A few years ago, I had an idea for a YouTube channel covering local hiking spots. My goal was to make the videos informative – giving an overview of the area, a little history, and showcasing scenic highlights – while not wasting the viewer’s time.

I wanted to include the path of the hike in a visually engaging way, so I used Adobe After Effects to create the animated sequence: an overhead drone shot zooming down to the park map, then following the path of the trail. The satellite images are screenshots from Google Maps, and the topographic map image is a screenshot from usgs.gov. As an avid hiker, I know that just finding the trailhead and knowing where to park can sometimes be a challenge, so I made sure to include those directions, which were especially necessary for this park.

At the time, I felt too many hiking videos dragged on with long, boring shots of someone walking the trail with the camera pointed straight ahead. I wanted mine to have quicker edits, varied angles and dramatic feels. Giving the viewers a taste of the experience rather than a real-time walkthrough.

I named the channel Wilderlust Showcase – “Wilder” for the wilderness, “Lust” because it’s a sexy word, “Showcase” as a nod to the various DC Comics’ Showcase titles. My friend Dave – who’s never been on a hike in his life – suggested calling the channel Hiker Liker which I ended up using as my greeting: “What’s up, Hiker Likers.” It’s a nonsense phrase, but alliteration is fun, and I wanted something original instead of “Hey YouTube.”

The channel went stale, but I am itching to revitalize it with new ideas. Time to hit the trails again – more to come.