Adventure-Crew.com

BY JOE BERKOWITZToday
fastcompany.com

To create Trail View, granola bar makers Nature Valley and McCann Erickson sent a ragtag team of creatives and developers on a 45-day hike to get couch potatoes interested in the real thing and raise awareness of the national parks’ plight.

Photos from Nature Valley

Nearly a century ago, Woodrow Wilson created the National Park Service, galvanizing a widespread movement to preserve the country’s heritage and promote tourism. At the time, President Wilson could only have imagined the technological and organizational tools that would help achieve these goals. And, almost guaranteed, not once did he imagine a huge part of this effort would be brought to us by the makers of mouthwatering granola bars.

Funny how things change.

As it happens, General Mills brand Nature Valley has embarked on an ambitious initiative called Trail View to bring the parks experience to the indoors- and outdoors-oriented alike. “Nature is something you have to get close to in order to be moved by it,” says Scott Baldwin, Senior Marketing Manager at Nature Valley. “It’s easy to just show a picture of nature, but people want to have deeper experiences.” To deliver that deeper experience, the company sent content-gathering teams throughout the Great Smoky Mountains, Yellowstone, and the Grand Canyon this past summer to digitally capture 100 odd miles of each area, and replicate them online. Eventually, users will be able to experience, in real-time, a first-person perspective of hiking these trails, clicking on embedded points of interest along the way for pop-up information and videos. It’s a virtual hiking expedition anyone can take.

Although Nature Valley has long been a supporter of the national parks (it’s practically in the brand name), most recently raising money through its “Preserve the Parks” campaign, the company had been brainstorming ideas for how to do more to actually preserve them. The resulting concept, developed through agency partner McCann-Erickson, is a model for how marketers can make a useful contribution to a cause without over-branding it. In addition to removing the barriers to entry so people can experience these trails remotely, Trail View will spread awareness of the parks at a time when funding is low, and digitally record them for posterity.

Yellowstone

“This initiative lets [Nature Valley] stand for something,” says Leslie Sims, executive creative director at McCann. “They aren’t just pushing granola bars on hikers.”

It was only because of Nature Valley’s long-standing relationship with the National Park Conservation Association that the company was able to garner approval for the project. The parks are famously very protective when it comes to filming on their grounds, but the company approached each park individually and promised to leave zero impact on the environment.

Between March and June of 2011, Nature Valley and McCann-Erickson went to work, putting together a mixed team of talent for a project with many moving parts. The agency would need a content strategy team for web distribution, a design team that would also put together custom 360 degree photography equipment, a hiking team to lead the expedition, and a skilled camera person to shoot it all. The creatives would also have to participate in the fieldwork. Both figuratively and literally, there was a lot of ground to cover.

Editors from Backpacker Magazine agreed to lend their expertise in national park trails and lead the hikes. Content strategy firm In the MO came aboard soon after. The project required a team with best-of-class designers who would also be able to hike, so the agency recruited digital agency Your Majesty. In a meeting with YM co-founder, Jens Karlsson, Catherine Patterson, executive integrated producer at McCann offered this simple plea: “You’re the only ones crazy enough to do this, and you’re the only ones who can do this. Also, you’re going to get to hike your asses off.”

Grand Canyon

Everyone involved had to engage in four to six weeks of training to ensure that nobody would get dehydrated or otherwise crap out during the shoot. Each member of the crew logged 150 miles of mandatory hiking experience, done on their own time.

Because this initiative marks the first application of street view-style camera technology in hikes or on mountains, the cameras required specially designed backpack rigging. “A lot of equipment was involved,” says Mat Bisher, associate creative director at McCann. “There’s a good reason why street view is done in cars.” During a June test run in the Grand Canyon, the panoramic cameras fell apart and started melting during discovery. They were supposed to be heat-resistant up to 120 degrees, but not at sustained exposure to those conditions. After customizing the cameras further, the design team suggested saving the Grand Canyon for the final leg of the hike, where they’d know to anticipate the cameras falling apart eventually, rather than at the beginning of the trip.

The actual filming went off without a hitch, however, barring the occasional alarming grizzly bear scratch mark on trees. From a distance, the assembled masses would have looked like a caravan of settlers. The field crew from Backpacker Magazine (or “bear bait” as Patterson referred to them) headed up the front, setting the pace and keeping the operation environmentally sound. Shortly behind them were the agency creatives, who scouted locations and points of interest. The next wave included the tech team–who kept lenses clean, adjusted settings, and kept the cameras out of contact with each other–as well as master cameraman, Brandon McLane. Finally, trailing behind, was a sweeper team, who made sure nothing was left behind. Although some of the crew only stayed for shorter periods, the hike lasted 45 days total.

The biggest surprise along the way, according to Catherine Patterson, who stayed for the entire hike, was the sparse tourist traffic on the trails. “We anticipated having to avoid filming crowds, and blurring out logos when we did,” she says, “but there was hardly anyone hiking at all some days.” Seeing firsthand the lack of tourism in tough economic times only made the prospect of evangelizing the national parks more attractive to everyone involved.

The first stage of Trail View will debut online in February 2012. It will operate as its own platform, with an exploratory feel. Once utility is up and running, Nature Valley will add layers for user-generated content, social networking and mobility, and perhaps form partnerships with travel sites—encouraging visitors to actually take a trip to visit the parks. Eventually the company hopes to digitally map other locations and build an educational, curated layer to the initiative. “This is not just a piece of entertainment,” says Bisher. “We’re committing to an ongoing proposition.” As this proposition is aligned with the National Park Service’s original goals, Woodrow Wilson would have likely approved.

The Grand Tetons National Park

By Mike White, DailyTitan.com

With its scenic views, bristling wildlife and good-old cowboy charm, the small town of Jackson Hole, Wyo. is more than just a home on the range.

As air travelers begin their downward decent into Jackson Airport, the only municipal airport within the national park, they’re treated to the picturesque view of the jagged Grand Teton Mountain Range.

The Jackson Hole valley sits at an elevation of 6,200 feet above sea level and is home to many wildlife including elk, bison, moose and grizzly bears.

The town of Jackson is part of a 97 percent government-owned preservation area including the Grand Teton National Park, Yellowstone National Park and the National Elk Refuge where over 7,000 animals hibernate every winter.

Beyond the wildlife, however, the deeply rooted heritage of Jackson unfolds around its visitors as soon as they arrive in town. Elk antlers in the form of archways are dominant decor marking the entry points of the Jackson Town Square. There, a Clydesdale-drawn stagecoach circles and paces the roads while the driver enthusiastically tells passengers about the Buffalo Bill Cody shootout that occurs every evening.

Down the street, a giant neon sign depicting a cowboy on horseback waving his hat catches your eyes as night falls. Underneath sits the Million Dollar Cowboy Bar and Steakhouse, a well-known place to eat some of Jackson Hole’s finest food.

Buildings made of log and carved wood showcase the western architecture the small town prides. Bear, moose and cowboy souvenirs can be seen in every storefront; tourists can also find huckleberry jam and even chocolate-covered moose droppings.

A few miles north of town, photographers and hikers can take advantage of the sprawling scenery and its mesmerizing wildlife in the national parks.

Moose junction, near the entrance of Grand Teton National Park, is an exciting place for amateur photographers to snap off-shots when the moose come down to cool off or catch a drink in the river.

Photography enthusiasts will also be taken aback by the jagged peaks of the Teton Range, originally named “Les Trois Tetons” (The Three Breasts) by French-Canadian fur trappers in the 1920s, but later given the individual names Grand Teton, Middle Teton and South Teton.

Hikers can partake in the variety of trails at different skill levels the national park offers guests. Beginners are usually directed to the loop at Jenny Lake and if you hike a few miles up, you’ll find breathtaking falls. More experienced hikers can test their skill on the vertical, higher altitude formations.

For those who don’t hike or are looking for other activities, fly-fishing, kayaking, canoeing and even paddle boarding are other activities found at several lakes at the base of the Tetons.

But if you’re looking for something more exciting, whitewater rafting on the Snake River is one of the most favored activities of the summer season.

The scenery along the river banks, home to many bald eagles and osprey, is calm and serene until the water turns into raging rapids. The eight-mile stretch of river sweeps you away through several natural obstacles including rocks, rapids and fallen trees.

Some of the Snake’s most popular features are “The Big Kahuna,” “Lunch Counter” and “Champagne Rapids.”

The Big Kahuna rapid is known for catapulting rafters into the air before dropping them in the water and soaking them. Lunch Counter, which in the spring can become a class IV rapid, a rapid considered difficult with long and powerful currents, standing waves and whirlpools, has become a spot surfers take a liking to; many paddle out and ride stationary waves for more than ten minutes at a time. Champagne, unlike the others, is a turbulent rapid spilling out into deep calm water while sending millions of effervescent bubbles to the surface.

While river activities take up the spring and summer months, skiing, snowboarding and cross-country skiing supply winter travelers with plenty to do.

If you’re looking for a real old-western experience or just wanting to get in touch with some of nature’s most beautiful surroundings, Jackson Hole is the destination for you.

Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore

We have lived within a few hours of Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore for more years than I can remember and have never been there until recently. We have been to the Indiana Dunes State Park, which lies within the national lakeshore, to lie around the beach and soak up the sun, but never really took the time to enjoy the surrounding beauty. (Need I say we were very young at the time?)

The Indiana Dunes is set up similar to Cuyahoga Valley National Park in that it is interspersed with the surrounding communities throughout the park. Unlike Cuyahoga, however, Indiana Dunes is more compact. It runs for nearly 25 miles along the southern edge of Lake Michigan, one of the largest lakes in the world. Bordered by Gary, IN on the west, Indiana on the east and Michigan City on the north-east, as its name implies, it lies totally in Indiana. It encompasses 15,000 acres which includes the state park.

Shaped from the last great continental glacier, the park landscape represents at least four major historic stages of the shoreline, making it one of the most extensive geological records. Four major dune complexes can be seen with the older ones inland and the younger ones still active. Besides the dunes, the lakeshore has bogs, marshes, wetlands, oak savannas, prairies, rivers, forests and swamps.

You can experience the highest dune in the lakeshore park by climbing the strenuous trail to the top of Mount Baldy. This is a moving sand dune that is ever moving inland. It is soon to bury the trees and parking lot on its south side. The south side is currently fenced off to visitors, as the numerous people traipsing over the vegetation are why there is so much movement of the sand dune. Without the vegetation to hold the sand in place, the sand dune continues its coarse inland. It was sad to see that in spite of the signs asking people to stay off that side of the sand dune, you could still see that not only did people walk up and down that side of the sand dune; they also broke the fence climbing over it. There is a path on the side of the dune that allows you to get to the summit and either head to the beach or climb to the top and view the fantastic lake views.

With numerous beaches available, there are plenty of opportunities to soak up the sun if that is your desire or to swim in the lake. The beaches are well maintained and draw thousands of people during the summer to enjoy the breezes and deep blue water. With this many miles of shoreline, there is plenty of room for everyone. Be mindful of the beach rules and the presence of riptides in some locations. Parking fees are often charged.

Birdwatching is a very popular activity in the lakeshore. There is an unusually high diversity of autumn birds in northwest Indiana due to the size of Lake Michigan. Many birds pass by and stop to rest on the shores. There are also a large number of shore birds that are not normally found in the Midwest because of the depth of the lake and the beaches. You can see bay and sea ducks, pelicans, loons, grebes, sandpipers and gulls, lots of gulls. The wetlands provide vital habitat for birds like herons, warblers, wrens, the American Woodcock, Swamp Sparrow and Sora. Everywhere you go you can hear the trills of the birds.

There is one campground in the national lakeshore and one in the state park. During the summer these can fill up quickly, but they do not take reservations so it is best to arrive early. Most of the sites are in a shaded woody area. Showers with hot water are available as well as flush toilets. Each site has its own firepit and picnic table. It is usually very quiet and peaceful.

Hiking is another popular pastime and there are many miles of trails ranging from easy to strenuous. These traverse bogs, forests, sand dunes, marshes and beaches. The Ly-co-ki-we Trail is for hiking, horseback riding and cross-country skiing. The Calumet Trail offers hiking and biking options. The Marquette Trail is also open for biking. We brought our bikes with, but the weather was too rainy for bike riding. Wherever you go, though, you are sure to see great lakeside views, unique wildlife and rare botanicals.

Another great site to take in is the Chellberg Farm and Bailly Homestead. They are connected by a ravine-side trail that is beautiful. The farm is a Swedish farmstead typical of the 1890’s to 1910. You can watch the ranger feed the animals and on weekends, go through the house. During festival times there are people dressed in period costumes. The Bailly Homestead is a National Historic Landmark and was home to Joseph Bailly de Messein who played a role in the development of the Calumet region of northern Indiana. He was an independent trader in furs and was one of the earliest settlers in northern Indiana. The complex is the last remaining site of its nature in the Calumet region.

During the 1933 World’s Fair, five houses were built to demonstrate modern architecture, experimental materials and new technologies like air conditioning and dishwashers. These were moved to the community of Beverly Shores, IN in 1935 and are now on the National Register of Historic Places. We were disappointed not to get to view these as they are all being renovated presently and are closed. You can drive by them on Lakeshore Drive that runs along the lakefront offering rugged views of shoreline. Incidentally, you should see the other houses that are along this road. They are absolutely phenomenal. Not that they have anything to do with the national lakeshore, but they are still interesting.

Because it is a smaller park, there are many things you could see and do in a few days time. We managed to camp, climb Mount Baldy, visit the new Dorothy Buell Memorial Visitor Center, the Chellberg Farm, hike part of the Inland Marsh Trail, drive down Lakeshore Drive and Beverly Drive (to see the birds), see some wildlife, eat some awesome food, and visit the state park and climb their dunes to capture great photos of the beach, dunes and sunset. All in all it was a wonderful experience and one we want to repeat very soon.

By Corie Marks

Recently there have been a number of deaths reported in the National Parks. Some are animal related and some are falls. How do these things happen? Well, in some cases the person ignored a “Do Not Pass This Barrier” safety sign or a warning to carry bear spray. But, sometimes things happen beyond your control and hopefully these tips will help improve your chances of enjoying your outdoor adventure while getting back home safely.

First and foremost, when you get to the park or wilderness area where you are going, check at any ranger station or visitor center for current safety issues that are pertinent for the areas you will be visiting. The rangers and staff are there to help in any way they can and are very willing to answer any questions you may have. It is also helpful to have checked the park out ahead of time for anything that could be a red flag for whatever activity you wish to pursue. In other words, plan ahead.

Secondly, never backpack or climb alone in the wilderness. Even in “civilized” parks, it is not advised. If something were to happen to one of you, the other one could go for help. Admittedly, this is not always the best option, but if there is no hope of someone seeing a signal or ever finding you accidentally, this is the next best procedure. Maybe if you were trained in wilderness survival, you might make it fine on your own, but remember the guy who got his hand caught in a boulder and ended up cutting it off just to survive and get out of the canyon? He was not a novice, but he had gone alone and not told a soul where he would be over the weekend. Solitude is all well and good, but not if you don’t survive your solo trek or climb.

This brings up my next point. Make sure you tell someone where you are going and when they can expect you back. This will go a long way towards getting someone to rescue you, if you need it, providing you tell a reliable person. The parks do not always have the personnel to follow-up on missing backpackers unless someone says something to them. As far as they are concerned, you could have just forgotten to check back in with them or gone home another way. There was another incident of a man in Alaska that went camping alone and never told anyone. He was two weeks over his wilderness permit expiration before they even started looking for him. No one ever reported him missing. To my knowledge, he was never found. His tent was, but not him.

Next, follow the safety rules for that park or wilderness. Some places, like up in Alaska, you are warned up front that you are on your own and you will need to rescue yourself, but even some places in the lower 48 tell you the same thing. If you are told that an area has a high avalanche risk at the time you are there, don’t head out for that area. And if you just HAVE to go that way because it has the best scenery, ice fishing, ice climbing, or trailheads, then you had better be familiar with strategies to either avoid or face an avalanche. (Use swimming strokes, grab a sturdy tree, best is take a course!) Or if an area is a high fire risk, DO NOT light campfires and be very careful with your camp stove. You get the idea.

Really, just use common sense and know your limitations. If this will be a first for you, then by all means, take along someone who knows what they are doing or has proficiency in the activity. I realize that sometimes we don’t know our own limitations which is another reason to take someone with you. Go easy your first time doing a new activity and you will lessen your risk factor. Obey any warning signs you come across. They are there for a reason!

Make sure you have a good first aid kit and be familiar with what is in it and how to use everything. If you will be in an area where you know there are a lot of venomous snakes, bring a venom extractor. I also like to bring some hydrogen peroxide in a small container as this works great for cleaning out wounds to help prevent infection. It is also great to gargle with half peroxide and half water if you wake up with a sore throat one morning. It almost always works to eliminate the sore throat. Know the signs and symptoms for hypothermia and altitude sickness and also how to avoid and treat them.

Avoid wild animals when you can. Elk are dangerous during the rut season in the autumn. They are extremely aggressive at this time. Bears are generally shy, but those that are acclimated to humans can be aggressive. You will not be able to outrun a bear, so it is better to avoid them and definitely keep your distance. Moose are also potentially dangerous if stirred up, so walk and talk softly around them and let them know you are not a threat. Unlike bears, it is OK to run away from moose, but you might want to put some thing solid, like a tree, between you and them. We have a good Wildlife Precautions page on our website that has more tips about animals.

Lastly, have adequate supplies for your trip. It is better to have your pack just a little too heavy and have adequate food, bandages, clothing for the weather, water purification stuff, rain gear, compass, GPS unit, topographical maps (and know how to read them), signal mirror or whistle,  repair kits, and a length of rope. If you do become lost or injured and you are by yourself and can’t make it back, know that bright signals or objects placed in sequence of three are widely recognized as distress signs.

By Corie Marks

Yosemite Trail, yourcaliforniashow.com

YourCaliforniashow.com

Yosemite National Park, Calif. — Nearly 75 miles of hiking trails and habitat in Yosemite National Park have been restored in the largest ever trail repair project undertaken in the park.

“Our goal was elegant in its simplicity – improve the condition of Yosemite’s most treasured, high-profile trails in order to protect irreplaceable natural resources,” said Mike Tollefson, president of Yosemite Conservancy. “Yosemite’s spectacular trails are a mirror of the democratic notion of the National Park Service’s founding – they exist for all people for all time.”

Repairs were done to 33 miles of the John Muir Trail, from Tuolumne Meadows to Yosemite Valley.  The improvements include new stone walls, rock staircases, drainage structures and habitat restoration.  Repairs were also made to the John Muir Trailhead in Yosemite Valley and to the east and west ends of the Yosemite Valley Loop Trail.  Repairs were made to foot bridges and new signage was added.

Along Tioga Road, improvements were made to trailheads at Tamarack Flat, May Lake, Yosemite Creek/Ten Lakes, Snow Creek and Gaylor Lakes.  Safer parking was added to some of the trailheads, as well as food storage lockers and wilderness education exhibits.

“Yosemite’s trails are pathways to discovery and inspiration. Some of the park’s most important trails were improved to reverse years of degradation to benefit visitors for decades,” said Superintendent Don Neubacher. “The result is better trails, restored habitats and greater education opportunities for visitors.”

The $13.5 million restoration campaign was a collaboration between Yosemite Conservancy and the park, with Conservancy donors contributing $10.5 million.

“Improvements were made to trails for every type of visitor from families with small children to ardent backcountry enthusiasts,” said John Dorman, Yosemite Conservancy board chairman. “These arteries provide access to unimaginable beauty and a life-time of memories.”

Royal Robbins, a climber and a Yosemite Conservancy council member, said, “Yosemite’s landscape harbors an unforgettable grand collection of peaks, domes, high waterfalls and alpine meadows. The best way to see these natural wonders is by trail.”

The completion of the six-year Campaign for Yosemite Trails was celebrated last week with a ceremonial dedication of the East Valley Loop Trail and recognition of the donors and Yosemite trail crews.