Doors open at 7 p.m. for the Seattle premiere of Out of the Mist: Olympic Wilderness Stories by Northwest filmmaker Robert Chrestensen. Out of the Mist captures the great beauty and inherent diversity of the Olympics, one of North America’s crown jewels. It was filmed over several years of hiking and backpacking in some of the Peninsula’s most remote wilderness areas: from the secluded North Coast beaches to the towering heights of Mount Olympus; through old-growth forests and primeval rainfores... More

Doors open at 7 p.m. for the Seattle premiere of Out of the Mist: Olympic Wilderness Stories by Northwest filmmaker Robert Chrestensen. Out of the Mist captures the great beauty and inherent diversity of the Olympics, one of North America’s crown jewels. It was filmed over several years of hiking and backpacking in some of the Peninsula’s most remote wilderness areas: from the secluded North Coast beaches to the towering heights of Mount Olympus; through old-growth forests and primeval rainforests; along wild rivers…past tumbling cascades and icy headwaters; through subalpine meadows painted with wildflowers, and rolling basins dotted with sparkling lakes and tarns; up steep rocky slopes and seemingly impenetrable terrain … to the tops of awe-inspiring summits. And, let’s not forget the many close encounters with wildlife. Out of the Mist chronicles the life experiences of Dave Skinner, Harvest Moon, Dane Burke, and Tim McNulty as they explore, discover and grow to love and respect the Olympic wilderness.

• Skinner has lived, hiked and climbed in the Olympics most of his life. He is legendary for his work on the infamous Skyline Trail and other less traveled paths in the Olympic National Park, and spent over 30 summers perched high on Mt Olympus performing glacier research for the University of Washington.

• Harvest Moon is a member of the Quinault Indian Nation. She discovered her ancestry late in her teens after being raised by a white family, and reaffirmed her Native roots by going on a 3-year vision quest in the Olympics. She has become a renowned and much respected Coast Salish storyteller and basket weaver, and spends her summers in the Olympics.

• Burke, at 27, is only just beginning to discover the Olympics, but in a big way. He has explored hundreds of miles in some of the remotest areas of the Olympic mountains on multi-day backpacks, including a rigorous 50-day solo trip that crisscrossed the Olympic National Park in 2009. He continues to take extended deep wilderness trips throughout the Olympics.

• McNulty has lived, hiked and backpacked on the Olympic Peninsula for over 40 years, and become the definitive authority on its natural history. He has authored several books and essays about the area, writes and teaches poetry, and is an avid spokesperson for Olympic wilderness preservation.

Chrestensen’s creative editing and stunning imagery, in addition to the very special footage shot by Dane Burke, supports these four wilderness stories seamlessly. Through their eyes the viewer will witness the true magic of the wild Olympics. The original score for Out of the Mist was written, performed and produced by acclaimed Seattle composer Annastasia Workman. Growing up in Montana, she says the natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest has always influenced her music. This very accomplished musician is not new to Crest Pictures. In 2006 Workman also wrote the inspiring music for their first feature film Below the Clouds / Rainier Impressions, which premiered on Seattle’s PBS station KCTS 9. The film was co-produced and co-directed by Chrestensen and his wife Kathy Chrestensen. This is their fifth collaborative film since establishing Crest Pictures in 2006. Both are ardent hikers and backpackers.

For a sneak peek watch the Out of the Mist trailer: www.crestpictures.com/mist

Less