El Oso and the Volcano
We follow Javier, a DACA recipient who found his identity in the US through snowsports, in his ambitious goal to summit and snowboard an 18,000 foot active volcano in Mexico –while simultaneously improving outdoor access for immigrant and BIPOC communities.
Pico de Orizaba is an active, 18,000-foot volcano in Mexico. It’s been climbed. It’s even been skied. But no Mexican has ever snowboarded it.
Javier Pineda’s nickname is “El Oso.” The Bear. His heart is big, his ambitions even bigger. Born in Mexico, Javier moved to Summit County, CO at age 12. Growing up undocumented and searching for belonging was a struggle. Until he got on a snowboard, and it changed his life.
Snowboarding gave Javier confidence, direction, and a love for the outdoors. But it also exposed a hard truth: expense and lack of representation kept people like him from feeling welcome on the slopes. So Javier did something about it. Now a full-time instructor and founder Oso Outdoors, he is building pathways for other immigrants to experience nature.
But Javier isn’t done yet. In 2024, a new dream took shape: to ride Pico de Orizaba. For him, it’s more than a feat of skill – it’s a chance to inspire others to chase their own dreams, no matter where they come from.
El Oso y Volcan follows that journey, from Colorado to Mexico, against a backdrop where identity, access, and inclusivity are more relevant than ever.