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Watch a Young Yvon Chouinard, Doug Tompkins Star in a Dirtbag Classic

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Patagonia released the full 1968 ‘Mountain of Storms’ film on its YouTube channel.

Before they were magnates of the outdoors, Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard and The North Face’s co-founder Doug Tompkins were true dirtbags.

And in 1968, they and three friends — now-famous rock climber Chris Jones, U.S. ski/snowboard Hall of Famer Dick Dorworth, and Mountainfilm founder Lito Tejada-Flores — set off on what became a legendary road trip.

The fated quintet set off from San Francisco in an old van with a then-obscure destination: the eponymous Patagonia region.

Along the way, these five friends stopped only to eat, sleep, ski, climb, and surf. To cap off the journey, the men put up a first ascent on Argentina’s Cerro Fitz Roy Southwest Buttress. Today, climbers know it as the California Route.

Best of all, they chronicled the entire adventure on a 16mm Bolex camera. “Mountain of Storms” has inspired and maintained a faithful fan base in the decades since. And this month, Patagonia released the full film free to watch on its YouTube channel. Enjoy!

Alex Megos; (photo/filmmaker Ken Etzel)

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