films

REI Member Stories: Cal Dobbs

Endurance athlete, ultramarathoner, LGBTQIA+ advocate, and REI Member Cal Dobbs has always found freedom in running. To redefine his relationship with the sport, he took on the Appalachian Trail in 2018, a journey that changed his life, and he's been pushing the limits ever since. Along the way, Cal discovered a deeper connection with nature and himself. “I started to see myself for the first time. I wasn’t fighting anymore—I was falling in love,” he says. Cal went on to become the first transgender person to complete the Triple Crown of hiking including the Appalachian, Pacific Crest, and Continental Divide Trails but his adventure didn’t stop there. In 2023 he became the first trans person to run across America, pushing boundaries and raising awareness. With each mile, Cal inspires his community, sharing his passion and purpose.

REI Member Stories: Eavan O’neill

During the pandemic, REI Member Eavan O’Neill found a passion for running. At the same time, at just 21, she was diagnosed with Stargardt’s disease, a condition that will gradually take her vision. Determined to make the most of what she can still experience with sight, she made a list of top 10 places she dreams of seeing before she can’t. We caught up with her at No. 5 on her list: Big Sur. For Eavan, running is more than just a hobby, it’s a way she fully connects with the world around her. “So much of seeing a new place with a vision impairment relies on my other senses. It’s more about how I feel in this place,” Eavan shared. “Running is a huge piece of that for me because it allows me to have this sense of control in my body.” Wanting to help others feel less alone, Eavan created Brightside, a growing community for visually impaired individuals come together and share their stories.

REI Member Stories: THE CURRY FAMILY

To the Curry family, the outdoors is more than just a place; it’s where REI Members Whitney and Will bond with their two daughters over their shared love for skiing. “Being outside as a family is a great reset,” Whitney shared. "It’s all about the connection and the memories.” From learning something new on the slopes to chats over hot chocolate and even the car ride home, these precious moments add up to something special they can call back on season after season.

superbloom

Today, images of the outdoors are focused on how people look, their gender, and what they are wearing while outdoors. But how we feel out there seems more important. Colors zooming by. Nature as our second skin. Confetti leaves and trail parties, cake snacks and hard laughs. Superbloom envisions our shared technicolor experience in the outdoors. This is where buds grow. Created by Anya Miller and Anne Cleary.

Mountain hardware presents: Lily b

Big mountains, little lizards, soft-spoken songs that ring loud and clear – Lily Bradley, MHW Athlete, is a juggler of duality. Born and raised in Tahoe and a student at UC Berkeley, they spend their winters ping-ponging between the Sierra and the Bay. ‘Lily B’ is a short vignette of their multifaceted world of stomping cliffs.

The Moondance

Paddle out in the Salish Sea with Moondance Kayak Guides on adventure that is sure to not only engage all your senses, but also likely to leave a lasting mark on how you interpret the world around you.

LOT’ZZA MIA

Whilst out for a ski, Caitlin Mitchell and Griffin Dunne find themselves on an epic odyssey deep in the winter woods. Will our heroes succumb to their hunger, or will they find a way to make pizza out of any situation? This short film was produced by Flylow Gear and was inspired by Wes Anderson films.

The Falcon

Rear wheel drive, pancakes, a tiny wood stove, friends and mountains. Sophia Rouches has been living in her 1990 camper van on and off for the past couple years. Her van, The Falcon, maxes out at around 55 mph on the highway, so once she gets it somewhere, she's usually staying for a couple days. Or at least until the storm cycles dwindles. Sometimes you're up at the mountain, and sometimes you're broken down on the side of the road - that's life.

THE RECIPE

Big-mountain freeride pioneer and snow safety activist Ingrid Backstrom shares her keys to success that helped her through a challenging and unexpected physical rehab and back to her initial passion: skiing powder in her home state of Washington.

Trail’s alive!

Filmmakers Anne Cleary and Lacy Kemp's entry into the 2019 Crankworx Dirt Diaries contest. Cleary was the first female director invited to participate in the contest in its 10 year history. The concept is based around personifying some of the best trails between Bellingham, Washington and Whistler, BC. The film features six incredible women: Vero Sandler, Hannah Bergemann, Britney White, Micayla Gatto, Casey Brown, and Vaea Verbeeck.

We heard you need gloves

Occasionally while sitting on one of Mt. Baker's non-high speed fixed grip lifts, you will witness a rider send something or go fully underwater and emerge in a cloud of snow from a distance. Or maybe you see someone go for a huge backie off a cheese wedge step-down. Oooh that kid backslapped super hard but he rode it out, I'd count it. Then as you look a little closer, you see a purple jacket, maybe it's teal. You think to yourself, maybe it's just modern manhood, masculinity undone - is that...? I thought it was a dude. Mad Trees presents We Heard You Need Gloves, a story of female athletes pushing and supporting each other over the course of a 844" season. Featuring Sophia Rouches, Zoë Vernon, Jacqui Shaffer, Kaisa Lemley, Andrea Graham and friends.