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Someday I will do an AT thru hike and bought this DVD primarily because of the rave reviews here. It was an enjoyable viewing experience but not quite what I had anticipated.

Don't expect a lot of scenes from the actual AT itself or much scenary. The focus of the movie is on the four young guys making the thru hike. They are interviewed extensively throughout the experience and they comment on food, terrain, trail towns, fatique, thirst and other aspects of the thru hike. All of them were pleasant and reasonably interesting, but I found myself aching to see more of the trail itself. There are tantalizingly brief glimpses of the Balds, the Whites and the rocky sections in Pennsylvania. I would have liked to have seen more of the scenery.

Another small criticism is that there are segments utterly extraneous from the trail. Two examples are a video chapter on drinking a gallon of milk in a short period time and then the boys going off to Manhatten. Most people might enjoy these snippets, but again, I'd rather see and vicariously experience the AT itself.

The last segment when they celebrate on Katahdin was interesting and emotional, as well their musings of having to return to the real world and the dreaded "work environment." Ouch!

I recommend this for people who have done the AT or who plan on doing it. The film is well-made, compact and entertaining.

I loved this film. I wanted to see what it was really like to go through the entire trail day after day for 5 months. The ups & downs of the trek. On one hand you have the spectacular scenery from the mountaintops, the wildlife,the wildflowers, waterfalls but you have to contend with rain, cold, blisters, your whole body aching. But it looked like it was worth it when they finally reached the end of the trail everyone was so happy. Happy at what they had accomplished & happy in a way that it was over. I recommend this film to anyone who loves the great outdoors. It is truly inspiring.

Get out your notepads and take some notes because this documentary ISN'T your typical scenic documentary that tells nothing of what trail life is really like. While TREK does include some beautiful scenery, the footage mainly serves the purpose to describe the terrain one would encounter. Although the scenic documentaries might inspire the recluse or Throeau-like hiker to hit the trail, TREK gives a real account of what it's like to complete the AT in its entirety.

Having hiked some of the more difficult portions of the trail in New England, I could relate to the hikers mental and physical ups and downs. But watching them surmount much adversity and work together as a team to accomplish their goal made me want to quit my job today and start hiking!

I would like to hike the entire AT one day and TREK also provided great instructional tips for before and during the hike like mail drops and shedding backpack pounds. I also appreciated the more human element present in the film that culminated in a great summit finale with a lot of the friends they met along the way.

I started my AT Thruhike a month before these guys, and finished three days after them. While I never met them (they passed me sometime in Maine), I knew almost a dozen people who finished the same day they did. Watching this video really brought back some memories!

Most other AT books/videos try to hype a thruhike as some sort of mystical/magical vision quest. Yes, a thruhike is a great journey, filled with adventure, excitment, and time for quiet introspection. But it is also full of physical discomfort and tedium. If "PF from Raleigh" (below) ever manages to do a real thruhike, he/she will learn that this video captures the essence of a thruhike far more accurately than any other video out there.

I've watched several thruhike videos, but this is the first one I've seen that managed to capture the reality of a thruhike as I experienced it.

Note: I watched the DVD version, which is not listed on Amazon as of 2004/06/10, but Brian from Cirque Productions assured me earlier today that it will be listed soon.

I've been wanting to see Trek for a while now, but had some trepidation since my own movie, 2000 Miles to Maine is also a documentary about the Appalachian Trail. I finally watched it this past week and I really enjoyed this movie. The four Horsemen may seem like typical twenty somethings just out to prove something, but quickly we come to appreciate their camaraderie, humor, and introspective development. These guys really do change physically and emotionally through the course of their journey. As someone pointed out in an AT forum, much of 2000 Miles to Maine is like meeting many people and chewing the fat at a shelter while Trek focuses on four guys as they struggle from state to state. I think it is too bad that some have used these reviews to slam others efforts as both movies are truly heartfelt examinations of the trail. Trek is a excellent documentary and a great purchase for any fan of the Appalachian Trail.

I just purchased and viewed Trek and 2000 Miles to Maine. Both are very good but 2000 Miles wins my vote. When first watching Trek I though I could get past all the testosterone thinking humility would follow. I never got the feeling that these "boys" respected or appreciated this trail. Too many times I felt like I was watching a frat party developing. That's a shame because I feel these guys are educated and articulate...but it was lost in too often juvenile dialog. A very good film that could have been great!

I really enjoyed this DVD. The music mixing and video edit was great. I think it did the best job I have seen of painting a true picture of life on the AT. As a long time backpacker and aspiring Thru-Hiker there was great value in seeing the experiences of this great crew of folks!
Thnking about a Thru-Hike? Buy this Video!

I've been researching thru hikes for the last 2 years with the intension of beggining my own thru hike March 2005. I've read 4 books and several planning guides. This is the 1st video I've seen. Books give a good idea of the logistics and the committment of time and resources. This video give a better idea of the discomfort and tedium. You see it on the faces of the people and hear it in their voices. You also get a better sense of the BIG PAYOFF - commaradarie on the trail, scenery, and the personal satisfaction of completing monumental personal undertaking. Overall a great video for anyone considering a thru hike. I can understand some of the negative reviews. This video paints a rosy picture. Well edited and producted. Most of the filming shows nice views with blue skies and celebration at the end.

I recommend viewing the dvd - "2000 Miles to Maine: Adventures on the Appalachian Trail". A story about thru hiking the AT but told in a much different light. Alot of mist, rain, lonliness. You might be suprised at the end. I wont give it away. I was suprised at the number of people and the party atmosphere at the beginning in Georgia.

This video is not just an informational documentary or a resource for the small part of our population whose lofty goals include one day hiking the AT. It is also a thought-provoking and entertaining film, accessible to all people, regardless of background. TREK has a beating heart, and a true sense of adventure. The people who drive the action are brave and sincere individuals. This film is truly compelling, and I would recommend it to anyone who is interested.

I've been interested in the Appalachian Trail, mainly thru-hiking it, for over 10 years now. About two years ago I made the commitment of starting a journey of my own from Springer Mt., GA after finishing school. Since then I've spent hour after hour reading guidebooks, searching the internet, talking to people who had been on trail and trying to get a feel for what I was getting myself into. Then I saw TREK. Any question, doubt or apprehension I may have had was erased.

This movie is the end-all be-all of AT insight.

If you're interested in the trail (maybe you've had your heart set on hiking it "someday") or you just like the outdoors, watch this movie; that "someday" may not be too far off.