Behind the Scenes at Mammoth Mountain for Chris Benchetler's Fall 2025 Movie

Featured Image: Courtesy of Chris Benchetler

Always in motion, Chris Benchetler juggles his life as a professional skier, artist, filmmaker and father better than most could hope to. His latest work is a project within a project; a YouTube series titled “Ship of Fools” documenting the process behind his 2025 fall film, “Mountains of the Moon.”

As a follow-up to the 2019 success “Fire on the Mountain,” this new movie is sure to go into even greater creative depths. Benchetler is an outspoken fan of the Grateful Dead, and the influence here is undeniable to say the least. One could even argue the band’s use of his artwork during shows at The Sphere makes him a sort of honorary member.

In this episode of the “Ship of Fools” series we take a look at the location for his upcoming film, which happens to be Benchetler’s home of Mammoth Mountain. It truly takes an army to bring something of this magnitude to life, and that much is obvious as everyone from mountain management to operations has to step up to the plate. Combining a trove of talented skiers, boarders, filmers, photographers and musicians, including The Dead’s Mickey Hart, this behind-the-scenes look is just a glimpse of what’s to come.

From YouTube:

This project was born from Chris’ vision, but without the help of many other individuals, crews, communities, and teams, it would never have become a reality. Always ready to support was Mammoth Mountain, which was intimately involved in bringing it to life in so many ways.

About the Mountains of the Moon Project From the fevered imagination of artist, professional freeskier and filmmaker, Chris Benchetler, comes a unique cinematic vision, featuring the world’s greatest action sports athletes in a host of surreal and otherworldly environments, set to the timeless music of the Grateful Dead. Pushing boundaries of what can be done at night with cameras, lights, lasers, and animation, Mountains of the Moon transports viewers to a world of infinite beauty and possibility, ultimately celebrating our shared humanity and connectedness.

Ship of Fools takes the viewer behind the camera for backstage-access to the creativity, chaos and ingenuity that went into making Mountains of the Moon. Follow along with the cast and crew as they collaborate on this ambitious film project. Episodes drop weekly.

Subscribe to learn more about the project and product drops at https://www.chrisbenchetler.com/

Mountains of the Moon Release Date: Fall 2025