Renan Ozturk on Meru. Photo: Jimmy Chin

Since the 5Point Film Festival first launched five years ago, the event has welcomed and honored some of the world’s most celebrated adventurers. Founded as a community that aims to stoke the fire of adventure through film, art and live performances, the festival has always been a place to gather around the proverbial fire and tell stories of adventures and journeys past and those on the horizon.

This year, 5Point is proud to welcome Piolets d’Or nominated climbers Renan Ozturk and Jimmy Chin, Hayden Kennedy, paddlers and National Geographic Adventurers of the Year, Erik Boomer and Jon Turk, and skateboard legend Tony Alva to the festival. Pushing their limits in their own lives and in their respective communities, this year’s special guests are changing their sport and the world, one adventure at a time.

RENAN OZTURK AND JIMMY CHIN: last fall, Conrad Anker, Renan Ozurk and Jimmy Chin tackled an historic first ascent of the Shark’s Fin on Mount Meru in the Garwhal Himalaya.

“Meru was the most challenging climb of my life. Not once, but twice! It’s an honor and privilege to be asked to share our story with the 5Point community, many of whom have supported us throughout our careers as climbers and creatives. We hope to give something special back to the tribe that has given us so much,” Jimmy Chin said.

The three-person climbing team had attempted and suffered on the alpine wall in 2008 and Meru has long been the objective just out of reach for 30 years of climbers and is steeped in lore as it is considered the center of the universe in the Hindu cosmology and is the source of the Ganges River.

“I’m super excited to present the Meru story with Jimmy at 5point this year! It will be the first time that we will tell the FULL story, complete with never before seen video from our experience. Beyond the nitty gritty of the climb, we hope the convey what is was like to pick ourselves back up for a second try after the most serious and humbling failure of our lives,” Ozturk said. “I couldn’t image a better community to share it with, hope to see you there!”

Ozturk and Chin will share their experience in a special presentation on Saturday, April 28.

Jon Turk and Erik Boomer on Ellesmere Island. Photo: Erik Boomer

ERIK BOOMER AND JON TURK: Arctic explorer Jon Turk and pro kayaker Erik Boomer completed the first 1,485-mile circumnavigation of Ellesmere Island, Canada. The journey around the world’s tenth largest island took 104 days on skis, in kayaks and on foot. Polar experts considered this to be the last great, unattempted polar expedition, so daunting due to its remoteness and dangerous ice conditions — no one had attempted it before last summer. Turk and Boomer will be on hand for a special presentation on Friday, April 27.

“The opportunity to travel in such a remote and dynamic environment for so long was exactly the type of challenge and experience I spend my life seeking,” Boomer said. “I am stoked to talk about our experience with the 5Point community because sharing our experience around Ellesmere island gives us the chance to revisit the hardships, emotions and incredible lessons that we learned and felt on our 104-day journey — except we don’t have to deal with the polar bears, walrus, crushing ice and below freezing cold water.”

Hayden Kennedy and Jason Kruk on Cerro Torre. Photo: Jason Kruk

HAYDEN KENNEDY: many consider Cerro Torre the most beautiful and compelling mountains in the world — a postcard for the ideal that is alpinism. In January 2012, Carbondale local Hayden Kennedy and Canadian Jason Kruk became the first climbers to summit the Southeast Ridge of Cerro Torre by fair means. Kennedy will give a presentation about his historic ascent at 5Point on Thursday, April 26, 2012.

“The more I go climbing and the more I alpine climb, I think of [climbing] more like an art form than an actual activity. For me, climbing is the art of freedom. It’s an art form that people can interpret any way they wish,” Kennedy said.

Tony Alva. Photo: Bine Zalohar

TONY ALVA: Considered to be one of the most influential skateboarders of all time, Tony Alva, an original Z-Boy, hit rock bottom five years ago battling drug addiction and alcoholism. There, at his lowest point, his reliance on successes and ego came into perspective for the first time. Tony’s fight for sobriety and truth has lead him to a new perspective on life moving forward. Dedicated to giving back, Tony now sees passing the bucket as the only way out.

“I’m extremely excited about this year’s festival. 5Point, to me, represents one of the best places for this community to come together to celebrate and motivate one another. This year we have an incredible lineup of films and adventurers from National Geographic explorers Jon Turk and Erik Boomer to Piolets d’Or nominees Renan Ozturk and Jimmy Chin to ground-breaking alpinist Hayden Kennedy and skate boarding legend Tony Alva — all speaking to the individual freedom and artistic flow that defines this community,” 5Point executive director, Justin Clifton, said. “The level of storytelling at this year’s festival is phenomenal — the audience is in for quite a ride.”

The fifth annual 5Point Film Festival will take place April 26 to 29, 2012 in Carbondale, Colorado, featuring a five-star roster of adventure films, special guests and live performances. All events will take place at the Carbondale Recreation Center and other local hot spots. The complete festival program will be announced in late March at http://5pointfilm.org/.

The 5Point Festival is graciously presented and made possible by sponsors Patagonia, Garfield County, Bethel Party Rentals, Alchemy Concert Systems, Polartec, Timbers Resorts, Alpine Bank, Bighorn Toyota, CLIF BAR, New Belgium Brewery,i3 Graphic Design, Town of Carbondale, Osprey Packs, The Aspen Times & Post Independent.

The 5Point Film Festival is on a mission to inspire adventure of all kinds, to connect generations through shared experience and respect, to engage passion with a conscience, and to educate through film. Proceeds from the 5Point Film Festival, a 501(c)3 non-profit, benefit 1% for the Planet and other non-profits throughout the Roaring Fork Valley and beyond.

Taking the day off to climb some red rock and soak up some Colorado sunshine at 5Point Film Festival.

I’m thankful everyday for the wonderful group of people I get to work with. It seems that even on the busiest day, someone will pop out of nowhere with a quick email, message or phone call that reminds me to stop, breathe and be incredibly grateful for the work that I’m doing. Over the last month, I’ve teamed up with a few more friends and I’m excited about what we’ve tackled so far and what is yet to come. So big thanks to…

5Point Film Festival. I’d never been to 5Point Film Festival before last year. The road to and from the festival was paved with craziness, but while we were in Carbondale, I remember feeling a sense of community that I’d never felt at a festival before. We weren’t running around, having rushed conversations and trying to eek our way into the films we wanted to see. We had the days off to hang out with good folks, climb up some red rock and soak up some sweet Colorado sun, and then we all gathered into the same room and watched the same films, together. Afterward, we all shared cold brews and talked about what we had seen and experienced. It was awesome. And I was hooked.

Don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t all kumbaya and holding hands. There was plenty of debauchery, hot tubs and fireworks to balance it all out. As I’m working with the 5Point team to get ready for this year’s festival, I’m already excited for what’s in store. Justin Clifton, you’re going to kill it. Jake Marty, you better show me those dance moves. Jenny Nichols and Andy Maser, you’re going to Wild Love all over that place. Sarah Kuck, you’re never going to know what hit you.

The White Salmon River erupting through Condit Dam, free for the first time in a century. Photo © Andy Maser

American Rivers. Have I told you how much I love free-flowing rivers? How about explosive dam removal? Oh, and what about bulldozers knocking chunks of concrete out of the river’s way? I started my career with a river nonprofit up in Bellingham, Washington and have spent most of the last decade advocating for free-flowing rivers and wild salmon in one way or another. But I’m not going to lie, I burned out. I burned out big time. I was exhausted from working on a tough campaign and feeling like I was constantly banging my head against the damn concrete dams we were trying to remove on the lower Snake River.

But then something happened. I was in a room with a bunch of rad folks at the Patagonia Tools Conference with a friend from American Whitewater on the weekend that crews cut the first notches into Elwha and Glines Canyon dams on the Elwha River. I felt something. I felt like I was going to scream and shout and start crying. And then a month later while I was packed under a tent with hundreds of people and watched crews blast a hole in the base of Condit Dam. As soon as the White Salmon River erupted through that dam, I lost it. I screamed, I shouted and cried. I hugged everyone in sight. I was no longer burned out. I was fired up. 

Thanks American Rivers. I’m excited to be a part of this incredible fight. Want to fight? Do it here.

Jake Norton, renowned climber, guide and founder of Challenge21: Water For People, One Peak at a Time

Challenge21. I first met Jake Norton and Wende Valentine at Mountainfilm last year. But I first got to know them last August when they opened their home to Andy Maser, Jenny Nichols and me for our very first Wild Love interview. I was amazed by their generosity, their mindfulness and I was completely in awe at their ability to juggle two more than full-time careers, two adorable and very energetic children and still be completely in love with each other.

What’s even more amazing? They had recently kicked off a campaign called Challenge21. Jake, a renowned climber and guide, is aiming to be the first climber to complete the Triple Seven Summits – the three highest peaks on each continent – to help combat the world’s most pressing development needs: water and sanitation. His goal is to raise $2.1 million for the Denver-based non-profit Water For People and engage and impassion 2.1 million people in the global water and sanitation crisis. Wende works with Water For People and she and Jake dreamed this campaign up together. Climbing the Triple Seven Summits sounds impossible and kind of crazy, but the really crazy part is this statistic: unsafe water and sheer lack of sanitation in the developing world kills one child under the age of five every 30 seconds. A fact that drives Jake and Wende to tackle this problem each and every day.

Do your part to help here.

Thank you, and happy Friday!

This February Live Worldly has teamed up with partners Challenge21 and Water For People to launch Climbing the Mountain to Clean Water Campaign. Over the course of the month Live Worldly will be giving away unique items from Tibet and India to build awareness around the world’s most pressing development needs: water and sanitation and to raise funds to help solve the problem.

“We recognize that the water and sanitation crisis is one of the most alarming issues that is affecting people worldwide and believe in doing something on a larger scale. Live Worldly is proud to support Jake and Challenge21 because the campaign is about taking action to raise awareness and money for this global issue,” said Kael Robinson, Live Worldly founder and Challenge21 partner. “Jake has uniquely combined his passion for climbing with his deep-rooted desire to address this worldwide cause and has set his goals very high. We’re proud to team up with Challenge21 and lend a hand in the fight for clean water. We encourage others to do the same by educating themselves about the global water crisis, sharing that knowledge and offering financial support.”

Donate here.

Challenge21 co-founder and renowned climber, Jake Norton, is aiming to be the first climber to complete the Triple Seven Summits – the three highest peaks on each continent – to help combat the world’s most pressing development needs: water and sanitation. His goal is to raise $2.1 million for the Denver-based non-profit Water for People and engage and impassion 2.1 million people in the global water and sanitation crisis. Having already climbed six of the Challenge21 peaks — Mount Kilimanjaro, Mount Everest, Cerro Aconcagua, Mount McKinley, Mount Stanley and Vinson Massif — Jake is preparing for his next endeavor this February: El Pico de Orizaba in Mexico, the third highest peak in North America.

“Climbing the world’s great mountains has a huge amount of embedded drama and visibility… but, at the end of the day, usually the only people really benefitting from a given climb are the climbers themselves. As both a professional climber and a husband and father, I knew I wanted to keep climbing, but also ensure it meant something, and had an impact far beyond myself. In short, I wanted to make sure I have a really good reason for spending months of my life away from my family, in faraway places, putting myself at risk… Challenge21 is the direct result of this desire,” said Jake Norton, mountaineer and Challenge21 co-founder. “Each climb includes a fundraising target, and an opportunity for people to donate funds directly to Water For People via Challenge21. Partners like Live Worldly are enabling people to get involved through their purchases. The protection cords and other products from Live Worldly are not only a powerful symbol of the climbs of Challenge21, but also directly support our work and our goals with Water For People.”

Challenge21 Team: Wende Valentine, Kael Robinson and Jake Norton wearing the Live Worldly protection cords.

Jake and his team will acclimate first on La Malinche, climbing some 4,100 feet to the summit, before heading off to Orizaba to climb another 4,400 feet, for a total of roughly 8,500 feet of climbing over four days. By raising money and awareness, every step along the way brings us one step closer to addressing the world’s problem of clean water and adequate sanitation. Over the month of February Live Worldly will be giving away featured products – Love in India Bracelet,  Live Tibetan Protection Cord, Live Tibetan Prayer Bead Necklace, Live Tibetan Silk Khata, and the grand prize is an assortment of Live Tibetan products in a brand new Live Venezuelan leather bag (a $300 value).

Live Worldly is urging people to donate money to help the team reach their campaign goal of $8,500. Each dollar donated is good for one entry throughout the giveaways ($10 = 10 entries) and represents one foot of the climb to clean water. In addition, Live Worldly is selling featured products — Love in India Bracelet,  Live Tibetan Protection Cord, Live Tibetan Prayer Bead Necklace and Live Tibetan Silk Khata — and donating a portion of the proceeds to Water for People via Challenge21.

“Unsafe water and sheer lack of sanitation in the developing world kills one child under the age of five every 30 seconds. As a mother of two children under the age of five, I imagine myself as one the mothers of the children who make up this staggering statistic and I feel more compelled than ever to break this extreme cycle of poverty that vastly differs from what we experience in the western world,” said Wende Valentine, major gifts officer of Water For People and Challenge21 co-founder. “Due to lack of infrastructure and poor programming over decades, basic human needs are simply not being met. Everyone can be a part of this massive global effort by becoming aware of these geographic disparities and by contributing towards lasting solutions through Water For People. Together we have a chance to make a measurable difference that can ultimately transform entire communities around the world and allow us to truly “live worldly”!

Donate here.

The Nomading Film Festival (NoFF) is driven to unite travelers and inspire travel through the magic of film and was started on the belief that traveling shapes us, defines us and connects us. 

We think of travel less as leisure and more as a unique opportunity to explore the planet and engage those living therein, and with today’s technology, we believe anyone with an iPhone, flip camera or point-and-shoot can tell a story worth sharing.

Please join us to celebrate travel, film and to support four great causes: Teen Living Programs, Project Explorer, 100 Cameras and Matador Youth Scholarship Fund.

Raffle includes gear from Nau, Osprey, Klean Kanteen and Holstee.

Beers are on us and tickets are $10 at the door ($5 with Winter Recess day time stamp). In true traveler style, we suggest you bring your own drinking vessel to enjoy the brew and save a cup!

Our DJ will be awesome, so bring your dancing shoes. The more, the merrier.

When: 8 p.m. on January 28, 2012

Where: Boothster — 521 NE Davis in Portland

SPECIAL THANKS TO: 

Hungry for more travel inspiration? Please join us earlier in the day for our west coast debut — Winter Recess — from 12PM-4PM in partnership with Hostelling International, Moon Guidebooks and McMenamins Mission Theater! Learn more here.

It’s that time again… that’s right Outdoor Retailer is THIS Wednesday! Not quite sure how that happened, but we’re revving up for another great show! Since we definitely love a good party, we’ve decided to keep up our tradition of lining up all of the awesome events happening at OR! Keep checking back as we’ll be updating the list leading up to the show. And if you’ve got something that should be on here, track us down at @undersolen or leave a comment on this post.

DEMO DAY

Save our Snow Foundation Trivia With Alison Gannett
When: 2 to 4pm, Wednesday, January 18, 2012 ~ All Mountain Demo
Where: Osprey Packs Booth ~ All Mountain Demo at Solitude Resort
Play climate change trivia with Osprey athlete Alison Gannett for a chance to win a Karve sidecountry pack.

Outdoor Industry Get-together
When: 9pm
Where: BeerHive Pub — 128 South Main

DAY 1

OIA Industry Breakfast — The Greening of Business — Pathways to Stronger and Smarter Company Performance
When: 7 to 9am
Where: The Marriot, Salons A-J

Out of the Wilderness — The OR Winter Market Fashion Show
When: 11 to 11:30am — Thursday, January 19
Where: Salt Palace Convention Center Meeting Room 251

1% For the Planet Story
When: 11 to 11:30am — Thursday, January 19
Where: Adventure Theater, UMOCA

The Backcountry Film Festival
When: 6pm — Thursday, January 19
Where: Brewvies Cinema
Two showings, first one starts at 6:30pm. Come early for pizza, burgers, an array of micro brews and the best raffle in town. The second showing is immediately after at 9pm, again the beer will be flowing and hot food available for late night nibblers.  Buy tickets at BrownPapertickets.com.

The Winter Market Industry Party presented by Canada Goose and Sierra Nevada
When: 6 to 8pm — Thursday, January 19
Where: Salt Palace Convention Center, Meeting Rooms 250 & 251

Canadian Cup for the Conservation Alliance
When: 6 to 8pm —Thursday, January 19
Where: Salt Palace
16 teams will duke it out under the bright lights of the Canadian Cup Arena at the Salt Palace during the Outdoor Industry Party.

Michael Franti and Spearhead
When: 8pm — Thursday, January 19
Where: The Depot, 400 W. South Temple
Wolverine is hosting an industry-exclusive event with performances by Michael Franti and Spearhead. Tickets are only available at the Wolverine booth #35173 during show hours and are available only to ORWM badge-holders.

BLACKALICIOUS presented by Avalaunch
When: 7:30pm to 1am — Thursday, January 19
Where: Club Elevate, 155 W. 200 S.
Benefits Dean Cummings’ Be Snow Smart program & the Utah Avalanche Center. Buy tickets here.

DAY 2

The Conservation Alliance Breakfast
When: 7 to 9am — Friday, January 20
Where: The Marriot, Salons F-I

Please join the Conservation Alliance in welcoming wildlife photographer Florian Schulz for a multimedia presentation, To the Arctic. Stick around after the presentation for a Winter 2012 grant review session. Details here…

Out of the Wilderness — The OR Winter Market Fashion Show
When: 11 to 11:30am — Thursday, January 19
Where: Salt Palace Convention Center Meeting Room 251

Waypoint Namibia
When: 3 to 4pm
Where: Adventure Theater, UMOCA

The North Face Happy Hour
When: 4 to 5pm — Friday, January 20
Where: The North Face booth #35051
A celebration of The North Face’s commitment to The Conservation Alliance with special guests Conrad Anker and Jimmy Chin.

Outdoor Industry Tweet-up
When: 6:30 to 9:30pm — Friday, January 20
Where: Beerhive Pub — 128 South Main

Outdoor Industry friends on Twitter and Facebook: We’ve reserved the lower level of the Beerhive for a social media gathering/Tweetup starting at 6:30 p.m. on the Friday of ORWM. Show up if you like fun people. This event is unsponsored and unorganized. You will most likely have to pay for beer, unless you are incredibly charming. We (Sara and Brendan) will, however, provide free high fives, and free super-slo-mo exploding fist bumps upon request. Please RSVP if you can drop by, and spread the word!

Benefit for the Colorado Mountain Club at Brewvies featuring Sweetgrass Productions’ Solitaire
When: 7 to 10pm, Friday January 20
Where: Brewvies, 677 South 200 West Salt Lake City, sponsored by Osprey Packs
Check out Sweetgrass Productions’ Solitaire, enjoy great beer and food, and win a pack. $10 admission gets a beer and benefits the Colorado Mountain Club.

Teva Snow Blow Your Mind Party

When: 9pm — Friday, January 20
Where: Club Elevate, 155 West 200 South
Join us for the Teva Snow Blow Your Mind Party and the launch of the new Lifty Boot collection! Featuring music by Boots Electric featuring Jesse Hughes from Eagles of Death Metal. Pick up your invite at Teva booth #10011. Invitation required. 21 and over.

DAY 3

Get Local With Social: If you’re not there, they’re talking about you anyway
When: 8 to 9am — Saturday, January 21
Where: The Marriot, Salon A-B
Specialty retailers who are not participating in social media miss opportunities every day to serve and build stronger bonds with their customers. From customer service, to customer acquisition, to community building and influencer outreach, specialty retailers have an opportunity to leverage their competitive advantage as place-based entities and members of their community to build relationships and drive sales. 

In this presentation, I’ll present a case study on REI’s local social media program, share my views on unique opportunities for specialty retailers, and host a Q&A session, from which multi- and single door retailers will be able to take away best practices, tips and tricks. Whether you’re a Google+ early adopter or still haven’t claimed your Yelp business listing, this presentation will provide practical advice for developing your own local retail social strategy.

Yep, that's my hot sister Meagan caked with mud and rocking it for Osprey!

“What Are YOU Wearing Today?” Happy Hour
When: 4 to 6pm, Saturday January 21, 2012
Where: Osprey Booth #5011

Enjoy a White Russian and keep the glass. Meet the girls in white dresses, boys in tutus and environmental mascots. Donate to Leave No Trace, Alaska Wilderness League and Save our Wild Salmon and win great prize packages.

Chasing Ice of the 2012 Sundance Film Festival
When: 4:30 to 5:30pm — Saturday, January 21
Where: SnowSports Zone, Booth #34107

All Star Industry Jam
When: 9pm to 1am — Saturday, January 21
Where: Club Elevate, 155 W. 200 S.

Hosted by funny-man Timmy O’Neill, it’s your band, your music, your stage and your chance to rock out at OR. A benefit for Paradox Sports, the All Star Industry Jam brings together the musical talent swirling through the outdoor industry for one night of cheap drinks and good fun. Don’t forget the $10 voluntary donation at the door.

THROUGHOUT…

Pack Sale for Paradox Sports and SOS Outreach
When: Thursday, January 19 through end of show, or until we sell out!
Where: Osprey Booth #5011

Pick up an Osprey Flap Jack, Flap Jill or Comet daypack for only $30 with $10 of each purchase will be donated to Paradox Sports and SOS Outreach.

The Conservation Alliance Product Promotions
When: Throughout
Where: Everywhere!

Tons of Conservation Alliance member companies have sweet gear up for sale, with part or all of the proceeds benefiting the Alliance. You can check out the full list of hot swag over on the Conservation Alliance site.

“Replace fear of the unknown with curiosity.”

If you’ve clicked around online, you’ve surely stumbled across this image or others like it with the simple, profound phrase: replace fear of the unknown with curiosity. When I first saw it, I printed it out and it’s tacked onto the board above my desk. So is this quote from Eleanor Roosevelt:

“Do one thing every day that scares you.” 

I have these notes and countless others like them surrounding my work space and scribbled into the pages of my journals and notebooks. I’ve been thinking a lot about fear over the last few weeks. Solitude on a sailboat in the Sea of Cortez definitely frees the brain to tackle obstacles that have been buried for months.

I was on the boat with kick-ass filmmaker Andy Maser, a man who is incredibly talented at replacing any fear he may have with curiosity. It’s always fun to watch the wheels turning in another person’s brain… One day we woke up to a large pod of dolphins in a feeding frenzy a few hundred yards from where we were anchored. They were leaping into the air, diving and rounding up what I can only assume was a gigantic school of delicious fish. The dolphins were psyched and so were the dozens of pelicans, seagulls and Friggit birds that were swooping in for a taste of the feast. Andy had barely rubbed the sleep from his eyes when he started pulling on his wetsuit and busting out his camera gear. Before I knew it, he and our good friend Hayden had leapt into the dingy and were racing for the dolphins. Now, I consider myself an adventurous person, but I wasn’t too keen on leaping from my sleeping bag into the open ocean with a pod of very hungry dolphins, especially when I hadn’t even had a first cup of coffee. But I admired the overpowering curiosity that drove those two into the sea of swarming dolphins.

Since I’ve returned to Portland I’ve learned that a couple of my friends rung in the new year on a flying trapeze… what is it like to fly through the air with the greatest of ease? And my friend Ethan Smith (a fabulous designer, mind you) posted this wonderful little video from Skillshare…

The Future Belongs to the Curious from Skillshare on Vimeo.

via Skillshare:

Curiosity.

We’re all born with it. Albert Einstein dubbed it “holy,” Alistair Cooke called it “free-wheeling intelligence.” It’s that piquing force that nudges us to try it again, explore it some more, poke at it, question it and turn it inside out. From the moment we open our eyes, it fuels our existence. With each new answer we find, our world expands and our passions grow.

And lastly, my dog Woody made me think more about curiosity on our walk today. He is one of the most curious creatures I’ve ever known and perhaps one of the most fearless. I spent our jaunt quietly watching him sniff trees and stop to stare intensely at a squirrel swinging from a branch… what if I was that curious? That intensely aware of my surroundings? I swear he teaches me so much about being a better, more patient, more adventurous and curious human every day.

As I get ready to shut down my computer this Friday, I’m thinking about fear and curiosity. Running my own business has been an adventure, it’s been incredibly rewarding and incredibly scary, but today as I think about the year ahead, I’m replacing any fear I have of the unknown path ahead with curiosity. Cheers to the every day adventures.

Happy Friday!

Whether you’re on the hunt for solace and some face time with nature or planning a dinner with friends, cheers to finding just what you need this weekend.

Happy Friday!

]]> http://undersolenmedia.com/blog/friday-faves/friday-faves-finding-just-what-you-need/feed/ 0 http://undersolenmedia.com/blog/causes-blog/give-a-dam-new-video-from-rios-libres-take-action-to-protect-patagonias-wild-rivers/ http://undersolenmedia.com/blog/causes-blog/give-a-dam-new-video-from-rios-libres-take-action-to-protect-patagonias-wild-rivers/#comments Mon, 12 Dec 2011 18:37:53 +0000 Emily http://undersolenmedia.com/?p=2933

Chris Kassar taking the time to say a prayer at the proposed dam site of the Baker River. Patagonia, Chile. Photo: James Q Martin

by Chris Kassar via The Cleanest Line

Every time I kneel down next to a river – even if just for a moment – I swear I can hear it speak to me. I know this probably sounds crazy, but I also know I’m not the only one who hears wise murmurs rising from the ripples of wild waters. For many of us, the rhythm of a river can mesmerize our soul, capture our spirit and force us to really stop and listen.

The Baker River, nestled deep in the mountains of Chilean Patagonia, is no different. I spent weeks walking its banks, riding its waves, and crunching through the epic ice fields that feed it. I even floated over the exact spot where its journey as a river ended and it emptied into the sea – a feat in and of itself given that so many rivers, including my very own Colorado, no longer even make it all the way to the ocean. But, this trip from source to sea was much more than just a fun adventure. We – team Rios Libres – immersed ourselves in the landscape so we could arm ourselves with the knowledge needed to join the fight to protect Patagonia’s wildlands and the people who depend on them.

During our excursion, the mighty Baker spoke volumes and gave us a glimpse into what the world used to be like – full of untamed lands, untouched rivers, intact forests and people who depended on the land and each other to survive. Spending a month at the edge of the world was like traveling back in time to an age when things were simpler and nature remained largely unaltered by the trappings of man.

Unfortunately, the experience we had may not be available for future generations unless we raise our voices and speak for the river. Huge walls of concrete threaten to choke the furious turquoise flow of Chile’s most voluminous river, the Baker and its rugged sister, the Pascua. If allowed, big business will ruin pristine old-growth forests, destroy the gaucho culture and silence the beautiful sound of these waters only to replace them with the disheartening din of ‘civilization’ – bulldozers, power lines, reservoirs and dams… all to provide power for the destructive mining industry in the north.

Timmy O'Neill dropping Class V on the Baker River. Photo: James Q Martin

But this doesn’t have to happen. Perhaps, if we could just sit and listen more carefully, we might hear the river speak and fully grasp the idea that it is more important to protect the river’s power than harness it. Chile has the opportunity to learn from mistakes made in the past; they can act as a model for the rest of the world by seeking alternatives that allow them to gain energy independence while still maintaining the character of Patagonia.

We’ve written about this in the past and our team made an award-winning film called Power in the Pristine that documented our source-to-sea adventure and highlighted the various threats to the region.

So why are we writing now? We’re writing because this fight is far from over and we need your help in giving this river and its people a voice once again. A lot has happened over the past year and it seems that the wild character of the entire region – which was once endangered – is now closer to extinction than ever before. The following video will catch you up on the issue. We hope it inspires you to read on and to act. The river speaks and so can you!

***

Synopsis of recent happenings: In May 2011, the government approved the dams. Tens of thousands of Chileans took to the streets in opposition and six weeks later, the Court temporarily halted all construction due to a pending appeal. This was especially significant since the Court was the only Chilean authority to challenge the project since its inception in 2008. However, in October, the Chilean appeals court ruled in favor of the dam project causing the volley to continue as opponents who want to protect this unique environment brought their challenge to the Supreme Court. In the meantime, the project still requires a permit for more than 1,250 miles (2,000-km) of transmission line to carry the 2,750 megawatts generated from deep in southern Patagonia to the capital Santiago. Earlier this week (Dec. 5), HidroAysen – the company behind the dam project – released initial plans for the powerline and the environmental analysis will begin in March 2012.

Clearly, the fight to protect Chile’s pristine rivers and wildlands is not over; protests continue and polls show that over 74% of Chileans oppose the dams. This Saturday, December 10, thousands will return to the streets in Coyahique and other cities in Chile to show the government that they oppose this decision. If you cannot make the event in Chile, please show your solidarity by taking action through these groups:

1. Rios Libres: Join the ‘virtual march’ to keep Patagonia Wild!
2. NRDC: Tell Chile’s President to stop the HidroAysén project from destroying Patagonia (Learn more)
3. International Rivers: Demand Democracy for Chile – NO to HidroAysén!

The river speaks and so can you!

For more info go to: www.rioslibres.com.

• Anna Brones. You get big high fives for quite a few reasons this week, but especially for becoming my go-to music maven, especially for mashups like this, and this… and this.
• Jenny Nichols. Umm… Wild Love is hitting full steam because of you, hot stuff. So excited to be working with this incredible + creative lady.
• American Rivers. I talk about free-flowing rivers a lot. That’s because I love them, and I get to work with inspiring world changers like the folks at AR.
• Save Our Wild Salmon. Keep on fighting.
• Andy Maser. Thank you.
• ‎”How much of your own heart would you protect?” — Dr. Sylvia Earle when talking about the ocean. Keep up the fabulous work, iLCP.
• Rachel Meyer, Amber Valenti, Molly Downey + Meagan Nuchols. There are no words. You rock.
• Big ups to Gareth, Sam, Courtney, Jeff and the entire Osprey Packs family.
• Justin Clifton. 5Point is going to be amazing. And thank you for posting this video today… gives us all something to aspire to.

Happy Friday!