Movies transport us to another world and there’s nothing better than when they transport us to outdoor worlds. Men and women test their moxy against the elements, animals, and their own limitations. As such, we’ve chosen our very favorite outdoor flicks and have broken them down into the lessons that you’ll hopefully take away once the popcorn is gone and the credits roll.

Into Thin Air

The Gist: This tragic film is based on the book by outdoor author and adventurer Jon Krakauker. This intense drama details the events of the now infamous Mt. Everest disaster in which eight mountaineers lost their lives and several more were stranded when a sudden storm struck the mountain and rendered the climbers helpless.

Lessons Learned:
-Always observe strict safety precautions, whether you’re climbing the tallest mountain in the world or merely going for a brisk hike in the backcountry.
-Dying in the outdoors is no picnic. It totally sucks. Avoid it at all costs.

 2. The Edge

The Gist: The long and the short of this thriller is that Anthony Hopkins is a gazillionaire married to a much younger super model who happens to be having an affair with Hopkins’ business partner, played by Alec Baldwin ( We don’t know what her problem is because we’d take Hopkins over Baldwin any day of the week). Whilst heading to a cabin in the mountains, Tony and Alec crash land in the wilderness where they have to survive by their wits and outrun a murderous bear. Lucky for Alec, Tony doesn’t go all Hannibal Lecter on him, but he does outwit him due to his composer and prior study of survival techniques. Pretty cool, huh?

Lessons Learned:
-Don’t trust Alec Baldwin with your hot wife.
-Reading a survival manual can never hurt, in fact it could just save your life.
-Composure under pressure can save your life in the outdoors.

3. Brokeback Mountain

The Gist: Two men fall in love and carry on a lifelong relationship after spending a season tending to sheep in the mountains. Though this isn’t a survival film by any means, it does teach us a few things about the outdoors.

Lessons Learned:
-The outdoors offers a haven and retreat for lovers.
-Ranchers, herders, and those that make their living in the outdoors deserve our respect, since it’s hard work and you have to have balls of steal to winter camp for months.
-Jake Gyllenhal looks mighty fine in Wrangler jeans.

4. Into the Wild

The Gist: Yuppy kid is disenchanted with yuppiedom. Yuppie kid travels the US and, eventually, decides to take his chances in the Alaskan Wilderness. Yuppie kid finds an abandoned van, uses it for shelter, gets hungry, eats some poisonous fauna. Yuppie kid dies.

Lessons Learned:
-Yuppie kids, and anyone with common sense, require formal wilderness survival training before walking “into the wild.”
-Never eat anything in nature unless  you are 110% certain it won’t kill you.
-Sean Penn can actually direct, but not as well as he can act.

5. Last of the Mohicans

 The Gist: There’s a lot going on in this film but essentially, Daniel “ I Win Lots of Acting Awards” Day Lewis, some Mohicians, and a really hot chick are all fight for survival against the Indians and Redcoats during the French and Indian War. The cinematography is stunning and there’s a lot of jumping off waterfalls and men in buckskins. Yes, please.

Lessons Learned:
-Jumping off waterfalls should be reserved for Daniel Day Lewis.
-Knife fighting on rocks in the wilderness results in certain death.
-We should respect the wilderness, its animals, and its people.

The draw of having a pet is undeniable.  It’s almost like the epitome of narcissism, keeping a being around you for the sole purpose of loving you.  They wait for you, wait on you, adore you, sometimes sing to you (depending on the pet), cuddle with you…they are like love machines.  And it is good for your mental health to have one—petting animals actually reduces stress.  But wait; it gets better.

I’m a cat person, and sometimes I wonder how that happened.  It isn’t necessarily that I dislike dogs, but somehow, maybe in my genetic predisposition (though I highly doubt that because most of the people in my family don’t actually like cats) cats and I just have an understanding.  They come with a more independent, lower maintenance existence that is absolutely necessary to our compatibility.  They get angry when their naps get interrupted, and so do I.  They purr, they meow (I actually love the sound of cats meowing), and they still cuddle with me when I go to bed (though they tend to take up most of the bed).

Still though, it is hard NOT to want a dog when I’m out on the trail.  Are my cats going to leash up and traverse miles of trail with me?  Uh…no.  When I open my front door, they run AWAY from it. These are the reasons I sigh longingly when I see a fellow hiker with a dutiful outdoorsy canine:

1. 1.    They are ready when you are:  Have you ever tried to plan out a trip that depended entirely on timing, and you had to wait on your counterpart?  Maybe they forgot to pack their lunch until the last minute, or they NEED to check directions again a few more times before you head out the door.  Not an outdoorsy dog.  As a matter of fact, your pooch is probably already waiting on you.
2. Endless Enthusiasm:  Are you excited to climb a fourteener?  So is your dog!  They are probably more pumped than you are to get out there and discover all the new smells, get some great exercise, and keep going all day long.
3. Always interesting:  The conversation can never get boring, because there is never conversation…and yet, dogs always seem to keep interest levels high.  And their obvious happiness and carefree nature is pretty contagious.
4. Always interested:  A well-trained dog is an excellent listener.  And they won’t look at you like you’re an absolute weirdo when you talk in your super cute high pitched dog voice saying what a good boy/girl they are.  Especially when treats are involved.
5. Friendlier than you are:  Are you nervous to go talk to that really hot hiker guy/chick?  I bet your dog isn’t.  As a matter of fact, I’m sure that hottie is pretty excited to talk to your dog, too.  Boom: perfect conversation starter, perfect wingman.
6. Won’t argue:  Do you feel like sprinting through the trail, or just keeping a slower pace?  Do you want to stop for lunch?  Do you want to take the long way back?  Or do you perhaps want to cut the hike super short because you’ve decided that the post-hike beer can’t wait any longer?  Your dog’s on the same page, buddy.  He’s wondering why you didn’t think of it sooner (though you probably shouldn’t let him drink beer).