backcountry skiing documentary
Mountains can have a certain energy to them and mountain called Split, located in the High Sierra Mountain Range in eastern California, has an energy with a dark side. Split Mountain is a 14,000 foot peak with a perfect couloir dividing two prominent summits. Visually, it’s a line that begs to be skied yet is guarded by a series of icefalls, rock steps and blue ice patches that make it extremely challenging. On top of that, the towering walls of the couloir present significant rockfall hazard along with an upper basin that can create dangerous avalanche conditions. It’s a line that requires patience, perfect timing…and many many attempts. Over the last 4 years, Cody Townsend, Nick Russell and cinematographer Bjarne Salén have been waiting, trying, scoping and learning about the history of this line, its moods, its conditions and its energy to successfully, and safely, ski it.
01 Dec 2014
A ticket can get you anywhere in the world, from the chairlift at your local ski area to the top of Talgar Peak in Kazakhstan. It can put your heart in your throat as you fly over a knoll faster than you have all year, and it can put your mind at ease when you find yourself alone in a snow-covered Aspen grove with clear blue sky above and crisp cold air all around. A ticket is the end of reality and the beginning of a journey. And we've got one for you.
27 Nov 2002
While filming an advertisement, some extreme sports enthusiasts unwittingly stop a group of terrorists.
27 Dec 1968
Film about the 10th Olympic Games in Grenoble in 1968. Using a subjective camera, Ertaud and Languepin take the pulse of the Games, cutting out the eyes and slowing down the movement when necessary. The dominant figure at the Grenoble Winter Games is Frenchman Jean-Claude Killy, whose three gold medals matched Toni Sailer's 1956 feat. The filmmakers bet on his winning streak, and include commentary from him as he prepares for each race. Another athlete, Marielle Goitschel, is treated insightfully on screen and wins the women's slalom. Ice dancing fans will appreciate the coverage of winner Oleg Protopopov and his partner Ludmila Belousova. President Charles De Gaulle was present for the spectacular Opening Ceremony.
16 Dec 2019
From the mind of Chris Benchetler comes TGR's latest short film collaboration. Improvisation is the silver thread that weaves this crew together. Just as the Grateful Dead did not fit their music into an established category, this short film finds a cast of some of the world’s best athletes on a spontaneous journey of skiing, snowboarding, surfing, and music, complete with a soundtrack comprised of only Grateful Dead music.
01 Jan 1987
Snow dancing and spectacular skiing stunts are showcased in this lively video program hosted by star skiers Suzy Chaffee and John Eaves. The antics are backed by the music of Alan Parsons, Harold Faltermaier, Gary Wright and John Denver. Much of the footage comes from the ski film Fire and Ice.
15 Jul 2022
Esperanto is TGR’s latest action-packed mountain bike film with an added twist. Mixing the rock stars of the sport with a cast of unknown and up-and-coming heroes, the film explores how we share our dreams through a universal two-wheeled language no matter what our native tongue may be. The sacred ritual of the ride might sound different all across the world – whether it’s a full-face getting pulled down to drop into a big jump line or wheeling a beat-up bike out of a mud hut to pedal to school – but it’s a universal process no matter what language we speak. There are more than 7000 languages spoken on Earth. In 1887 a Polish-Jewish doctor named L.L. Zamenhof created a new one, a universal second language based on a combination of existing widely-spoken European languages. Its goal, to help bring people together from different ideologies, beliefs, and nations and ultimately to help end war. The language was called Esperanto. Translated into English it means ‘one who hopes.’
25 Dec 2014
While the ski racers leave Kitzbühel for the next World Cup location, the members of the Kitzbüheler Ski Club (KSC) are already starting preparations for next year’s race. “Streif – One Hell of a Ride” documents this work – both the spectacular and the small tasks – over the course of one year. At the same time, the film follows five athletes – Aksel Lund Svindal, Max Franz, Hannes Reichelt, Erik Guay and Yuri Danilochkin – in their respective native countries, during their summer training and in their free time. As the 2014 Hahnenkamm Race approaches, these two narratives become more and more interwoven, interspersed with stories from the event’s past – until the athletes arrive back in Kitzbühel.
01 Nov 2024
Meet the skiers driven by an insatiable thirst for adventure and discovery and explore the essence of being at one with the mountains.
17 Feb 1956
Hans Thirring, a theoretical physicist at the University of Vienna, is skiing down a mountain slope wearing cape-like attire. The cape, designed by Thirring and called the Thirring mantel, is made of parachute silk and acts somewhat like a parachute to provide its wearer reduced speed while shushing down the slopes. But it also provides lift so that the skier is lighter on his skis, almost weightless. This "flight" somewhat mimics the experience felt by those participating in the relatively new sport of ski-flying (also known as ski jumping), which must have exacting conditions (i.e. little wind, hard packed snow) to ensure safety. Even in ideal conditions, ski-flying is a dangerous sport, especially if the landing is not executed properly.
21 Feb 2024
"The Hypocrite" delves into a critical discourse that is resonating with individuals across various spheres. In the context of climate advocacy, the film examines the inherent contradiction between personal actions and systemic efforts. The story is masterfully woven through the perspective of a professional skier, confronting the complex interplay between advocating for change and relying on fossil fuels for athletic pursuits. The film aspires to foster unity and collaboration within the outdoor community, transcending perceived hypocrisy and feelings of not fitting in. It aims to dismantle the culture of individual blame and guilt, focusing instead on the systemic shifts required to pave the way for a sustainable future. By erasing the boundaries that label individuals as hypocrites, the narrative invites viewers to recognize the urgent need for collective action and change.
07 Jan 2024
The recent heavy workload faced by Teton County Search and Rescue crews last winter highlights the fact that some recreational users of the Bridger Teton National Forest are in critical need of more and better information regarding best practices and safe conduct on National Forest lands. Many of these incidents could potentially be avoided with proper planning and critical thinking in the backcountry. In partnership with Friends of Bridger-Teton, TGR presents Backcountry Responsibly, a digital film targeted at the growing number of winter backcountry users whose impact on the surrounding public lands has increased dramatically in recent years. Backcountry Responsibly, premieres January 7, 2024. Watch online at: https://www.btfriends.org/tgr
20 Aug 1932
This Pete Smith Sports Champion short visits Southern California where it quickly moves from orange orchards to the mountain snow playground at Big Pines L.A. County Camp for some winter sports including sledding, skating, and ski jumping.
01 Jan 1976
Filmmaker Giles Walker takes an informal look at how our best skiers work and live. Filmed in 1976, this short movie follows the Canadian ski team on a tight schedule in Chile and Argentina. With 2 ½ tons of equipment, speeds of up to 140 km/h, gruelling workouts and a dramatic theft, it's safe to say that downhill racing is not for the faint of heart.
26 Sep 2024
Teton Gravity Research is proud to present "Beyond the Fantasy," its 29th annual ski and snowboard film. This year, we're diving headfirst into the whimsical imagination that our athletes embrace to turn improbable mental images into reality. Mountains provide the ultimate canvas for our community to evolve dreams into truth, and with no lack of adrenaline-pumping action, this film is also a celebration of the contagious camaraderie and joyous absurdities that make riding on snow a way of life. Join us as we take you beyond the fantasy.
19 Sep 2025
Join the Big Mountain Soul group on an extraordinary journey through the breathtaking landscapes of Morocco, carving new trails in the world of Ski Mountaineering. On a mission to spread the message that the mountains are for everyone, the Big Mountain Soul group takes the emotional journey to motherland Africa. Challenging perceptions, redefining the spirit of adventure and cultural connection.
11 Jun 2002
Taylor and Kylie Hunter are sweet sixteen and licensed to drive. Grab a seat in their classic Mustang convertible as they set out on their very first road trip, to the Winter Games in Utah. Cute outfits, even cuter guys. And all kinds of friends along the way. But watch for Olympic-size detours. Will they ever make it to the velvet-smooth ski slopes and posh Stein Ericksen Lodge at Deer Valley and the big-air snowboarding at Park City? Will they be on time for the Winter Games? See for yourself why half the fun is getting there.
21 Jan 2022
Chronicles the life of Picabo Street, the alpine skiing icon of the 1990s, from her unorthodox childhood in Idaho to her Olympic successes, dramatic recoveries from ill-timed injuries and her arrest in 2015 due to false abuse allegations.
20 Jan 1953
In the time of the "cangaceiros" in the badlands of the Northeast of Brazil, the cruel Captain Galdino Ferreira and his band abduct the schoolteacher Olívia, expecting to receive a ransom for her. However, one of his men, Teodoro, falls in love and flees with her through the arid backcountry chased by the brigands.
22 Jul 2020
On July 22 2018, a Polish ski mountaineer clicked into his bindings at an altitude of 8,611m to make history. Follow Andrzej Bargiel’s expedition from Poland to Pakistan, as he descends K2 on skis.
10 Nov 2024
Skier Kai Jones shattered both his legs in a fall from a cliff. The teenager experiences a brutal rescue operation, a difficult operation and life-threatening anemia. The movie shows Kai Jones' fight for survival. It is a story about adversity and how it strengthens one's own resilience.