Charles and Marion Hessey - North Cascades National Park

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This 16mm film is in color, with sound, with a running time around 20 minutes. According to Marion Hessey, this film was produced in hope of selling it the National Park Service, but it was never sold. Since the North Cascades National Park was established in 1968, the film must have been made around that time.

The film contains a remarkable variety of scenes from all around the North Cascades. There are scenes of avalanches, clouds pouring over the crest, rivers, flowers, wildlife, horse packers, rock and glacier climbers, and skiers. Together with their other films, this film proves that Chuck and Marion Hessey were the most widely traveled Cascade filmmakers of their day--and perhaps of all time. There are a few scenes duplicated from other Hessey films, but not many. The soundtrack varies in quality but it is audible throughout and includes inspired narration by Chuck Hessey. He notes that the North Cascades have taken their place alongside America's other national parks "tardily but without apology, the equal of all."

(Digital transfer of this film was made possible by a grant from The Mountaineers Foundation. Film notes and video clip by Lowell Skoog.)