Eric Hanson
Eric Hanson makes backpacking, hiking and adventure travel films, sharing trail stories and practical gear advice after six years hosting Epic Trails and Backpacking TV.
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Latest
Eric’s happenings, collected from public sources, plus his backstory and Starbook, where fans write.
Known for
Outside TV
Vimeo
YouTube
YouTubeOverview
- Based in
- Flagstaff, Arizona
- Work
- Adventure travel filmmaker, photographer and writer
- Early career
- Wilderness therapy guide and Backpacker Magazine gear tester
- Breakout
- Epic Trails launched on Outside TV in 2017
- Independent since
- 2023
Mini bio
How it started.
After college, Eric chose a year of travel and volunteering with The World Race. He later spent roughly three years as a wilderness therapy guide in Utah, developing his photography and writing while testing equipment for Backpacker Magazine.
From the trail to television.
A video shared by Backpacker caught producer Ken Whiting’s attention. Years of development led to Epic Trails: Eric filmed the Jordan pilot in March 2017, and it aired on Outside TV that August. Before television took off, he had left guiding in 2015 to travel the Andes and build a freelance career.
His own path.
Eric went fully independent in 2023 after six years hosting Epic Trails and Backpacking TV. Based in Flagstaff, he now makes films about hiking, backpacking and travel. Recent work pairs wilderness trips and gear comparisons with films about Lake Powell, public lands and wildlife conservation.
Creditschronological, newest first
Online films and collaborations
- 2026I Duel Miranda Goes Outside For Best Backpacking GearCreator and collaborator
- 2026It's Already Dead. They Just Won't Admit It.Creator; conversation with Eric Balken
- 2026What Happened to Darwin On The Trail?Creator and interviewer
Television and documentary
- 2017Epic TrailsOriginal host
- 2014Zion: Rock of RefugeFilmmaker
Awards
Quotes
Often the difference between succeeding and failing is simply not giving up.Eric Hanson, Life Lessons and Reflections on 2017
Reflecting on years of freelance work and development before Epic Trails reached television.
Trivia
- He bought a one-way ticket to Ecuador and spent seven months traveling down the Andes while developing his photography.
- A flash flood during filming in Zion nearly killed his party of four, an experience he says changed his approach to wilderness risk.
- The first season of Epic Trails took him to Australia, Canada, Fiji, New Zealand and Peru.
Find Eric
Follow Eric for new films, trail stories and gear advice.
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