Documentary Explores Relationship of Skiing and Climate Change
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The Colorado 14ers Project isn’t just about ticking off high-elevation ski lines. Created by photographer, filmmaker, student, and athlete Reilly Kaczmarek, this film uses ski mountaineering as a lens to examine climate justice—from reducing personal carbon footprints to honoring Native American stewardship of the land.
Skiing in a warming world is precarious, not to mention prohibitively expensive for most people. Thankfully, Kaczmarek isn't deaf to the presence class disparities related to environmentalism.
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Who am I to complain? There are real people downstream from these mountains that rely on the snow for access to water, and here I am complaining about not getting powder days. (5:19)
At its core, this film challenges skiers to rethink their impact. Do we, as participants in an energy-intensive sport, bear an even greater responsibility? The Colorado 14ers Project doesn’t offer easy answers, but it’s another strong voice pushing the ski community toward deeper introspection.
