Often, in snowboarding, it’s the lines we leave on a pristine powder face that tell the tale of the day. For Patagonia’s latest film, ‘Treeline’, the story is written in rings, as they take a closer look at the symbiotic relationship between our planet’s forests and the people who interact with them.
From the enshrined cypress groves of Japan, to the towering redcedars of British Columbia right on through to the ancient bristlecones of Nevada – the piece delves deep into some of the planet’s oldest and most diverse forests. Accompanied by a handful of snowboarders, skiers, scientists and healers, director Jordan Manley moves through these giants and explores a connection as old as humanity itself.
For Patagonia’s latest film, ‘Treeline’, the story is written in rings
For some, they are a place of beauty, peace, tranquillity and – in certain cases – divinity. For others, they serve a more pragmatic function in our survival: providing our shelter, our fuel and the air we breathe.
For the snowboard community, trees often encapsulate the purest form of freeriding. They provide a unique environment, sheltered from the buffeting or flat light of more exposed peaks, where you can weave your own lines through the landscape, with limitless options for creativity and expression.
For the snowboard community, trees often encapsulate the purest form of freeriding
“Trees are both alien and familiar… Compared to humans, they’re old creatures that we barely understand,” we’re told during the film’s opening voiceover. What follows from there is an almost spiritual love-letter to the world’s forests; leaving viewers afterwards with the nagging feeling that we, as a species, have prioritised consumption over preservation and urgently need to shift the paradigm.
Head over to Patagonia’s website for more on ‘Treeline’.
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