Earlier this fall, Pete McBride and the talented guys at Vital Films (who are all fellow Roaring Fork Valley residents) put together a video love letter to the wilderness in honor of the 50th anniversary of the Wilderness Act. They note that in 50 years, our designated wilderness areas have gone from nine acres to 110 million acres.
The film is narrated with a script of famous words and poems by great authors like Edward Abbey, Ralph Waldo Emerson, John Muir and Wallace Stegner, and one of our favorite quotes is included:
“Thousands of tired, nerve-shaken, over-civilized people are beginning to find out going to the mountains is going home; that wilderness is a necessity…” ― John Muir
The visuals show some incredible scenes of the Maroon Bells, Aspen Highlands, the surrounding Elk Mountain Range and local Aspen wildlife. The resulting short film is a stunning homage to wild areas across the United States. Enjoy the eye candy and dream about exploring beyond the fences this year.
Words of Wilderness: 1836 – Present from Pete McBride on Vimeo.