The trailer for the three-part documentary “Bigelow.”

Last year, film student Ben Gadberry set out to document a hiking trip on Maine’s 4,145-foot Mount Bigelow in way nobody had before. The result is the impressive three-part series “Bigelow” that goes far beyond just chronicling a backpacking trip to explore the history of Bigelow (Did you know the mountain was almost a ski resort with hopes of hosting the Olympics?) and the friendships among hikers. Gadberry’s “Bigelow” documentary features beautiful scenery, high-quality effects and a good dose of humor.

Gadberry created the series as part of his thesis project while he was a student at Northeastern University. He shot it using a Panasonic GH3 camera and a GoPro Hero 3 Black Edition, plus his own ingenuity (he built his own GoPro backpack mount using PVC pipe from Home Depot). For dynamic motion shots, he used a Glidecam HD-1000. It ended up being a lot of weight to carry, but, given the outcome, it was well worth it.

Having been raised in Maine’s Carrabassett Valley, Gadberry says he was drawn to the Bigelow Range because of its history and the challenge it poses. “The Bigelow Range has a remoteness that is both exhilarating and frightening,” says Gadberry. “You can easily go on a 10-hour hiking trip up Bigelow and not see a single soul. You can stop on the trail and only hear your breathing, or the wind rushing through the trees, or perhaps the echoing cry of a far off bird. You really can’t say that about the Presidentials in New Hampshire, which get flooded with hikers every summer, or Katahdin.”

Check out Episode 1 “Bigelow: Mountain Calling” below, and be sure to check out episodes 2 & 3 in the coming days.

Bigelow – Episode 1

BIGELOW Episode 1: Mountain Calling from Ben Gadberry on Vimeo.