Professional thru rider, explorer, and 805 Authentico Gillian Larson has dedicated her life to the trail and the horses that have helped her traverse it.
Considering Gillian grew up around both horses and an unbound love for adventure, it’s only natural. And it’s here that we embark on a new journey with Gillian. Today, we’re exploring her passion for discovering the outdoors on horseback, and the freedom and independence it brings in, “Reaching The Unknown.” Set along the thousands of miles that stretch up and down the Pacific Coast Trail, “Reaching The Unknown” is our latest original 805 Beer short film. It’s a story about bonds made in the wilderness, facing fears, and conquering the trail before you. Whatever it may be.
Watch, “Reaching The Unkown,” in full below now, and then read on to hear the rest of both Gillian’s and the film’s full story.
Gillian Larson was always around horses at her home in the canyons of Southern California. Her passion for exploring the outdoors on horseback, and the freedom and independence it brings came secondhand. Since her childhood, she has pursued riding with relentless vigor and curiosity, covering more than 10,000 miles in the backcountry in the process.
Journeys like the Continental Divide, Pacific Crest Trail, Arizona Trail, and the Colorado Trail — Gillian’s ridden them all on her own, with only the company of her horses. When she is not riding horses and tackling the backcountry, she leads trips through the mountains and canyons, or trains horses to be able to take on similar feats.
For Gillian, hitting the trail isn’t some point A to point B accomplishment. Yes, every day brings extremes. There’s rain, hail, thunderstorms, and the sort of sun at the other end of it all that will leave you crying.
There are peaks to conquer and valleys to cross. But, it’s a time to reflect on the small moments and simple things. There are no witnesses or peers to see your hardest endeavors and the greatest moments of triumph. Only the trail watches. And Gillian wouldn’t have it any other way.
“We were told to be scared growing up,” Gillian tells us in the film. “That danger is always around. But it’s when we step outside that we realize we need to follow our heart. To realize that we can’t let society dictate what we can and should be afraid of. Our life is our own, and we can’t let it get suffocated by what-ifs. And that’s something you don’t realize until you take the first step on the trail.”
What Gillian gains in the backcountry with her horses is something no dollar amount can buy. It’s a deep sense of gratitude for those little moments of life that stick. Those little moments that you won’t find, even if you’re searching for the, but only come back when you’re wandering elsewhere.
The wilderness watches, and it lets Gillian decide what she’ll make of the journey. And she relishes the opportunity. The feeling of being free and fully alive comes in many forms.
You can stream, “Reaching The Unknown” on the official 805 Beer YouTube channel now. And you can learn more about Gillian and her incredible accomplishments on our Authentico page here.
Grab a six-pack, set out on that trail out back you’ve been meaning to check out, and spark your own sense of adventure for the full effect.