Pico de Orizaba is an active, 18,000 foot volcano in Mexico. It’s been climbed. It’s even been skied. But it’s rarely been snowboarded.
Javier Pineda goes by El Oso. “The Bear”. And when you meet him, the name fits. His heart is big, his desire for adventure even bigger.
Javier was born in Mexico. When he was 12 years old, he and his brother moved to Summit County, CO to live with their father. Those first years were extremely difficult. They struggled to find their footing as immigrants in a foreign land. Until one day, Javier got on a snowboard. And it changed his life.
Through snowboarding, Javier found himself. It ignited a love for outdoor expeditions, and gave him the confidence and direction he needed as a young man. At the same time, he discovered a disparity in outdoor sports. The expense and lack of representation kept people like Javier from having access to and feeling welcome on the slopes. This motivated Javier to make a difference for his community. Today, he is a well known full time instructor, partnering with local resorts to teach immigrants how to ski and snowboard. He does this through his own non-profit, appropriately named Oso Outdoors. But that’s not all.
In 2024 a new idea came to Javier: to mount an expedition to ride Pico de Orizaba. For Javier, it’s not just a way to test his mountaineering and snowboarding skills, but a chance to inspire others like him to face the odds and chase their own dreams. No matter who they are or where they come from. Our film will take us from Colorado to Mexico and follow Javier’s expedition from training to be the latest to ride the volcano. All the while we’ll explore Javier’s story as an immigrant in winter sports, in a time and place where issues of identity, access and inclusivity is more relevant than ever.
