The leaves are changing, everyone. It’s go time.
As tomorrow is the first official day of fall, I’ve rounded up 7 awesome films that should get you excited for your own outdoor adventures this season. From climbing to ultrarunning to flyfishing, more and more filmmakers are broadening their definition of “outdoor adventure,” which (in my opinion) has made for better stories to complement the epic visuals.
1. Free Solo
Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin’s latest venture documents Alex Honnold’s free climb of El Capitan. I am SO EXCITED for this film, mostly because I live vicariously through climbers. It premieres nationwide September 28th.
Bonus content: “Free Solo’s Director Doesn’t Give a F**k About Climbing”
On Vasarhelyi:
She helped break the mold of the typically bro-heavy genre of climber cinema and extreme-sports flicks in general.
Find the full screening schedule here.
2. Meru
Before there was Free Solo, there was Meru, the 2015 film Chin and Vasarhelyi made about the first ascent of the Shark’s Fin on Mount Meru in the Himalayas of India (20,702 feet of madness.) It’s available on Netflix right now – time to go beg your family and friends for their Netflix passwords.
3. My Mom Vala
Yeti does a great job of sponsoring well-crafted films that don’t shove their products in your face. I can only name one Yeti-sponsored adventure film I’ve seen where I remember seeing a cooler, and I’m not even 100% sure it was a Yeti one.
To me, this proves the company’s dedication to storytelling over marketing ploys, which shines through in this heartwarming film about an Icelandic mother-daughter duo’s relationship – told through the perspective of the daughter and flyfishing.
4. The Mirnavator
I love Mirna Valerio’s story and how she overcomes the haters in this film. Running ultramarathons isn’t easy, period, even without all the negative jabs and comments Mirna gets.
Watch her conquer (and eat jalapeño chips in the middle of a 50k):
5. The Mountain In the Hallway
I’m not going to lie to you – I cry at a lot of things, but this film is particularly devastating. It follows the journey of cancer-fighting warriors Tate MacDowell and Brian McDonnell, who form a friendship through their disease and make plans to climb the Grand Teton.
Definitely watch this film, but perhaps in a quiet place where no one can see you ugly cry.
6. Break On Through
Margo Hayes is my new idol, and I’m not even a climber. This film documents her story and her attempts to become the first female climber to climb the grade 5.15 (at only 19!)
Watch the full film here.
7. Stumped
This film is one of my favorite adventure films ever simply because it’s freakin’ hilarious. Protagonist Maureen Beck and her climbing partner are not here for your inspirational nonsense.
I saw Stumped on the Mountainfilm tour last year, and again at No Man’s Land this year, and died laughing both times. Go watch it.
“I don’t want to be good for a girl, I don’t want to be good for just having one hand, I just want to be good, period.”
-Maureen Beck
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What are your favorite adventure films? Let me know your recommendations 🎥