Activism and Altitude Junkies in Aspen

Mountain Summit Aspen.Click 4 PixActivists, Artists and Altitude Junkies gathered in Aspen for the inaugural MOUNTAIN SUMMIT Film festival and Symposium.  MOUNTAIN SUMMITwas a joint venture between Mountainfilm (Telluride), The Wheeler Opera House (Aspen) and Eddie Bauer's  First Ascent.  Everyone in attendance was riveted, entertained, excited and awed by an incredible slate of films, presentations and seminars. Mountainfilm, which has been "celebrating indomitable spirit" in Telluride since 1979 brought their "uniquely fresh & funky" show to Aspen.  Aspen's historic Wheeler Opera House provided an intimate setting for a "FANTASTIC" weekend.  Host Hotel, Limelight Lodge was abuzz all weekend with a powerful message of fixing the planet, changing the world and finding your voice. The conversation has started as attendees rapped about ecology, the economy, altitude, attitude, activisim, conservation, hope, volunteerism, friendship, education, the surf, art, science sport etc. ect.  All that and a food symposium and gallery tour too.   One love--Mountain Summit.

See our pix. Click:  Activism and Altitude.Mountain Summit Aspen Click 4 Pix

Highlights from Mountain Summit were numerous.  Legendary American Alpinists Jim Whittaker and Ed Viesturs were on hand to share tales from their adventures.  Whittaker was the first American to summit Mt. Everest. He also led the famous Peace Climb in 1990. He talked about his career on top of the world, "29028 ft above the sea".  Viesturswho has summited all the 8,000 meter peaks on earth (without O2) reminded us that "summiting is optional, getting down safely is mandatory".  Environmentalist Tim DeChristophersingle handily took on the Bush Administration and the BLM to save thousands of acres of pristine land in Utah.  He risked his liberty to do so and brought the SRO crowd to tears, literally.  Conceptual artist Chris Jordan displayed his passion for saving the earth and shocked the Wheeler audience with a primal scream.  His point was well taken.

Mountain Summit 09 Aspen Click for pixMountain Summit films included: THE COVE an ultra-powerful look at dolphin slaughter in Japan.  ROCK PROPHECIES, a documentary about famed Rock & Roll photographer Robert M. Knight.  BIG RIVER MAN the story of the guy who swam the entire Amazon River ( 3375 miles). CARTS of DARKNESS, an inside look at the extreme street people who race shopping carts down the steep concrete hills of Vancouver at speeds over 40 mph --- giving gnarly, a new definition.  Two super-siiiiiiiiiick ski films from Japan's Masaki Sekiguchi.  THE FARM: 10 DOWN the story of Louisiana's infamous Angola Prison. THE YES MEN FIX THE WORLD and crowd favorite SURFING 50 STATES a travel-log in which 2 Aussie mates surf in each of the 50 United States.

AspenSpin wants to personally thank our new friends from MountainFilm and Eddie Bauer and our old friends from The Wheeler (City of Aspen) and LimeLight Lodge for creating such an important, meaningful and AWESOME festival.  Save us an aisle seat for next year, and we'll see ya'll in T-Ride for Mountainfilm, May 28-31, 2010.

Comments

[Jillian]

I only saw one film, "The Horse Boy" and was blown away! Why didn't I see more. Next time.

[AspenSpin]

Horse Boy was the only one i missed