Ideas for screenplay set on Mount Massive?

by **MontanaKane** » Fri Jul 08, 2011 1:07 am

Hello all. I recently moved to CO and I'm writing a screenplay inspired by my new surroundings. I have four characters going for a 3-day hike up Massive, and I need a bunch of terrible (and comedic) things to happen to them... I know most people don't spend 3 days there, but I was thinking they could camp, bring an inflatable raft and go fishing (how many lakes are there?), get attacked by a moose (things don't have to be super authentic in terms of exact locale), get caught in an electrical storm, etc. Any ideas / personal experiences welcome (from Massive or elsewhere)! Cheers.
If I'm violating the hiking code by posting about a screenplay, apologies in advance...

by **MoapaPk** » Fri Jul 08, 2011 2:36 am

I don't think there is any significant population of moose in CO. Maybe you could have them get attacked by a mountain goat.

Go to http://maps.google.com/ , type in "Mount Massive" (without the quotes) in the search dialog, select terrain for the display, and look at the lakes nearby.

I think if they were chewed up by marmots, it might be pretty entertaining.

by **brenta** » Fri Jul 08, 2011 5:18 pm

Marmots and mountain goats indeed have a reputation for being quite aggressive around here. Marmots prey on unattended packs and especially like leather boots. Goats have been reported to trundle rocks on climbers. Moose is rare, but I saw one last year on the road to Rollins Pass. Mosquitoes can ruin your day, and a storm may blow away tents in the middle of the night. Then you can miss the trail, punch through snow or thin ice, not bring enough water, fail to acclimatize, be caught in a whiteout, call SAR because you got a blister on your pinky toe, and so on.

by **MontanaKane** » Fri Jul 08, 2011 7:02 pm

I read that moose were making a comeback in CO and my roommate saw one just last week. More importantly, they're funny looking and aggressive, so that makes for good visuals. But goats and marmots sound like fun too, thanks for the suggestions. Turns out three friends of mine are doing Massive this weekend, so hopefully they'll come back with some inspiring tales.

by **JHH60** » Fri Jul 08, 2011 7:11 pm

You could have them being startled, and/or awakened out of much needed sleep, by pikas, who are capable of a surprisingly loud "eeeh!" call considering their cuteness and tiny size. I spent a month in the Sawatch range during a summer in high school and the sound they make is still burned into my brain 30 years later.

by **MontanaKane** » Fri Jul 08, 2011 8:24 pm

JHH60 wrote:You could have them being startled, and/or awakened out of much needed sleep, by pikas, who are capable of a surprisingly loud "eeeh!" call considering their cuteness and tiny size. I spent a month in the Sawatch range during a summer in high school and the sound they make is still burned into my brain 30 years later.

Ha, good to know, thanks

(note to self: google "pikas")

by **chicagotransplant** » Fri Jul 08, 2011 9:15 pm

Depending on what you are going for, you could get them into some suspenseful/dangerous situation by having them run across a backwoods meth lab. Its not really that far fetched either, the Forest Service ranger here told me they found one in the Flat Tops Wilderness a few years ago...

by **jordansahls** » Fri Jul 08, 2011 9:19 pm

While I'm not from Colorado, I have had an interesting expirience with deer up in the North Cascades of Washington. A friend and I unknowingly placed out tent in the middle of a game trail and spent the whole night cowering as a swarm of deer jump over out tent. I thought I was going to get trampled by bambi. Deer hooves are a lot louder when they land next to your head.

by **MontanaKane** » Fri Jul 08, 2011 10:53 pm

Thanks everybody for the suggestions, I like all of them! (btw Chicagotransplant, I just moved here from Chicago). I had actually thought of some sort of drug thing, wasn't sure if had been overused in Hollywood or not. But the meth lab adds a more edgy touch. Obviously you wouldn't have to go far around here to find pot growers, LOL.

by **chicagotransplant** » Fri Jul 08, 2011 10:58 pm

Cool, welcome to Colorado! At first I thought going from Chicago to Vail would be a bit of a shock to the system, but to be honest I settled right in and have been here 7 years and lovin' it! I hardly ever go to Denver, so I guess I don't really miss those big city conveniences after all. (Certainly don't miss the traffic)

by **rlshattuck** » Fri Jul 08, 2011 11:19 pm

I love Marmots and Moose, but they don't take direction well and the last thing I want to see is some stupid movie with talking f&%$#+g animals . . . if you have any kind of "cred" . . . maybe I could tell you a story and you could take it from there . . . my " goin' to hollywood days" are over" but the drawer is full . . .

by **MontanaKane** » Sat Jul 09, 2011 12:12 am

Thanks Chicago! Yeah I like it here so far, don't miss the city too much yet, although I would KILL for some sushi and an indie flick matinee at the Landmark Cinema on Clark Street. But I never get tired of looking at those mountains.

@Rishattuck: I'm writing a spec script, meaning I write it and try to option / sell it. I will have absolutely no control over what happens to it if it gets bought and by some miracle made. If they want the moose to talk, or aliens to land, there's not nothing much I can about it

But this is primarily a character driven sex comedy, so hopefully they'll keep that in mind.

by **Sarah Simon** » Sat Jul 09, 2011 12:40 am

So, here's the scene I envision. :geek:

A bunch of peakbagger guys are out in the slopes of Mt. Massive arguing whether or not they should go for the summits of unranked "North Massive" and "Massive Green," etc. When along strolls the Swedish Bikini team... These are the most beautiful women in the world and they are wearing barely a thing!

...but the peakbagger guys don't even notice the ladies, they have their heads down, looking at the map, arguing over "summit prominence" and the like, and arguing over who has more "less than 300 feet of prominence" peaks on Lists of John, who's finished the most USGS quads, etc.

:mrgreen:

Mike, et al, - don't act like you don't know what I'm talking about... :ugeek:

by **MontanaKane** » Sat Jul 09, 2011 12:51 am

Sarah Simon wrote::geek: So, here's the scene I envision.

A bunch of peakbagger guys are out in the slopes of Mt. Massive arguing whether or not they should go for the summits of unranked "North Massive" and "Massive Green," etc. When along strolls the Swedish Bikini team... These are the most beautiful women in the world and they are wearing barely a thing!

...but the peakbagger guys don't even notice the ladies, they have their heads down, looking at the map, arguing over "summit prominence" and the like, and arguing over who has more "less than 300 feet of prominence" peaks on Lists of John, who's finished the most USGS quads, etc.

Mike, et al, - don't act like you don't know what I'm talking about...

Not even close

Yet somehow that scenario wouldn't surprise me... I suppose it's better than getting distracted and falling off a cliff though.

by **MoapaPk** » Sat Jul 09, 2011 2:32 am

Ground squirrels! Thousands of 'em!

(A quote from my mom during a ranger talk, 1971, RMNP.)

Ideas for screenplay set on Mount Massive?

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