It's dead winter here in the Midwest and we were looking for some inspiration to gear us up for our spring and summer hikes. We love adventure books, movies, or any stories of excitement beyond the beige walls of a cubicle.
This list has every type of escapade you could seek in the outdoors. We didn't want to forget any good ones so we dug deep into Netflix to find the best of the best. After hours of watching and a serious adventure high, here is our top 15 list of what you can stream online from Netflix.com to get your adrenaline fix.
Be prepared to sell all your possessions and be a citizen of the world.
1. Mile... Mile & a Half (2013)
Netflix synopsis: A group of artists leave their daily lives behind to hike California's John Muir Trail, the 219-mile stretch from Yosemite to Mount Whitney.
Our synopsis: A thru-hike of the John Muir Trail. This was number one because of the cinematography and hard work put into this movie. They are artists and filmed the whole movie themselves while backpacking. We can imagine the struggle of having to stop, unload your heavy pack, set up equipment, and get the perfect shot while still getting miles in for the day. They did a fantastic job and anyone wanting to see nature while understanding the perils of a thru-hiker will enjoy this one.
2. Explores: Adventures of the Century (2013-2014)
Netflix synopsis: Accomplished adventure-seekers share their personal stories of endurance and will as they embark on perilous journeys over land and sea.
Our synopsis: This is a great series showcasing some amazing places and the adventure seekers willing to go there. These are stories about kayakers, swimmers, base jumpers, and more all through their adrenaline fueled adventures. Great to watch with families.
3. Departures (2008-2009)
Netfilx synopsis: This travel series follows friends Scott Wilson and Justin Lukach around the world, chronicling their adventures and the challenges they encounter.
Our synopsis: We loved watching this series and definitely got the travel bug seeing the places they went. These fun guys took a year off their life and traveled all over the world experiencing different cultures and lifestyles. They meet people from all walks of life and dive deep to understand other society's traditions and customs. Expert camera use and moments captured. Extremely interesting and educational!
4. 180° South (2010)
Netflix synopsis: A band of bliss-seeking surfer-mountaineers sets out -- in 2007, by boat -- on a journey to Patagonia, South America, in this adventure documentary.
Our synopsis: A group sets out to relive an adventure taken 50 years ago across the ocean to Patagonia. They are stranded at Easter Island in order to fix some serious issues on their boat and learn about the culture on the most remote inhabited island in the world. They continue their trip to the mountains in Patagonia where they attempt to summit one of the most isolated mountains in the country. They learned some serious life lessons about the impact of man-kind and the use of resources as they see the impact of humans when they take over wilderness. Some soul searching and thought provoking ideas about life and what you do with it.
5. The Summit (2012)
Netflix synopsis: A filmmaker explores what went wrong when 11 people died on their way up the infamous K2, the deadliest day in modern mountaineering history.
Our synopsis: This movie is intense and filmed with an expert eye. It recreates an accident that happened on the second highest peak in the world. K2 is is far more difficult to summit than Everest and shows it's true colors when it claims the lives of expert mountaineers on their quest to reach the top of the world.
6. Chasing Shackleton (2014)
Netflix Synopsis: Modern-day explorers re-create Sir Ernest Shackleton's 1914 Antarctic expedition, during which the crew became shipwrecked and stranded for 500 days.
Our synopsis: This is one of our favorite stories - the adventures of Shackleton. This is 3 episodes long and follows a group that steps into Shackleton's shoes to traverse the same sea and land his crew did 100 years ago. They replicated the adventure down to the tools and boat they sailed in to show what perils this group of men went through in a quest of exploration.
7. Halo Effect (2011)
Netflix synopsis: With eye-popping clips of kayaking, off-roading and other extreme sports, this documentary reveals what happens when something goes wrong.
Our synopsis: Friends travel to Iceland and Norway in search of huge untouched waterfalls and rapids to test their skills while kayaking. Their goal dangles before them as they go over falls that have never been run and rapids where people have lost their lives. This adventure is nail biting and worth the watch. We definitely challenged our own wherewithal after watching these guys take on some of the most treacherous water in the world.
8. Desert Runners (2013)
Netflix synopsis: Testing themselves in the most brutal conditions on Earth, a diverse collection of ultra-marathon runners undertake four 250K runs in a single year.
Our synopsis: You'll want to drink a gallon of water while you watch these powerful runners take on the elements of the desert. Running marathons is hard enough but when you add in the passion of these runners and the great film making, you've got a thrilling story. Doesn't make us want to run a marathon but it does make us feel guilty for watching this while on the couch!
9. Everest (1998)
Netflix synopsis: Noted climber David Breashears leads an IMAX crew to the top of the Mount Everest, providing the first 360-degree view from Earth's highest peak.
Our synopsis: The best view you could have is from an IMAX team and they take you all the way to the summit with these jaw-dropping vistas. Intense realization of what it really takes to climb Everest. Not for the faint of heart.
10. Chasing Ice (2012)
Netflix synopsis: Environmental photographer James Balog deploys time-lapse cameras to capture a multiyear record of the world's changing glaciers.
Our synopsis: A documentary about the way our planets glaciers are changing. They show time passing and the effects that has on our worlds largest fresh water source. Sweeping views and crazy camera views into the depths of ice give you the feeling of being on the glacier with the team.
11. The Way (2010)
Netflix synopsis: When his son dies while hiking the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage in the Pyrenees, a grieving father decides to complete the 500-mile trek to Spain.
Our synopsis: An emotional journey of a father who decides to pick up the pieces his son left behind after his untimely death. This documentary follows him as he traverses his sons footsteps and makes some amazing spiritual discoveries about himself and the life he leads. Great for a soul booster.
12. Into the Cold: A Journey to the Soul (2010)
Netflix synopsis: An environmental activist embarks on a grueling two-month trek on foot to the North Pole to commemorate Adm. Robert Peary's 1909 expedition.
Our synopsis: In the most desolate land on the planet this activist decides to follow Peary's path to the North Pole. An unimaginable exploration of the worlds toughest terrain gives light to what the early explores went through in the name of adventure. Thrilling and freezing this film definitely makes our list.
13. Where the Trail Ends (2012)
Netflix synopsis: In this eye-popping sports documentary, high-speed cameras follow a team of top mountain bikers as they go in search of the Earth's toughest terrain.
Our synopsis: You'll feel as if you're strapped to the back of this bike as you barrel down mountain sides in a high speed chase for thrills. Mountain bikers always seem to keep the adrenaline pumping and this film did not disappoint. Great movie with plenty of views and excitement.
14. Into the Mind (2013)
Netflix synopsis: With stunning cinematography, this dazzling feature invites viewers into the mind of a common skier as he attempts to scale the ultimate mountain.
Our synopsis: A recent add for Netflix this movie captures what it means to be a skier. With threats from mother nature at every turn it's a wonder how these skiers keep going back to the mountains.
15. Encounters at the End of the World
Netflix synopsis: Take a wild and woolly journey to the South Pole, from the National Science Foundation's headquarters to some of Antarctica's most dangerous terrain.
Our synopsis: With so many stories about explores and extreme sports it's easy to forget that a harsh barren world exists beyond the borders of our lives. This story brings you deep into the ice and snow of South Pole where beauty meets danger in this epic expiration of this severe terrain.
Other Notable Adventure Movies NOT Streaming on Netflix
1. Wild
2. Into the Wild
3.127 Hours
4. All is Lost
5. Southbounders
6. Between home, Odyssey of an Unusual Sea Bandit
7. Touching the Void
8. Mt. St. Elias
9.K2 the Ultimate High
10. Vertical Limit
Now get off the couch and go explore!
See you on the trail!
Go breathe the wild air
-FCFP
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