Yvon Chouinard is the man. He’s a legendary name in rock climbing circles, fashioning his own tools due to lack of funds. He also founded Patagonia gear and apparel which helped pave the way for environmentally friendly businesses. Now comes a documentary titled 180 Degrees South: Conquerors Of The Useless which we’re thrilled to share. It’s inspired by Chouinard’s 1968 trip to Patagonia and additionally tackles broader environmental themes and finding your place in the world. Filmmaker Jeff Johnson followed Chouinard’s footsteps and hitches a ride on vessel to Patagonian Chile to climb a peak named Corcovado. “His hope is simply to find unclimbed mountains and un-ridden waves in the spirit of his heroes.” says the film’s website. “However, as he travels, his eyes open up to the see environmental disasters that threaten these places as well as the human triumphs that are working to save them.”

Chouinard offered this anecdote from the film: “In ’62, me and Chuck Pratt got arrested in Winslow, Arizona, for riding freight trains back home from the East Coast. We spent two weeks in jail and lost 20 pounds each eating the white bread and beans they fed us. Sons of bitches charged us with ‘no visible means of support, and wandering aimlessly.’ Back in Yosemite Valley we fattened up on cat food, oatmeal, potatoes, ground squirrel, blue grouse and porcupines that we assassinated a la Trotsky with an ice ax. It wasn’t easy but we had wild places and new routes to explore. We were completely free.”

(And the soundtrack is awesome featuring new songs from Ugly Casanova.)

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