This film from the consumer education department of Sears, “Come Camping in Alaska” (1963) follows legendary mountaineer Sir Edmund Hillary and his family (including Lady Louise Hillary, and children Peter, Sarah, Lindy) on a camping and driving adventure through Alaska and the Canadian Yukon. The film was subtly intended to sell camping supplies sold at Sears, but it’s mostly a wonderful look at Alaska, highlighting the natural beauty, diverse landscapes, and the simple joys of a family camping trip. The film was filmed by Francis Carter Wood, Jr., Campbell Norsgaard and Ron Hayes, and narrated by Stephen Vintner using his own script.

0:00 The film introduces Sir Edmund Hillary, the conqueror of Mount Everest, and his family, who have always dreamt of a camping vacation in Alaska. It notes that while Mount McKinley (Denali) isn’t as tall as Everest, it holds a special fascination for him.

1:58 The family begins their journey, driving and camping from Chicago to Vancouver. From Vancouver, they take a ferry to Juneau, Alaska, and then another ferry to Haines.

2:21 The film notes that the road system, famous in Canada and Alaska, begins in Haines. The family drives along the Chilkat River, crossing the border into British Columbia at Camp Pleasant.

3:13 The film showcases the excellent, though unpaved, roads of the Yukon and British Columbia.

3:42 They make their first camp on the shores of Lake Desash, famous for its lake trout. The film shows Ed setting up their tent and the family fishing.

4:40 The film celebrates the universal joy of fishing, showing the family catching grayling in Lake Desash and then cutting to a scene of them salmon fishing in Alaska’s Montana Creek.

5:25 The family prepares a fish supper over a campfire, highlighting the simple pleasures of camping.

6:26 The family continues their journey, joining the Alaska Highway at Haines Junction and heading toward South Central Alaska.

7:42 The film pauses to admire the scenic landscapes, including the majestic Chugach Mountains and the knife sharp peaks of the Taleetna Mountains , where they spot Dall sheep.

9:44 The family visits a primordial glacier, from which the Matanuska Valley gets its name.

10:18 The film highlights the Matanuska Valley , describing it as the richest farmland in North America due to nearly 24 hour summer sunlight. Ed Hillary, a farmer, stops to talk to a local Alaskan farmer about the giant cabbages grown there.

11:41 The journey continues to the Kenai Peninsula , where the family enjoys a chairlift ride on Mount Alyeska even in the summer and stops to admire the wildflowers.

13:52 The Hillaries decide to camp at Kenai Lake. They’re shown discussing the best spot for their tent and campfire, highlighting the careful planning that goes into a good campsite.

19:36 The film shows the family settling into their camp, with the children going to bed early. Ed reads them a humorous bedtime story about a rattlesnake.

23:04 The family moves on to Anchorage , taking the Alaska Railroad to Mount McKinley Park (Denali National Park). They travel the Denali Highway and spot a caribou.

26:22 They make their final camp at Wonder Lake , the closest public campground to Mount McKinley. While the children are more interested in a park squirrel, Ed is captivated by the view of the mountain.

29:23 On their way back, they spot a grizzly bear eating wild blueberries, a contrast to the coastal brown bear that eats salmon.

30:45 The trip ends as the family takes the train to Fairbanks , where a signpost marks the end of their long journey. The film concludes by reflecting on how even for a man who conquered Everest, a camping trip is an adventure that ends too soon.

Motion picture films don’t last forever; many have already been lost or destroyed. For almost two decades, we’ve worked to collect, scan and preserve the world as it was captured on 35mm, 16mm and 8mm movies — including home movies, industrial films, and other non-fiction. If you have endangered films you’d like to have scanned, or wish to donate celluloid to Periscope Film so that we can share them with the world, we’d love to hear from you. Contact us via the weblink below.

This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com