Bryce to Bears Ears Video Series

I know I’ve been MIA for a while, but…

…now I’m back AND I’m finally ready to share my latest video series! It covers my spring backpacking trip where I hiked for about 30 days and 500 miles across southern Utah from Bryce Canyon National Park to Bears Ears. The series is my most extensive to date showcasing some incredible and diverse landscapes and my usual “unique” insight on how to hike one’s own hike (ie my jokes and singing are “unique” right?! 😉) It really was a great trip in many ways and I’m excited to share it with everyone.

The first episode is now live on YouTube and focuses on the beginning in Bryce and features the Peek-a-boo Loop Trail, the Under-the-Rim Trail, the Grand View Trail through Dixie National Forest, and some cross-country exploration near Willis Creek and upper Bull Valley Gorge.

Look for new videos in the series twice a week throughout October. It took about a month to hike it… and now it’ll take about a month to see it all! 😉

Thanks for following along! 👍

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12 Comments

  1. Frederick A. Sramek

    Amazing videography! I just watched the first video; I can’t wait to see some more of them! How do you get the footage of you hiking as the camera follows along? (If it’s a “trade secret,” I’ll understand if you don’t want to share it, but it’s still amazing how good it looks!)

    • Haha — not really a trade secret! I’ll talk about it more in my post-hike follow-up video, but those shots are done using a 360-degree camera which lets me choose (and animate) the perspective while editing the video. The camera isn’t as high resolution as a traditional camera, but I love the effect and how it helps tell the story. Thanks!

  2. Hi Jamal,
    I really enjoy the 360 degree footage! You do an excellent job with that. Your shirt comment in Episode 5, on the Capitol Reef NP and Lake Powell segment reminded me of something my cousin said, when we were all young (in the 60’s).
    His older sister remarked; “Johnny! Your shirt is on inside out AND backwards!” Unperturbed, he reached up to his neckline, and in one fluid movement ripped the tag off.
    “No it’s not”, he said. And we all laughed.

  3. Hello Jamal
    Nice to hear from you !!!!

  4. That was fun to watch! Some really amazing geology there. I’d heard that Bryce shut down a few campsites due to bear activity so am glad you didn’t have to deal with them. I’m looking forward to the upcoming episodes.

    • Thanks! Yeah… that’s why I decided to get WAY OUTSIDE the park to camp! I still have yet to see an actual bear in Utah. I guess the campsite closure in Bryce was fairly cautionary — bear spotted on camera near the backcountry camp, but it didn’t have any interaction with humans (at least that was one account I saw.) Hope all is good for you.

  5. My son and I watched the first episode last night! Incredible footage and insight (as usual).

  6. Thanks for the new story Jamal! It popped up for me today and really helped me, been sick nasty cold and this lifted my spirits! Looking forward to the entire trip!