Pete McBride

Director/Producer

Native Coloradan Pete McBride has spent two decades studying the world with a camera. A self-taught photographer, filmmaker, writer, and public speaker, he has traveled on assignment to over 75 countries for the National Geographic Society, Smithsonian, Outside, Esquire, Microsoft, The Nature Conservancy and many more.

After a decade documenting remote expeditions from Everest to Antarctica, Pete became frustrated with the media and magazine world and decided to focus his cameras closer to home on a subject closer to his heart – his backyard river, the Colorado. Four years and 1500-river miles later, McBride produced a book, three award-winning short documentaries and hosted a PBS TV program. Other watersheds soon called including a source to sea look at India’s Ganges. Upon completing the journey, The National Geographic Society named McBride a “Freshwater Hero”. Others, particularly children, call him the ‘Lorax of Rivers’.

His latest project, replaced rafting with walking -- a lot of walking. Over the last year, McBride hiked the entire length of Grand Canyon National Park – over 700 miles without a trail. Moving on foot between the river and rim “was a remarkable blister builder”, but it had a purpose to highlight the challenges our national parks are facing as increased development pressures are poised to change the canyon’s iconic landscape. The story comes out on National Geographic and PBS channels in varying platforms in 2016/17.

When not lost on assignment or grumbling about his blisters, you can find McBride exploring the Rocky Mountains, practicing mandolin on his back porch in Colorado… or possibly dancing.