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Watch ‘Chillest Humans’: Behind the Lens in the Backcountry

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Spending any amount of time in the backcountry in the snow, ice, and cold can provide a unique challenge to capture its beauty. For filmmakers and photographers, there’s even more at stake.

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Winter filmmakers and photographers provide a window into extreme environments and the individuals that push the boundaries of adventure in a world of astonishing beauty. Only a small percentage of the population has these experiences firsthand.

What we see through their frames are the triumphs and pitfalls of their protagonists. But the story that often goes untold is what it is like to be on their side of the lens, and the challenges they face bringing these adventures to life.

Frostbitten fingers, dead batteries, and frozen lenses are all par for the course when you’re on a backcountry assignment.

In this video, you’ll meet four filmmakers and photographers who have been on some insanely cold shoots, documenting expeditions and capturing the triumphs of professional athletes. You’ll learn what they pack, how they stay warm, and why they feel drawn to the outdoors when the temps drop below freezing.

Check out the video to learn how Columbia’s new Omni-Heat Helix keeps not only its athletes warm on the job but also the artists who capture them.

Runtime: 6 minutes


This video is sponsored by Columbia. Learn more about the brand’s new line of Omni-Heat Helix online.

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Sveta Vold wearing Columbia Helix fleece while putting on a swim cap for a chilly fall swim in Minnesota.

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Race director and adventure racing pro Jason Magness stands on top of a mountain with clouds and trees in the background.

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