoia National Park, I was sitting on the giant monolith known as Moro Rock, overlooking a massive valley and looking up towards snow-capped peaks when I decided to lay down and turn on Takk. What followed is still a memory that seems more like a dream. The beauty around me was transformed by the incredible soundtrack playing in my ears. Birds were diving down and between the rocks before rising back up to great heights. Lizards were at play upon the rock face itself. The mountains became more massive and the valleys far deeper. It was beyond beautiful; it felt perfect. If I had one album to take with me anywhere, this would be it. My track: Glósóli
Visualize this:
Honorable Mentions:
Woven Hand – Mosaic: An incredible night album.
Turisas – Battle Metal: Exactly what it sounds like.
Band Of Horses – Everything All The Time: A great album if for nothing more than “The Funeral”.
Beck – Sea Change: Listen to this album in the afternoon. You will enjoy it.
Bruce Springsteen – The Ghost of Tom Joad: The Boss tells stories about America. Give it a listen.
]]>There’s nothing like the California coast and there’s nothing like seeing it from the great Pacific Coast Highway. The landscape is diverse as any place in the world. I’m drawn to the beauty that lies where the mountains meet the sea. Big Sur rises out of the deep waters of the Pacific and gives way to world class beaches, sprawling fields of green pastures, groves of giant Pacific Coastal Redwoods, and the Santa Lucia mountain range. This is God’s country and if you don’t believe me go see it for yourself. The sheer splendor of the wild open spaces are the type that make you feel small. It’s humbling. If your brave enough, you can even take it via jeep like freeman Morgan Oliver-Allen.
]]>Our second stop took us to Andrew Molera State Park. I was recommended to the location by an old roommate in college, but never got a chance to visit. Since we were passing by and making good time we detoured onto a turnout near the entrance. An opening in the fence beckoned us to follow down the dirt path it guarded. We kindly obliged and fell into step. In the distance an enormous grove of towering Eucalyptus trees stretched toward the sun. We made our way to the giants and were greeted by fellow hikers on their return run. They were courteous and greeted us in passing, as we in turn gave them our “hello’s” and “good days”. As we followed a footpath our surroundings grew greener, lush with vegetation and a cool air that felt crisp on our skin and fresh in our lungs. We’d found Big Sur River. Our path ran parallel to the meandering current and I felt suddenly like I was in another world. It’s a rainforest, albeit a temperate and cooler one, but a rainforest nonetheless. I can only compare it to another rainforest I’d hiked in south Australia, where much like this area, it was pocketed with huge old-growth groves of mammoth like trees and a ragged coast beaten by giant waves. Yes, I had entered another world.
As we continued on our path I could see a growing light ahead of me where the trees refrained from growing and the sun again pressed its light upon us. The path ended abruptly. The Big Sur River cut across the sprawling land before us. It was no matter. We quickly removed our shoes and continued walking. As we waded across the water, I began to take in my surroundings. It was surreal, all of it. To my right bluffs rose out on the horizon as the river emptied itself into the sea. Ahead of me a sand spit deposited by the runoff provided land where we headed. To the left were rolling hills and meadows. We crossed the river at a shallow point and threw down our packs high on the shoreline once we’d reached the sand beam. The beach curved to the south along the shoreline stopping at a point a few miles away from us. We found ourselves in a lush cove. Here there were sunbathers and surfers alike, so we pressed onward in our search for seclusion. We found it a mile and a half later after scrambling over boulders and course rock that formed the basis of the beach to the south. I paid my price for it with bloody feet and bruised toes. Learn from my lesson, put your shoes back on after the river crossing. A segment of the cliff jutted out across the sand and into the ocean to our west. I climbed the outcropping to better my perspective on our location to find myself in a comfortable position. The porous rocks had been smoothed by the blowing wind and water from the rising tide to make natural formations in the shape of steps. I sat down on a larger area with its smooth surface forming a natural seat and backrest. Sharif followed and we soon found ourselves again basking in the sun and enjoying the empty coastline. I watched as elephant seals popped their heads up among the Giant Kelp forests just off shore. Things seem much bigger here.
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