Photographer Tom Murphy retraces 1985 solo ski journey through Yellowstone

BOZEMAN, Mont. - Feb. 10, 2016 - PRLog -- Thirty-one years ago, renowned wildlife photographer Tom Murphy (http://www.tmurphywild.com/) embarked upon the expedition of a lifetime – he skied across Yellowstone National Park alone, in the dead of winter, with only a blue tarp for shelter.

This February, at age 66, he’s going back, and he’s bringing a film crew to document the journey.

“I want to do this film to reconnect with the wildest parts of Yellowstone and to tell the story of what motivates me to seek out the heart of one of the most beautiful places on earth in its harshest season,” Murphy wrote in a letter introducing the project.

Called “The Journey Through Yellowstone,” the documentary film will not only show Murphy’s experience traveling across the park, but also explore his life as a wildlife photographer and lifelong pursuit of seeking out Yellowstone’s wildest, most remote places during winter.

Murphy is inviting the public to join this thrilling journey via a live GPS tracking app on the project website (http://yellowstone.film/) and live updates on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Through this technology, followers will be able to watch the progress of the journey and see backcountry imagery few people have ever seen.

Five skilled outdoorsmen will be joining Murphy on the expedition: retired YNP Park Ranger Brian Chan; Murphy’s nephew and regular camping partner Clay Dykstra; award-winning filmmakers Shane Moore and Rick Smith; and Porter John Williams, who will be shouldering much of the supplies and film gear.

Retracing Murphy’s route from the 1985 trip, the team will spend two to three weeks traveling across the entirety of the park, through the Thorofare, which is the most remote place in the contiguous United States.

“My motivation in choosing the route I did 31 years ago was to see some of this country that you can’t access by the road,” Murphy said. “And that remains part of my motivation today–to go out and see this country again.”

On February 20, the team will leave from Flagg Ranch, a few miles from the park’s south entrance. After 10-14 days, they should reach Fishing Bridge, where they will resupply food and stove fuel. Nearing the end of the trip, they will ski across Blacktail Plateau and end at the Park Headquarters in Mammoth.

The planned route is at least 135 miles long, and depending on the deviations – such as avoiding avalanche risks, finding safe river fords, and wandering in the trees – it could be as much as 150 miles.

Murphy has traveled the world shooting photos, yet Yellowstone remains his favorite place. On average, the Livingston, Montana resident spends 80-100 days in the park every year, and he still says it’s not enough.

“There’s so much variety in Yellowstone,” he says. “I’ve been to Lamar Valley 2,000 days, and it’s different every time – a lot different. The variety there is phenomenal in terms of weather, light and seasons. And then interactions with wildlife are always so dynamically different.”

The upcoming expedition serves as an opportunity for Murphy to visit his favorite place and share it with anyone curious about Yellowstone’s winter.

“Murphy has spent his career capturing images that tell the story of wild places,” film producer Rick Smith said. “Through the website and regular social media updates, his hope is that people will be able to follow along with the journey and share in his experience of skiing across Yellowstone.”

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The expedition team is currently working to raise funds to make this project possible. Anyone looking to support the making of “The Journey Through Yellowstone” can make a tax-deductible donation online at yellowstone.film.

“The Journey Through Yellowstone” is produced by Mirror Plateau Productions, which is based in Bozeman, Montana. Shane Moore and MPP owner Rick Smith are both award-winning filmmakers whose work has been featured on NBC, The National Geographic Channel, and PBS, with clients including Disney, The Discovery Channel, the Greater Yellowstone Coalition, and the Nature Conservancy, among others.