Podcast: Snowboarder Jeremy Jones takes aim at climate deniers in new film, ‘Ode to Muir’

In a quiet room backstage at the Palace of Fine Arts Theatre on Tuesday evening, Jeremy Jones cut the image of a man trying to keep a low profile. The first San Francisco screening of his new film was minutes away, and the world-famous big-mountain snowboarder from Truckee wanted to steal a few minutes away from the fans lining up outside.

“I’m kind of hiding out,” he said.

Jones, 43, of Truckee, has spent years hiking and riding some of the world’s more remote peaks, and for years he’s been outspoken about the effects of climate change — effects he’s seen firsthand on his journeys. While he’s been a part of about 50 movies, he knows that his latest film, called “Ode to Muir,” is not what fans expect from ski flicks.

“I was terrified during the first viewing,” Jones said. “I’ve never been so scared.”

Compared to the high-octane spectacles and pumping soundtracks that define the ski film genre, “Ode to Muir” is a slow-paced meditation on the power wilderness holds over the human imagination, the looming threat of accelerated climate change, and the state of our country’s political dysfunction. It juxtaposes a seven-day backpacking-snowboarding trip through the Eastern Sierra that Jones completed with a couple of friends with quotes from famed naturalist John Muir, historic facts about public land protections and scary statistics about our warming planet.

“I call it a documentary with a little bit of snowboarding,” Jones said.

While it may be a surprise for fans, the subject matter isn’t a departure for Jones. His nonprofit advocacy organization Protect Our Winters, which he founded in 2007, aims to marshal outdoor enthusiasts into an active political base. Jones personally nudges his professional-athlete friends to speak up on social media about climate-related issues — “digital canvassing,” he calls it — and encourages fans to express themselves at the ballot box.

To that end, “Ode to Muir” will be temporarily released free to viewers online for a 24-hour period beginning on Sunday, Nov. 4 — just before election day. The film tour is as much a get-out-the-vote campaign as media promotion, Jones said, and that’s because of the fast-approaching midterm elections and the urgency of climate issues.

“A kid learning to ski or snowboard today, their kids will be the last kids to ski and snowboard in the Sierra. That’s the bad news,” Jones said. “The good news is that the solutions are there — they’re being embraced by other countries.”

Just before the first San Francisco film screening, Jones sat down with Chronicle Travel Editor Gregory Thomas for a podcast discussion. Here are some excerpts from that conversation:

On why he selected Muir as a muse for the film:

Why I made this film, “Ode to Muir,” is we have people like Muir to thank for that deep wilderness. And if you think of their audacity — they protect a lot and there are a lot of places where you have to wonder, has anyone ever stood right here? And you’re 150 miles from San Francisco. It’s pretty cool.

On the pace and tone of the film:

This was a very different process, and we recognized that we really built in silence into the film throughout the whole thing. … We were like, we gotta have the guts to slow it down. And every time we tried to shorten the film, everything got compressed and we lost the feeling of the film. When you’re out there walking, everything slows down, it gets quiet, and that’s the nicest part, and we just wanted that feeling for someone to come into the theater. … It clearly is this meditative, relaxing experience.

On one of his favorite Muir quotes:

“Every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks.” That, I think just in the simplest form ... it’s really my power source. And it doesn’t need to be deep wilderness, Sierra. I can get that walking in the woods off the side of the road. ... And how much power I get from that — I just feel so grateful that I’ve found that. It’s easy to achieve. It’s getting more and more richer as I get older, and I’m really grateful for that. And I think that Muir, in his writings, was one of the first that really started articulating the power of wilderness on the human spirit.

On his personal approach to reducing carbon emissions:

Personally, with my personal carbon footprint, I live a very examined life. It’s why 98 percent of my snowboarding is Sierra-based. That’s been a really easy thing. I do get on planes … but I’ve cut down on flying pretty significantly. … In general, what I’ve always tried to do is make it better every year. Don’t let perfect get in the way of good.