Into the Route – A trail running short film

Into the Route – a short film created in partnership with Black Diamond with athletes Dan and Janine Patitucci and Kim Strom.

Follow the team on a journey of pain, recovery and partnership on their quest to create a multi-stage trail running tour through the Alps

First, the three launched Elevation: The Alps Trail & Peak Running Resource – a curated collection of the very best trail and mountain runs in the Alps.

Next up, the concept and creation of the Via Valais; a multi-stage tour designed specifically for runners. In 2018, after four recon missions to finalise the connections between the start point in Verbier and end point in Zermatt, they settled on the line that keeps runners running for nine stages.

Following the Via Valais success, the team started the process of designing a more introductory route in eastern Switzerland’s Graubünden region: The Via Grischuna winds from Davos-Klosters to St. Moritz, with plenty of singletrack kilometres between.

Into the Route gives a peek into the inner workings of the team, ‘a weird little family’. Into the frustrations and rewards of producing creative work in the mountains while forging a unique path that inspires others to seek out challenging experiences.

As this film is released, the team is finishing Sierra Trail Runs: A Guide to the Eastside. Parked at trailheads in a Transit van with a grey cat and nightly tacos somewhere in the Sierra. Still running. 

Black Diamond equipment and apparel is built for human powered pursuits in the mountains. Designed for ridgelines, races and rugged mountain miles, it’s engineered to keep you moving. Check out the team’s trail running gear from Black Diamond seeing them through their challenges around the world.