Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board Suburu ad filmed in Alabama Hills

Recently there was the Dodge commercial filmed in Round Valley, just up the road in Owens Valley.

Then there was the Porsche ad filmed in Alabama Hills.

Now there is the Suburu ad filmed in Alabama Hills.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zk32xMNUjWU

IMO it's not the Alabama Hills. The vegetation is too sparse and the rock formations don't look like the Alabama Hills. Also the snow covered mountains in the background in the opening shot don't appear to be the Inyo Mtns. Perhaps it's somewere near or in Joshua Tree Nat. Park?


hiiker

Looks like somewhere in Joshua Tree. I think the snow covered peak in the background in San Jacinto.

The vegetation looks like creosote bush instead of the shadscale and sagebrush of the Owens Valley/Alabama Hills area.

Dale B. Dalrymple
http://dbdimages.com

For those of you who are still curious, I just emailed the maker of the ad and they said that it was filmed "near Joshua Tree".

that kills it for me. Would have bought the car if it had been the Alabama Hills

The Subaru commercial is still airing here in Charlotte. I actually enjoy it. I was fooled by the title of this thread, though, thinking it was taped in the Alabama Hills, but the sharp eyes of Hiiker above, along with Dale Dalrymple and Gigamike discovered otherwise.

The background mountain is indeed San Jacinto (10,804'), and to its left is snow-covered Jean Peak (10,670'), and to its left is Marion Peak (10,362') in the background behind Jean Peak.

Based on pixel counts for the three peaks, I was able to reverse calculate the line of sight to the area where the video tape was acquired, but there are so many rock outcroppings in the area along the line of sight, I could not determine which one was used for the San Jacinto footage. But for anyone who would like to know, the sight-line from San Jacinto is 98 degrees True North, and the area in the video appears to be below the Joshua Tree Wilderness in or near the area called Lost Palms Canyon, which is over 50 miles away across the Coachella Valley. I think the rock peak shown in the video is on the sight-line, but probably up to 10 miles closer to San Jacinto, between 40 to 50 miles away.

I believe the video was taped in two or three locations in that general area. If anyone finds out the exact rocks, it would be interesting to know.

Cougar Buttes

http://blogs.pe.com/business/2010/05/filming-inland-backdrops-for-m.html

http://california.hometownlocator.com/maps/feature-map,ftc,1,fid,241004,n,cougar%20buttes.cfm

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dcarline/5545242467/

Thanks for the post, QINTL.

I think a couple of the scenes are from Cougar Buttes, especially the scene with the Subaru vehicle itself, but the one with San Jacinto in the background had to be taped from another location. The distance (46 miles) is about right, but the angle (compass direction) does not fit.

I don't think that is San J in the background, but the backside of Big Bear. I've got a picture taken from Negro Butte that pretty much lines up with that ridgeline albeit from a different angle.

Like Pat, I don't believe the mtn. is San Jacinto. If it were you would be able to see the San Gorgonio Pass, a.k.a. Banning Pass in the shot.


hiiker

I don't know if I thinking of the same car commercial, but a recent one I saw it looked like it was filmed on Highway 18 before Big Bear--'Artic Circle' area.