These Wyoming Skiers Are Trying to Change Who Feels Welcome in the Mountains
A new PBS documentary follows Wyoming-based skiers Jr Rodriguez and Vanessa Chavarriaga Posada as they examine their relationship with skiing, the outdoor industry, and the communities they hope to make more inclusive.
The short film, Internal Peaks, is part of HOMEGROWN: Horizons, a regional film initiative from Firelight Media focused on cultural communities across the Rocky Mountain region. The film explores questions of belonging, representation, climate change, and the future of skiing through the experiences of two Latino athletes.
Finding a Place in Skiing
After discovering the sport of skiing, Chavarriaga Posada found a sense of belonging in the snowy mountains around Jackson Hole. Rodriguez, a professional skier, filmmaker, and climate advocate, took a different path into skiing. He originally wanted to climb major mountains and learned to ski as a way to prepare for alpine environments.
Both describe encountering a ski culture that could feel difficult to enter as people of color. Rodriguez recalls seeing skiing around Jackson Hole heavily associated with extreme lines, competition, and predominantly white imagery. Rather than leaving the sport, he continued skiing while working to help others feel welcome.
Building a More Inclusive Ski Community
The film follows Rodriguez and Chavarriaga Posada as they work to create a different outdoor experience for the Latino community in Jackson.
They teach backcountry skiing through Camina Conmigo, a local nonprofit organization, including instruction conducted entirely in Spanish. For Chavarriaga Posada, teaching in her native language provides a sense of familiarity that can remove some of the discomfort associated with entering an unfamiliar outdoor environment.
The pair also discuss the importance of providing education and mentorship so new skiers can develop good habits and safety skills early.
Skiing and a Changing Mountain Environment
Climate change becomes another major theme throughout the film. Rodriguez and Chavarriaga Posada discuss glaciers in the Rocky Mountains and Latin America, including the visible retreat of glaciers that have cultural significance. Their experiences also lead them to examine the unintended environmental consequences that can come with skiing and mountaineering.
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