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After a cold day of backcountry skiing, a sheltered spot is found for a campsite. A snug spot located in the trees, it has an excellent view of both Mitchell Lake and the Continental Divide above. The shelter is soon erected, warm and dry clothes are changed into, and the stove is fired up. Dinner is cooked and consumed. But it is not quite ready to be called a night. The sun is setting and the alpenglow on the mountains is delightful. The stove is fired up again. A drink is quickly made. A warm and delicious beverage completes the night. Life is good.

Is there anything better than a hot chocolate cheesecake smoothie to drink in the cold winter night?
A chocolate cheesecake smoothie is a combination beverage and dessert that is perfect for any backcountry winter activity. Yummy and full of calories, it is ideal for helping to keep the inner furnace stoked until morning comes.
Ingredients
1 tbsp whole milk powder (Nido) 4 oz. no-bake cheesecake mix 3 oz. hot chocolate mix At Home
Take all ingredients and place in a re-sealable plastic bag. Shake and mix thoroughly.
At Camp
Pour mixture into a 16 oz. mug or a Nalgene bottle, add hot water and stir. Add enough water until the desired consistency is reached. Want it thicker and more dessert like? Add less water. Want it more beverage-like? Add more water. I personally like it on the beverage side of the smoothie equation as it helps to hydrate, too.
The cheesecake smoothie is very versatile. Add your favorite instant coffee to make a mocha. Or brew up some very strong fruit flavored herbal tea and make a berry-flavored cheesecake smoothie instead. Double the recipe to share with friends.
Going on a day Nordic ski tour? Make this tasty treat at home and throw it into a Thermos. The delicious goodness will be appreciated for sure.
Editor's Note: This recipe by contributor Paul Magnanti originally appeared in Issue 20 of TrailGroove Magazine. You can read the original article here.

Canada. The Yukon: it’s almost synonymous with adventure. And exploring the glaciated terrain of Kluane National Park on foot is an exercise in adventure any way you go about it. Just a few miles into our trip, the trail we’d been following quickly dispersed into a vast valley that I am certain some countries could fit into. The trail of your choosing was the only real path through the snaking mud pits of the low and glaciated brown river. The river which, I assumed in spring, covered our walkway.

But the expanse was so vast that you could see for at least ten miles ahead which made nearly every washed down stump, rock, and brown object look like a massive grizzly in the blurry waves of heat rising up from the ground. But as always, as we got closer to these elusive grizzly stumps, they deceivingly turned out to be just a washed down piece of debris from the massive glacier ahead. And gratefully, so.
A Kluane National Park Backpacking Trip
Prior to all this, at the visitor center for backcountry registration in downtown Haines Junction, a 45 minute safety briefing was had, as well as the post hike instructions to make contact upon the return to your vehicle seemed ominious; the thoughts of joy and beautiful imagery seemed like a far distant shore in this endlessly described predatory sea of a backpacking trip. The center detailed how the park held the most genetically diverse population of grizzlies in the world, complete with a live screen of tracked bears in and around the trail where our 14-mile one-way trek to the Kaskawulsh Glacier was to take place. Don’t get me wrong, the informative briefing of the hike and the professionalism of the center was there, but I was curious leaving the building how many backpackers have showed up to get their permits, and then proceeded not to hike after getting it.

We set off and were immediately greeted by the simple silence and pure awe of the park. We had to ford a river, which we found to be a surprisingly refreshing ordeal even though, at the visitor center, they made it sound like a terrifying prospect. A father and son crossed the river shortly after we did and sadly fell in and got most of their gear wet. But with Kluane being a literal alpine desert on the inland side of this giant coastal range, with the sun almost never setting, the possibility of getting their gear dried was rather high. Shortly after the first and only river crossing of the 14-mile one-way trek, we were greeted with the sight of a rabbit that had met an untimely end. The beginning of the hike was rather mellow and filled with the rhythmic noise we made to hopefully steer any carnivores away before we witnessed them.

But once we rounded the corner of this giant valley after nearly 10 monotonous miles of chasing fluvial fans from the peaks to our right, we were greeted with the view of the glacier with the magnificent glaciated peaks that rise above it. But the funniest part of the entire trek there wasn’t the fact that a single bear or print was witnessed, but upon our arrival to camp, we found over a dozen other backpackers from different corners of the globe. All I had to do was look around and realize that we were in one of the largest pieces of conserved land on the planet, deep in bear country. I had to pinch myself for freaking out from fear during the hike, as now the thoughts of a large carnivorous being were a far distant memory on this social hour of a backpacking trip.

Like at any hostel, the people you meet the night before vanish the next day, almost never to be seen again. Though we were able to say our goodbyes to some and exchange contact info, I couldn’t help but chuckle at what transpired. Never did I imagine the sociability of what had happened. But as it came time for us to leave as well, we were again alone in the giant alien world of this glaciated river valley. We woke early to get a head start, as I wanted to see what the sunrise colors would do to the valley. Beams of light shot through the peaks like a child making shadow puppets with a flashlight. And as the light began to paint the riverbed, we were greeted with our first set of fresh bear prints. Clearly made during the previous night, or shortly before our arrival. Again, that feeling of discomfort shot back through me and I obsessively scanned the horizon for those ever numerous giant brown rocks and tree stumps.
But with the rest of the five or so miles seeming to be this never ending scan of moving brown objects, we stumbled upon some more tracks and eventually made it back to the car. We threw our packs down and cheered to a safe and successful trip in a remote corner of Canada.
Need to Know
Information
The best place, as well as a mandatory visit before you hike is to stop at the visitor center in Haines Junction, Yukon. Here is where you will have to get a backcountry permit as well as a briefing and general overview of accessible trails. For more information before the trip, take a look at the Parks Canada Website. See the Hiking the Donjek (Dän Zhùr) Route article for a report on that trip / route within the park.
Best Time to Go
Summer or close to it is typically when most people plan their hikes. The average temperature in June is in the mid 50’s and in January, well, it’s in the negatives…daylight hours are almost 20 in June and four in January.
Getting There
From Whitehorse, head west on highway one to Haines Junction. Whitehorse, Yukon is the nearest international airport on the Canadian side for access to Kluane. From Haines Junction, you can travel north on Highway one to Destruction Bay, or South on highway three towards Klukshu and eventually Alaska.
Maps and Books
Kluane National Park Hiking Guide by Vivien Lougheed. Parks Canada offers a downloadable recreation map, that’s also available for purchase at the visitor center.
Editor's Note: This article by contributor Sean Jansen originally appeared in Issue 37 of TrailGroove Magazine. You can read the original article here for additional photos and content.

I smiled as the white sprinter van disappeared down the road, leaving me with only one way home, the trail in front of me. Months of planning and waiting had finally come to an end as I started down the dirt path with my friend Jon. Jon had flown out to Colorado 18 hours earlier, and had driven through the night with me to southwest Utah.

This trip had been 3 years in the making; ever since I had seen the Kolob Canyons of West Zion in May, 2009 and decided I must come back. Ahead of me waited 4 days and 70 miles of trails and canyons as I traveled through the park.
A Zion Hike: The Plan
When it comes to exploring the Zion backcountry, the obvious choice is the Zion Grand Traverse. Without any side trips, the route is 49 miles with 10,000 feet of elevation gain, covering the entire park from the Lee’s Pass in the west to the east entrance. The traverse, however, skips out on one of the most sought after activities in Zion, canyons. I wanted the best of both worlds but without getting overly technical, so I chose to link up the Grand Traverse with hiking the Narrows of the Virgin River from the top down.
While planning for my trip, I found that for it to work within the timeframe I had available, I would need to reserve two permits, one for the night I would stay on the west rim, and one for the night I would stay in the narrows. These permits are available through an online calendar system, and would need to be reserved at 10am on the 5th of the month, three months prior to the month I wanted like to camp in Zion.
The other reservations that would be needed were two shuttles, one from Springdale to Lee’s Pass, and another from the East Entrance to Chamberlain Ranch. The shuttle prices may be steep, however it was more convenient than driving out a second car and saved us a lot of time.

The last step in the planning process was the gear. Because of the Zion climate, I brought a lightweight backpacking setup that would be suitable for dry desert hiking, with forecasted lows to be above 40 degrees. The only specialized gear I bought was a pair of approach shoes and a few drybags. The shoes were a non-waterproof, synthetic upper approach shoe with a very sticky but durable climbing rubber sole. This gave me a shoe that would drain and dry quickly when wet, provide traction, and hold up to the many miles the trip would cover. The dry bags were to keep essentials dry if our packs were submerged during the river decent.
A Backpacking Traverse Across Zion National Park
As Jon and I started down the trail from Lee’s Pass, I had to remind myself that the first half of the day would give me a false sense of security about the water supply in the region. After 4.5 miles of hiking down along the magnificent sand stone pillars and faces of the Kolob Canyons, the trail intersects La Verkin Creek, a year round water source for the region and the second largest water resource in the park. In many spots along the trail, pools formed that were deep enough to swim in, so Jon and I took full advantage by soaking our feet and enjoying the rare commodity in the desert. Frogs and insects were everywhere, all dependent on the creek that nourished the ecosystem that surrounded it. After 7 miles, we found the first detour of the trip, an out and back trail to see the Kolob Arch, the second largest natural arch in the world. While not as spectacular as Arches national park and the arches I’ve seen in Canyonlands, it was still a worthwhile side trip, and the viewing area made a good lunch spot.
After getting back onto the main trail, another quarter mile led us to the best water source in the area. The Beatty Spring is on the south side of the creek, just to the right of the trail before it heads uphill. On this trip the water was flowing very well with very good tasting water and we filled up as much water as we could carry.
After leaving the creek and a steep hike uphill, we found ourselves in a wide trail-less valley surrounded by cows called the Hop Valley. It was a beautiful area, and gave us a sense of off trail cross country travel. The little bit of water in the valley did not appear safe to drink, so we left it alone. Backpackers wishing to make the first day shorter may want to camp in Hop Valley at the designated campsites on the north side. This southern part of the valley is a patchwork of private and national park land, where private livestock is grazed. We exited the valley following a rarely used private road that lead us back to national park land, and to our next trail junction at the Kolob Terrace Road. Here we picked up the water we had planted earlier that day on the shuttle ride, which would be needed for dinner and keeping hydrated in the hot, dry desert environment.

From there we followed the connector trail uphill near the road, providing beautiful views of the start of the west rim area. A few years ago, dispersed camping was allowed along the connector trail, however new restrictions by the park service eliminated any camping in the area, meaning we would need to make it to the Northgate Peaks trail junction where dispersed camping was allowed. As we neared the junction, we came upon a beautiful pine forest just as the sun was setting on day one of our trip. After setting up our tent and chowing down on our dinner, we fell fast asleep while listening to the insects.
As we packed up camp for the start of day two, I was reminded of our luck in the weather. The high desert of the Colorado Plateau that stretches across southern Utah is no stranger to wild weather. We were on the tail end of monsoon season, and our trip had started off with a blue bird day. The high pressure system over the area kept it that way for the remainder of the trip, giving us only the occasional white puffy cloud. The storms that hit Zion every summer can cause flash flooding, and on the high exposed section of the trail coming up, we would have virtually no cover from weather. Ahead was the highpoint of our trip, lava point, a small plateau at 7890 feet with an outstanding overlook of our route down the west rim trail.
As we traveled towards Lava Point, we reached our next water source, the first natural one since leaving Beatty Spring. This spring under the lava rock scree fields on the rim of Wildcat Canyon was a small trickle, and surrounded by honey bees. With most of the trail being downhill today, our water needs were lessened and we did not have to spend much time at the spring, just filling up enough water to keep us happy, knowing that there are water sources ahead at Sawmill Spring, Potato Hollow, and at Cabin Spring near our next campsite. As we started downhill along the west rim trail, the view was immense to our left side. As we looked east, we knew that somewhere in the distance Deep Creek and the Virgin River were flowing down the canyon we would be hiking down in two days.

As we worked our way down the west rim, we enjoyed of the spectacular drops and carved canyons of the west rim as we passed viewpoint after viewpoint. We sat and tried to comprehend the vastness that lay in front of us, seeming almost unreal. The views disappeared for a few miles as we descended into Potato Hollow. As we hiked out of Potato Hollow, we found ourselves at the junction of the shorter Telephone Canyon route and the continuance of the west rim trail. We chose to follow our plan and continue down the west rim, again being treated to spectacular views. As we neared our destination for the day, campsite #2 near cabin spring, the main canyon of Zion came into view. Again Jon and I set up our camp and spent the remainder of the evening watching the sunset colors reflect off the walls of the main canyon of Zion, and as the light faded, the stars began to come out, filling up the vast blackness with millions of tiny lights.
The last day of our traverse posed an interesting challenge. No matter how you set up your permit for the Narrows, you are required to pick it up in person the day before your trip. So we were forced to take a detour mid-day to stand in line at the backcountry office in Springdale to obtain our permit. We took advantage of this opportunity to restock our food and enjoy lunch in Springdale. Before being able to head into town, we would need to descend over 2500 feet from our camp on the edge of the rim to the canyon floor.

As we started our decent, the dirt trail we had been following for the prior two days turned to stone and concrete, remnants of the conservation corps efforts to give access to the area around the canyon. Most of the trail had been blasted into the side of the cliffs, giving us a smooth and steep trail down the canyon.
Angels Landing
As we descended the canyon, our second detour appeared, Angels Landing. As Angels Landing grew larger, so did the crowds. Prior to Angels Landing, we had seen around 10 people on the trail in two days. Once we reached scout lookout, we dropped our packs for the mildly technical climb to the top of the landing. Chains had been installed years ago to make the passage along the sandstone fin safer, and in certain spots you could see the impressions of the chain link in the sandstone where use had slowly eroded the rock. Near the top, a beautiful view of the main canyon came into view, the reason why thousands of people from around the world climb up the canyon to stand there every year. After snapping a few photos at the top, Jon and I hurried down the fin knowing we still had a long day ahead of us.
We then hiked down to the base of the canyon at the Grotto Trailhead, our lowest point during the trip at 4360 feet, and took the shuttle back to the visitor center to pick up our permits for the narrows. The weather was forecasted to stay clear, so the ranger was allowed to give us our permits. When weather conditions are not ideal, permits will not be given because of the flash flood potential in the canyon. After obtaining our permits and taking care of our food and water supplies, we took the shuttle back to the Weeping Rock Trailhead. Here we had to dig deep and hike the steepest section of our route up to the top of the east rim at midday in the heat.

Near the crest of the trail, we came upon Stave Spring, which is nothing more than a pipe with a trickle of water coming out of it. The water from this source did not taste particularly good, so we were glad we filled up in Springdale. From this point, the remaining portion of the hike almost seems otherworldly. It’s all downhill, and you can see the end as you look down toward the Checkerboard Mesa and Jolly Gulch. As the sun set, the trail in front of us darkened. Finally, just after twilight, we found our trailhead sign that signaled we had finished the traverse. Because our permits allowed us to stay in the dispersed camping area of the east rim, we hiked back up the trail a short ways using our headlamps, and pitched our tent for the last night on the route.
The Zion Narrows
To travel to Zion without seeing the Narrows is like going to Yellowstone without seeing any geysers. The North Fork of the Virgin River cuts a deep rift into the landscape that eventually widens into the main canyon of Zion, creating a natural marvel. At its deepest point, the walls are nearly 2000 feet tall, and at some points it’s narrow enough to touch both walls with your arms and trekking poles extended. The plan was to complete what I called the Criss-Cross, linking our traverse to hiking the Narrows from the top down. Our second shuttle arrived on time to the East Entrance Trailhead, and shuttled us up the start of the Narrows at Chamberlain Ranch. We stopped at the Zion Ponderosa Ranch briefly to fill up on water since the narrows is downstream from livestock.
We arrived at Chamberlain Ranch at almost 11am. As we started down the dusty road that forms the beginning of the trail, we knew the landscape was going to drastically change as the river dove deep into the earth. Eventually we came to a point in the trail where there was no way to go other than into the river and completely soak your feet, so we jumped in. After three days of desert hiking, the cool stream on our sore feet was welcomed. Slowly the walls started to grow on either side of the creek, and we crossed the creek more times than we could count, staying in the creek when it was easier. After many twists and turns, the roar of a waterfall began to fill our ears and we found the only spot of the river that had to be bypassed. Luckily there is a narrow trail to the left of the river.

A few more miles down the river, as the walls kept growing, deep creek converged with the Virgin River, doubling the water volume. Still we felt solid footed and refreshed in the cool canyon, and pressed on down the river. At this point, we began to see the park-designated campsites, giving us a good idea of where we were and how much further we had to go. With plenty of sunlight left in the day, and feeling much more renewed than I expected, we were on a mission to finish off the hike that evening. We stopped at Big Spring to filer water with fantastic tasting spring water and then began the lower section of the Narrows. There we met a few day hikers that were hiking from the bottom up, encouraging us that the bottom was easily within reach before dark. As we started down the lower section, we encountered the deepest and most constricted section of the river, with parts deep enough to require us to remove our backpacks and walk with them over our heads. Here the walls towered over us, and at some points curved inward to almost form a tunnel, with only a sliver of sky showing though above us.

As we moved lower, a few more day hikers came into view as we passed the inlets of Imlay and Orderville Canyons. Finally a massive crowd appeared, signaling the end of the riverside walk starting at the Temple of Sinawava Trailhead. As we walked the last mile of our trip on the concrete path, getting odd looks from others with our full size backpacks and wet clothes, both of us felt overjoyed. After 4 days of hiking, we finally found ourselves at our final trail head, the Temple of Sinawava. We were soaked and tired, wishing we had another day of canyons and red rocks. We decided to finish off the night with dinner at the Zion Lodge, again getting odd looks from the upscale clientele at the restaurant there.
The Bonus
While having dinner, Jon and I decided to treat ourselves to a bonus trip. Jon had never seen the Grand Canyon, and I had missed my chance to see the north rim of the Grand Canyon the last time I was in the area, so we decided to drive to the north rim to catch the sunrise the next morning. As the sun started to come up, a small crowd gathered at the lookout, mostly local photographers that said that the weather and cloud level was ideal for creating a very colorful sunrise. As the sun came up, the whole landscape began to glow orange, treating us to a beautiful sunrise over the canyon.

After spending some more time touring the different overlooks on the mostly deserted north rim, we started back on the road, with a 12 hour drive to get back to Denver, and an early morning flight back to Chicago for Jon in the morning. This trip was certainly a life-lister, and had more solitude than the crowds of the main canyon.
Need to Know
Information
Zion National Park, Zion Canyon Visitor Center - (435) 772-0170. Kolob Canyons Visitor Center - (435) 586-9548.
Getting There
Springdale is the main town just outside of Zion. The closest major airport is Las Vegas, NV which is 2 ½ hours away. There are also smaller airports in Cedar City, UT and St. George, UT.
Maps
National Geographic Trails Illustrated #214.
Guidebooks
Zion: Canyoneering by Tom Jones (trail and Narrows information). Hiking Zion and Bryce Canyon National Parks, a Falcon Guide.
All images in this article © Ted Ehrlich.
Editor's Note: This article by Ted "tmountainnut" Ehrlich originally appeared in Issue 7 of TrailGroove Magazine. You can read the original article here for additional photos and content.

Stay fueled. Here are some versatile items that we like to always have in our food bag to add extra calories, flavors, and variety to backcountry meals. The possibilities are endless, but by carrying these ingredients you can take any off-the-shelf backpacking meal to the next level or add calories and taste to your own creations.
Dehydrated or Freeze-Dried Vegetables
A great way to add flavor and variety to your meals, as well as have a few servings of veggies during the day or with dinner. So many options...carrots, spinach, tomatoes, mushrooms, you get the idea! Harmony House is one company that offers a wide array of dehydrated and freeze-dried vegetables that are great to have in the backpacking pantry.

When it comes to dehydrated vegetables, you can take a wide variety of individual options, go for a mix, or dehydrate your own.
Olive Oil Packets
An easy way to add calories to any meal. Using olive oil packets is a lightweight & clean way to carry oil into the backcountry to avoid leaking or spilling (unless they are crushed and burst). Not a bad idea to pack these in a backup Ziploc or two as well.
Instant Mashed Potatoes
So many variations can be made with instant potatoes...for breakfast (add eggs, ham, etc.) or dinner (cheese, meat, veggies, etc). You may want to bring powdered milk and / or powdered butter for creamy potatoes.
Peanut Butter
Yes, it’s a little heavy, but it is packed with calories. You can pair this with small jelly containers from your favorite breakfast joint and serve on bread or tortillas or squeeze bottles for longer trips. Eat on its own or add to Asian-style dinners.
Chicken Packets (or Tuna)
Protein – add to a rice or pasta dish for dinner; add mayo packets & seasonings for chicken salad to serve on bread, bagels, or tortillas. But if you're looking to go for the best backpacking option in this regard, freeze-dried chicken is a pricier alternative but lighter in weight and typically tastes better as well.
Potato Chips
Maybe not the healthiest choice, but this snack food can add flavor, calories and a crunch to many dishes. We sometimes use crushed cheddar & sour cream chips to add extra flavor to freeze-dried meals – It’s like dehydrated potatoes and flavoring all in one.

Chips are lightweight, have plenty of calories, and can add both crunch as well as flavor to meals.
Tortillas
You can make a wrap out of nearly anything. Add extra calories to breakfast scrambles or freeze-dried meals. For lunches or snacks, you can use this to hold chicken salad or peanut butter & jelly (see above).
Cheese
Wax-sealed cheese rounds keep well on the trail and are great by themselves or added to lunches. Where they really shine is when melted into dinners or breakfast - melted cheese just makes everything better.
Chocolate
Maybe not the most versatile ingredient, but as a dessert a simple chocolate bar may be the best way to end the day on a good note. Dark chocolate bars keep well, are easy, and if it’s calories you’re looking for, no worries here.
Editor's Note: This installment of Backcountry Cuisine originally appeared in Issue 9 of TrailGroove Magazine. You can read the original article here.

I thru-hiked the Pacific Crest Trail a while ago, so I was interested to view the film adaptation of the Cheryl Strayed book Wild to see how a long-distance hike was handled as a Hollywood movie. But Wild, the movie isn’t a hiking film; it’s more about a woman’s relationship with herself rather than her relationship with nature. Directed by Jean-Marc Vallèe, Wild follows Cheryl Strayed (played by Reese Witherspoon) on a 1,100 mile cathartic walk along the Pacific Crest Trail.
Wild Movie
After the death of her mother, a divorce, and a downward spiral, on a whim Strayed embarks on a hike of the PCT. Vallèe depicts the experience of a long distance hiker well in the film: from the small night noises, to the blisters, trail angels, memories, songs, and those millions of reasons to quit. The film splits from the trail at times to show flashbacks of Strayed’s former life, and it’s from those memories we learn why she has taken on this journey. Most of the flashbacks are recollections of her mother (superbly played by Laura Dern) who had a positive outlook on life – and it’s the memories and spirit of her mother’s optimism that finally helps pull Strayed out of her own abyss.

Director Vallèe has a theme of unlikely heroes in many of his films. In the Dallas Buyer’s Club, it’s Matthew McConaughey as a cowboy dying of AIDS, but finding a way for thousands to survive with the disease. In Young Queen Victoria, the unlikely heroine is the queen standing on her own against the entrenched powers of England and reigning longer than any monarch in British history. The film C.R.A.Z.Y stars the unlikely hero of a young man struggling in 1970s Montreal. So the director is in familiar territory with “Wild” and the challenges of a young woman with a dark past struggling against nature to reclaim herself.
Witherspoon is at her best in the film, losing the gloss we associate with her from earlier movies and opting for a more stripped-down acting role. During a long-distance hike there are reasons all day every day to quit, and fewer reasons to keep going. This in particular is demonstrated well. From the opening scene of pulling off a toenail to the body welts created by her massive pack, she’s in new territory with her acting. As she meets men along the trail, there sometimes come fears both genuine and imagined. This is a transformative role from a dark self to a better self along the trail, and as a long distance hiker I believed Witherspoon’s performance as a Pacific Crest Trail backpacker.
Wild was mostly filmed in my home state of Oregon, so I was happy to see so many familiar sites of the region. Cinematographer Yves Bèlanger helps bring the vastness of the trail’s landscape and the scenery of Oregon alive. I also know two of the hikers portrayed in the film, so that was of particular interest to me. The screenplay by Nick Hornby flowed much better than the book, as did the film. A couple of notable cameos in the movie: author Cheryl Strayed makes a brief appearance as a “trail angel” in an early scene, and rocker Art Alexakis (of Everclear fame) has an amusing part as a tattoo artist.
Concluding Thoughts
Whether you’re a hiker or not, Wild is entertaining and well-acted throughout. Backpacking films are few and far between, and they’re usually about growth and revelation along the trail and not about backpacking – The Way starring Martin Sheen comes to mind. Wild covers similar terrain, and does so in spectacular fashion. You can watch Wild here at Amazon.com and you can find the book here.
Editor's Note: This film review originally appeared in Issue 20 of TrailGroove Magazine. You can read the original article here.