Live and Learn

A A A Comments By Colin Bane Thursday, Nov 12 2009

Jonny Copp's avalanche death in June during an attempt on China's Mount Edgar serves as a grim reminder of the inherent risk in the adventure sports he celebrated as founder of Boulder's annual Adventure Film Festival. Copp was an elite climber and an expert on avalanches in particular, and it's an unfortunate epitaph that this week's 5th Annual festival is also the anniversary of his entry in Outside magazine's November 2007 How to Survive special issue: "Buried by Multiple Avalanches."

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This year's festival will feature the premiere of National Geographic's "First Ascent: Point of No Return," documenting the deaths of Copp, climbing partner Micah Dash and cameraman Wade Johnson in western China, but it's also a celebration of Copp's life and legacy. “The festival this year is not a memorial piece to Jonny,” says festival co-founder Mark Reiner. "Jonny shared with us his enthusiasm for life and adventure, and that is reflected in the spirit of the Adventure Film Fest now and forever."

Reiner and Copp organized the first Adventure Film Festival in 2004 as an extension of the adventures they'd shared together since they were kids, and Reiner says he hopes the festival and its filmmaker workshops on Saturday will help inspire a new generation to pick up where Copp left off. The fest begins today and continues through Saturday at various Boulder venues, including the Boulder Theater, 2032 14th Street; tickets range from $12 for an individual program to $50 for a full-festival pass. Get information and reservations at www.adventurefilm.org.
Nov. 12-14, 2009

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