The end of the stay-at-home orders seems like it's on the horizon, but many of us are still stuck at home for the foreseeable future. Plus, with the mountains still mostly covered in snow, we need something to occupy our time for the coming weeks anyway. I recently wrote a post about the best outdoor adventure books; now it's time for my favorite movies.
I tried to keep this list diverse, so not every movie here fits the category perfectly, but there's definitely something here for everyone. And regardless of preference, I think all of these movies are worth watching if you're into the outdoors at all.
So, here are the 18 best outdoor adventure movies and documentaries, according to me.
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1. 180 Degrees South: Conquerors of The Useless
180 Degrees South is, and may always be, my favorite outdoor movie. That’s because it’s just hard to beat the raw adventure of any trip that involves traveling by land from the US to Patagonia (see my adventure book recommendation on this). It’s the modern day retracing of the trip done by legendary climber and Patagonia founder Yvon Chounaird, and it includes footage from the old trip as well as a modern day adventure with Chouinard himself. It’s a beautifully done film and I recommend it to everybody.
180 Degrees South is currently available to rent or buy on Amazon.
2. Meru
I’m kind of embarrassed that somehow this movie missed my radar until recently, because it’s phenomenal. Legendary mountaineer Conrad Anker leads a three man team up the never-before-ascended Mount Meru in the Himalayas, home of many failed attempts and considered by some to be unclimbable. They overcome some tremendous difficulties (including, but not at all limited to frostbite and a stroke) and come out the other side with an awesome story and some of the coolest mountain footage I’ve ever seen.
Meru is currently available to rent or buy on Amazon.
3. Valley Uprising
If you’re in the small minority that hasn’t yet watched Free Solo, watch Valley Uprising first. Seven years of work and over 50 interviews with legendary climbers produced an exciting and fairly complete history of climbing in Yosemite. Starting with Royal Robbins in the 1950’s and ending with Free Solo climber Alex Honnold, it highlights the rivalries, counterculture, and dirtbaggery that made Yosemite the climbing mecca that it is today. It's a must-watch, and it'll give you the background to appreciate Free Solo that much more.
Valley Uprising is currently available to rent or buy on Amazon.
4. Free Solo
At this point it seems like everyone and their mom has watched Free Solo, but I have to include it on this list because it truly deserves it’s recognition. It’s beautifully shot (the production team is led by Jimmy Chin, Meru team member) and you’ll be shaking as you watch, in full HD detail, Alex Honnold free climb thousands of feet with no ropes or safety system of any kind. It won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature in 2019, but it’s probably the best outdoor documentary of the decade, if not ever.
5. Mile... Mile and a Half
This often cheesy but very endearing movie is what inspired me to hike the John Muir Trail (long before I could have called myself a backpacker). It’s pretty tame relative to some of the heavy-hitters on this list, but it has wonderful cinematography and some great classic Sierra Nevada scenes.
Mile... Mile and a Half is currently available to rent or buy on Amazon.
6. 127 Hours
If you're squeamish even a little bit, this movie is probably not for you. But if you can handle it, it's an intense survival story that's absolutely worth watching. Based on true events (the important parts are 100% true), James Franco expertly plays desert canyon explorer Aaron Ralston, who gets stuck between a wall and a boulder; and no one is coming to help.
127 Hours is currently available to rent or buy on Amazon.
7. Alone Across Alaska: 1000 Miles of Wilderness
This DIY movie is a masterpiece. It’s the story of Bruce “Buck” Nelson, a man who, having completed all the major long distance thru-hikes in The United States (Appalachian Trail, Continental Divide Trail, and Pacific Crest Trail) and then some, wanted a new challenge and found it in Alaska. The Brooks Range is one of the wildest places left on earth, and his journey (which includes encounters with wolves, grizzlies, and caribou) is an epic one.
Alone Across Alaska is currently available to rent or buy on Amazon.
8. The Barkley Marathons: The Race That Eats It's Young
When I first found this movie, I watched it three times in three days. For someone mostly unaware of ultrarunning culture, the story of a mostly off trail, 120ish mile race that only a handful of people have ever finished (though thousands have attempted; note the subtitle) was thrilling to me. Add in a super eclectic race director, weird traditions, and an interesting and inspiring group of individuals, and you're pretty much guaranteed to find the whole thing fascinating.
The Barkley Marathons is currently available to rent or buy on Amazon.
9. Desert Runners
Another ultrarunning film, this one is about the “amateurs” who have decided to take on not one, but four grueling ultramarathons. They all take place in deserts across the world (including Antarctica), and the mental and physical conditions they’re able to endure is inspiring.
Desert Runners is currently available to rent or buy on Amazon.
10. Fishpeople
Though Fishpeople is more lifestyle than adventure, it’s still a great story of the way the outdoors (specifically the ocean) shape people’s lives. Through profiles of scuba divers, swimmers, and surfers, this movie tells a story of the human relationship to the ocean, and it does so with breathtakingly beautiful cinematography.
Fishpeople is currently available to rent or buy on Amazon.
11. Jeremy Jones' Further
This one is for all my fellow snowboarders out there. 2013 National Geographic Adventurer of the Year Jeremy Jones takes on some of the gnarliest mountains in the world, and gets there under his own power (i.e. no fancy helicopters). It’s an adventure movie and an environmental movie rolled into one, and it’s awesome. See also: Higher and Deeper.
Further is currently available to rent or buy on Amazon.
12. All.I.Can
And this one is for the skiers. I’m a die-hard snowboarder, and this is still one of my favorite winter sports movies. The cinematography is beautiful and the scenes are jaw-dropping, but it’s about more than just a ski movie. It’s a film about how this kind of adventure can be life-transforming, and also about our human struggle with climate change. This film is worth a watch for skiers, snowboarders, and non-snowsports folks alike.
All.I.Can is currently available to rent or buy on Amazon.
13. Jeremiah Johnson
By far the oldest movie on this list, Jeremiah Johnson stands the test of time as one of the greatest outdoors movies ever made. Jeremiah Johnson is a legendary mountain man, and this film is a masterful depiction of his lifestyle. It can be brutal at times, but it's also realistic, and ultimately it'll make you feel like you were a mountain man right there with him.
Jeremiah Johnson is currently available to rent or buy on Amazon.
14. North of the Sun
Surfing movies are some of my favorites (probably because I’ve never been very good at it), but this one takes it to a whole new level. Two men spend nine months north of the Arctic Circle braving the elements to chase some of the best waves on the planet, and while that may seem like a fool’s errand, it turns out to be an amazing movie about some amazing people.
North of The Sun is currently available to rent or buy on Amazon.
15. Maidentrip
Maidentrip is unique on this list because it’s the only movie about someone who has basically no prior experience, and she’s also only 14 years old. But that doesn’t say anything about the caliber of her adventure: a complete solo circumnavigation of the earth by sailboat (which made her the youngest to ever complete it). It’ll make you wonder what you’ve been doing all your life.
Maidentrip is currently available to rent or buy on Amazon.
16. Splinters
Splinters is another surfing movie, but with a deep and fascinating storyline. I won’t spoil too much of it, but it centers on a third-world village in Papua New Guinea where a robust surfing culture has developed around a single surfboard, left there in the 1980’s by an Australian pilot. It’s a surfing movie for sure, but it’s also much, much more than that, and you’ll just have to trust me and watch it to find out why.
Splinters is currently available to rent or buy on Amazon.
17. Chasing Coral
This one is a not-so-subtle environmental film, centering around the global die-offs of coral reefs. There are several possible explanations (explored in the film), but overall it’s a beautifully shot wake-up call to pay attention to the impact we as an industrial species are having on environments we’re often completely unaware of.
Chasing Coral is currently available to stream on Netflix.
18. Dirtbag: The Legend of Fred Beckey
Fred Beckey is one of the most prolific climbers of all time. He has completed more first ascents than any other North American Climber (close to a thousand, according to Jon Krakauer) and is the author of several books on the sport. But his individualistic style wasn’t universally loved, and this documentary is an exploration of what it means to be a true “dirtbag” climber.
Dirtbag: The Legend of Fred Beckey is currently available to stream on Amazon.
I've done my best to put down all of my favorites, but if you think there's another movie that really deserves a spot here then let me know in the comments!
