Despite living in a digital age, word of mouth remains influential and is perhaps more relevant today than ever before courtesy of the podcasting boom. With this in mind, I’d heard fellow overlanders mention Shaun (aka The Story Till Now) and his inspiring videos and decided it was time to find out what all the fuss was about.
In today’s installment, The Story Til Now is joined by friends Paul (Ram 2500) and Maury (Jeep Wrangler) as they tackle some nail-biting trails on a journey into Alaska. However, before we get into any of that, we need to first pause and take a moment to appreciate arguably the star of the show: Shaun’s monster rig, a 2022 Jeep Gladiator. The truck has been extensively modified, rolls on 40-inch tires, and is powered by a 426 Hemi motor (the soundtrack from the cab was music to my ears). The production quality on the channel is consistently outstanding with epic aerial shots and camerawork accompanied by dramatic music and well-paced narration. I’d wholeheartedly agree with the comments of others that the channel’s content wouldn’t look out of place on a major streaming service.
The crew first heads into the mountains of British Columbia, stopping at the John Emmerson emergency shelter before navigating some anxiety-inducing tracks to access a breathtaking viewpoint. I consume a lot of overlanding content, but only a handful of creators are willing to tackle such challenging trails in their rigs. It was refreshing to see a filmmaker utilizing their heavily modified vehicle for more than just a thumbnail. In fact, there were moments when I was getting nervous just watching as the team climbed and descended off-camber shelf roads with huge drops. As they make their way down the mountain, they’re challenged by fiercely overgrown trails to reach an idyllic beach camp spot on an alpine lake. Here they bask in the beauty of their surroundings before spotting a black bear and cooking up a delicious meal. Laughter fills the air as Shaun narrates: “A huge part of a successful adventure is having the right people with you.” It’s a sentiment that feels especially poignant here in Norway just now as I’ve not seen my friends and family since March—while the landscapes are spectacular, it’s a reminder that nothing beats sharing experiences with loved ones. The next day they cross into the small Alaskan town of Hyder where they leave the tarmac and make their way to the jaw-dropping Salmon Glacier. Here, Shaun does a wonderful job of capturing the immense majesty of this natural wonder and closes the episode with a powerful message:
“Adventure waits for no man. You have to reach out and take it. Overcome the challenges along the way and make your adventure happen. Our time on Earth is a very limited resource, so use it wisely. Get out there and go explore.”
The Story Til Now certainly lived up to the hype, and I’m really looking forward to the next episode in the series. If you’ve considered exploring British Columbia/Alaska, watching this video will be the impetus to make it finally happen.
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