Back in September, I told you about a contest Air New Zealand was running to select a few Great Walkers to spend nine weeks tackling all of the island nation’s Great Walks . Late last week I found out that former SoCal hiker, trail documentarian, and all-around amazing guy Kolby Kirk was selected as a finalist !

For those that don’t know him, I met Kolby a few years ago on a backpacking trip to Mount San Gorgonio and instantly liked him. From what I gather, that’s a very common occurrence for him. After losing his job, Kolby packed up his things and tackled the Pacific Crest Trail , came back to California to trek the High Sierra Route, and helped with title illustrations for the upcoming (and excellent) John Muir Trail documentary Mile … Mile and a Half .

I think Kolby’s unbelievably suited for this trip – his photography is excellent, his illustrated trail journals are true works of art, and once in a while he’ll put out a video that’s guaranteed to put a smile on your face.

Condor’s PCT Adventure in 3 Minutes from Kolby Kirk on Vimeo .

Head to Kolby’s entry page on the contest web site to show your support!