Another Artist from the Trail

27 Dec

Not only is he a ridiculously talented guy, he’s obviously a serious outdoorsman too. We’re stoked to share this guest post from the man helping to recraft our on-line world: Justin Bernard

I first heard about The Muir Project and Mile, Mile & A Half in early 2012 via numerous outdoor blogs. On first view of the teaser trailer for the project, I was instantly captivated. Only a small percentage of the Sierra Nevada mountains is easily accessible (over 95% of Yosemite is designated wilderness). I was beyond excited at the realization that this film was going to take to the masses a taste of what lies outside the average visitor’s view.

My passion for the Sierra range runs deep. After several visits spanning 15 years, I began, in the summer of ’09, knocking around the idea of a thru-hike of the JMT. Being an avid ultramarathoner, I began to research the feasibility of a compressed itinerary thru-hike. Like many people, I didn’t have the time to take off a month from a busy work schedule to experience the trail in its fullness… but I did have around a week. At the time, while training regularly with 30+ mile trail runs, I reasoned that if I could travel light, fully self support, and maintain that pace, a sub 8 day pass would be possible. On September 27, 2009, I reached Mount Whitney summit 7 days, 8 hours after departing Happy Isles in Yosemite Valley. Consuming approximately 4,500 calories a day, I still managed to lose 11 lbs of body weight. Needing to maintain a daily average of 30-35 miles and 7,500′ of climb, I quickly learned which items carried on my back were a requirement or a luxury. Every day seemingly built upon the beauty of the previous, with views growing grander after reaching every mountain pass. It was/is the single most challenging and rewarding experience I’ve ever had outdoors. Plans are set for a sub 6 day attempt in the Summer of ’13, and I can’t wait.

While not on the trail, I run an interactive design shop called Angry Bear located in the Blue Ridge mountains of Asheville, North Carolina. Our team handles interactive, mobile, trade show and digital installation projects for a mix of great clients including Coca-Cola, Disney, Ford, Kawasaki, and Sony. We have a great passion for working with brands that support an active outdoor lifestyle. Accordingly, I’m pleased to announce that we at Angry Bear are partnering with The Muir Project as digital agency. We are more than excited for the content we will be deploying in the near future and we sincerely hope that it helps further this great project.

See you on the trail!

Justin Bernard
Angry Bear