'An American Ascent' Earns Best Picture, Best Director

By Casey Adams

Feb 5, 2015

“An American Ascent,” the film documenting NOLS Expedition Denali, earned Best Film and Best Director honors at the San Diego Black Film Festival this weekend.

American-ascentThe film follows Expedition Denali, which set out to be the first African American team to reach North America’s highest point: Denali. All members of this NOLS expedition were NOLS graduates or instructors, and the film crew included NOLS instructor and video producer Kyle Duba. Though a lightning storm forced the climbers to turn around short of the summit, Expedition Denali achieved its first goal: to inspire youth of color to explore the outdoors. That inspiration will only reach a bigger audience through "An American Ascent."

An American Ascent - Film Trailer from Distill Productions onVimeo.

Written By

Casey Adams

Casey worked as a writer and PR specialist for NOLS.

Up Next

Expedition Denali stories inspire in Lander and beyond

Expedition Denali pose in front of NOLS World Headquarter sign

Last week, the Expedition Denali team traveled to Lander, Wyo., where they spent a day at NOLS Headquarters for their final gathering before they attempt to summit Denali in June. As part of this visit, they held a forum for local NOLS staff in which they shared their motivations, fears, and expectations for joining Expedition Denali. Each brought his or her own story to the team, creating a strong, diverse group that will be able to impact the lives of a variety of children across the nation.

Read More