Basics on Trek - A Journey on the Appalachian Trail
"TREK - A Journey on the Appalachian Trail" is the story of four young men and the people they meet as they attempt to hike the 2,168 miles of the Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine. Shot and edited by the hikers themselves, this documentary is one of the most accurate portrayals of the thru-hiker lifestyle that has been produced to date. Spanning 14 states and five months, this critically-acclaimed film will inspire you to follow your own dreams, no matter what the odds.
Comments from John:
Trek - A Journey on the Appalachian Trail is the most satisfying film I have watched in terms of encapsulating the Thru Hiker AT experience. This film is entertaining - giving you both a flavor of what the trail is like as well as some of the mental and physical struggles a person endures in thru hiking the Appalachian Trail. Much of the film reminded me of our thru hike and made me miss the trail very much. I recommend this film to anyone that has a spirit of adventure and desire to hike.
Back Story
Way back in 1999, Cirque Productions was just two guys in college at UNC Chapel Hill who were planning on hiking the AT after they finished school. Leon was studying media and television, and Brian was in business school. They harbored grand dreams of effortlessly (hahaha!) hiking the AT with their friends Andrew and Max in 2001, and began to conceive plans for a film to document the adventure. Brian almost went to work for a bank upon his graduation in 2000, but Leon saved him by convincing Brian to come work in the media industry, then at local TV company. The next year, as the time for departure grew near, Brian saved Leon by convincing him not to stay in town and work on a TV show, but rather to hike the AT as planned, and shoot their own documentary while doing so.
Five months and 50 hours of tape later, the boys had been to Georgia, Maine, and all points in between. They began the huge process of editing their first feature-length story, and finished days later, give or take a year or two.
From the creators:
We'd just like to extend a thank you to the Trail and hiking community at large for all the support and feedback we have received. This has been an amazing, unending adventure ever since we glimpsed the plaque on Springer Mountain on May 1st of 2001. With the current availability of DV cameras and professional editing software, there have been almost as many AT films released only in the last 2 years as in all the years before. We are just happy to have our own story on the shelves next to all these fine works, and to be able to share the spirit of the Trail with those who seek it.
