in the modern era, cars and planes have turned the train into an antiquated form of transportation.⁠

‘ultratraining’ follows rickey gates on a trip through the southwest, traveling by train.⁠

a ciele athletics pictures film, produced in partnership with our friends at salomon & protect our winters. ⁠

starring rickey gates

film by wolpertinger

addt'l appearances by eric senseman & rich roll

music by andrew gordon macpherson

Every 4th of July thousands of people descend on the small harbour town of Seward, Alaska to witness one of the oldest, fastest, hardest, toughest… and shortest mountain races in the world. For years, Rickey Gates has been churning out war stories and legends of the annual Mount Marathon Race to anyone that would listen. In 2015, in the race’s centenary year, Kilian and Emelie finally did.

The term “fell” is an often used Northern England expression for hill or mountain. It is presumed that Shepherds were probably the first ever fell runners with the earliest documented accounts of running in the fells dating back to the 11th Century. By the 19th century organised fell runs began taking place in Cumbria in the United Kingdom. Locals raced each other up and down hills and a sport was born.

In “Of Fells and Hills” we travel with American Writer, Photographer and Trail Runner, Rickey Gates, to the UK to explore and discover the history, culture and legends of the ancient practice of Fell Running.

Adventurer Rickey Gates, a child born of mountains, is living in Wisconsin. What of it when winter strikes? Why, head northerly explore the frozen shores of Lake Superior. A midwinter night's dream...

Every year on the 4th of july, hundreds of runners dare the 3022ft. of Seward's Mt. marathon in Alaska's Oldest and most dangerous footrace. 

In 2014, a full time mom challenged an Olympian, two pro athletes took on the men's record holder and a former junior champion battled her demons on the mountain where she grew up. Intimate athlete interviews reveal and inspiring story about running, community and a race you will have to see to believe.

Our love of nature is a common language. Far away from the realities of the chaotic world the wilderness offers us a playground with its own rhythm and order of existence. In search of a bit of natural enlightenment, Rickey Gates and Dakota Jones pack their running shoes (and rafts) and head into the canyons of Nowhere, Utah.

At 19, Rickey Gates dropped out of college and headed on a road trip to South America. It was a trip that would kick-start a life of adventure and travel.

Japan’s connection with the natural world has shaped its people’s lives and culture for thousands of years. In ancient times they looked on their mountains as the dwelling places of the gods. This still continues through the Japanese practice of Shugendo which is centered around the examination of our relationship with the natural world. Rickey Gates and Anna Frost travel to the Japanese Alps to explore this shared bond with the mountains.

Filmed on location in the ancient Redwoods of Northern California, this short film pays ode to the quiet moments of solitude and appreciation that only the wild can give us. Here's to the wild.