Ascending the slopes of Sugarbush under a beautiful full moon, 30 skiers and riders participated in the “uphill rally” component of the first annual “Climb It for Climate” at Lincoln Peak last weekend.
Hosted by Friends of the Mad River and the Mad River Valley Backcountry Coalition (MRVBC), this event paired outdoor adventure with the screening of climate focused ski and snowboard films to encourage discussion of these topics by the ski community.
Ranging in age from 12 to 72, groups of skiers and split-boarders climbed the mountain together, sharing stories and creating connections around their shared love of all things fun and frozen. The riders were treated to clear skies, conversation, and a noticeable lack of wind, as they transitioned into downhill mode for the descent back to Gate House Lodge. After changing out of sweaty gear and grabbing a quick bite to eat, the group settled in for the show. The crowd swelled to almost 70 as a series of films were queued up to engage and inspire the crowd to think about the impacts of climate change on winter recreation. For each film shown, there were discussion prompts, asking the audience to reflect and converse upon the messaging of the films.
The screening kicked off with Front Lines, a film from Pangea Creatives, that focuses on how the ski industry is not only threatened by climate change, but how it contributes to the carbon emissions that fuel the climate crisis. With interviews of Freeride World Tour members, heli-skiing businesses, and climatologists, amongst others, the film explores the future of skiing, especially in light of the amount of travel the modern model of ski tourism relies upon.
“The message was heavy, and the filmmakers didn’t shy away from the hard truth of the ski industry and climate change,” said Friends of the Mad River’s Luke Foley.
In stark contrast, the next film was Save Our Snowmen, a humorous and sarcastic short film highlighting the plight of “snowpeople” as they are forced to migrate further north in light of a changing climate. Following these two films, the discussion centered around the “messaging” of climate change. Audience members were asked to reflect upon the following quote from Dr. Simon Donner, a climatologist at the University of British Columbia: “There’s audiences for whom I’m a good voice, but there’s all sorts of ones that I’m not the voice… There are so many ways we could be trying to change not the climate message, but the climate messengers.” Group conversations, following the film, centered around building a more inclusive outdoor community and cited the importance of helping as many people as possible create a personal connection to the outdoors, Foley reported.
A real highlight of the evening included the screening of “Totality,” a film shot on Mount Mansfield by local skiers during the eclipse of 2024. Adam Kruszyna, Evan Daigle, and Matt Scheeler, who were several of the skiers who collaborated to make the film, attended the event and participated in a brief Q&A. The conversation centered on exploring why these skiers choose to pursue adventure in their home state rather than chasing more travel intensive snow adventures around the globe. All three commented on how many incredible opportunities there are for adventure here in Vermont, many of which are often overlooked by locals. They emphasized the value of doing what you love in a place you love and encouraged the audience to consider how adventuring close to home can benefit the climate and local communities.
The last film of the night was “75 Years,” a short film from Short Film from Whitefish, Montana about protecting our winters. The film highlighted how a ski community united to take collective action on issues related to climate change. Following the film, audience members were asked to explore the ways in which the Mad River Valley and Vermont ski communities could undertake a similar endeavor built around creating a more climate resilient community.
Julie Frost and Gannon Osborn from MRVBC, and Marcy Bucheit and Luke Foley from Friends of the Mad River worked together to plan the event and facilitate the dialogue. Vaughn Keenhold from Sugarbush helped plan, promote, and host the event.
