By Michael Restivo
Special to The PREVIEW
Calling all “go big or go home” winter enthusiasts: Get ready to get goosebumps while you “ooh” and “ahh” at the impact and importance of our winter wildlands through a collection of short films.
The 15th annual Winter Wildlands Alliance Backcountry Film Festival will show in Pagosa Springs on Friday, Feb. 21, at the Pagosa Lakes Property Owners Association Clubhouse. All proceeds will benefit the Colorado Mountain Club as a nonprofit.
Funds raised at each screening stay in the local community to support human-powered recreation and conservation efforts, winter education and avalanche/safety programs and to raise awareness of winter management issues.
Produced each year as a celebratory backcountry community event by the Winter Wildlands Alliance, the 15th annual Backcountry Film Festival film lineup is full of snowy, cinematic adventure sure to inspire both the local backcountry and general communities. Winter Wildlands Alliance is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting and preserving winter wildlands and a quality human-powered snow sports experience on public lands.
By partnering with groups like the Colorado Mountain Club at a local level, the Winter Wildlands Alliance raises funds for these groups and communities through the annual Backcountry Film Festival national tour. All funds raised directly benefit local projects and programs that perpetuate access and stewardship of public lands.
Adventure, environment and climate, youth outdoors, ski culture — you’ll find it all in this award-winning lineup. Films in this year’s program include:
• “Can’t Ski Vegas” — Joey Schusler, Ben Page and Thomas Woodson.
• “Drawn to High Places” — Elise Giordano and Outdoor Research.
• “Endless Winter: Chapter 1” — Nikolai Schirmer.
• “Khutrao” — Agreste Chile.
• “Leave Nice Tracks” — Marius Becker, Dan Cirenza and Kyle Crichton.
• “A Climb for Equality” — Caroline Gleich.
• “Colter’s Route” — Sawyer Thomas, Riis Wilbrecht and Dynafit.
• “Backflippers” — Luigi Dellarole.
• “Climate Change in the Kennels” — Denali National Parks.
• “Peak Obsession”— Cody Townsend and Bjarne Salen.
Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the screening beings at 7 p.m.
Admission is $12 for members and $15 for nonmembers and can be purchased online at https://www.cmc.org/Calendar/EventDetails.aspx?ID=48893 or at the door.
