Watch: Opening the Route, A Run Through the Dolomites, by Jason Schlarb

Amateur, raw, unpolished and real, Opening the Route, A Run Through the Dolomites, which starts the 13-week “Movie Sunday” on Jason Schlarb’s Instagram account on Sundays and here on trailrunnermag.com on Mondays, was shot on a simple GoPro back in June of 2013.

Of the film, Schlarb says, “it’s my first film ever and to this day, is an absolute favorite.”

He and his two best friends, Jeremy Wolf and Matt Lowe, embark on a real running adventure in the Italian Dolomites. “Part of the beauty of Opening the Route,” he says, “was that we had no clue what we were doing. We arrived in the Dolomites with no set plan, no prior experience in the Dolomites, no map and no reservations at refugios (back country huts).  We were equipped simply with the running clothes we wore, our modest UD running vests packed with a change of clothes, water bottle and a credit card.

After an unseasonably snowy winter, the trails and most of the refugios were not open.  Each day of our 5 day, 92 miles with over 30,000 feet of climbing point-to-point adventure, we were strongly advised to not attempt our proposed route. Each day we went for the discouraged route and each day we were treated to a successful, yet crazy, mountain running epic we will never forget.”

Enjoy the film and check back here next Monday for film #2 of the 13-week series.