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A lifelong Grateful Dead aficionado, Benchetler debuted a limited-release GFD-themed ski last fall. Needless to say, it sold out quickly. (Photo: Courtesy of Atomic)<\/p>\nArtist, filmmaker, and pro skier Chris Benchetler is back with another epic Grateful Dead ski film. Here’s how you can see it.<\/p>\n
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Updated June 2, 2026 03:21PM<\/p>\n
Chris Benchetler has spent his career blurring the lines between skiing, art, and music. But his latest film, Mountains of the Moon, may be his most ambitious attempt yet.<\/p>\n
The movie pairs Benchetler\u2019s signature dreamlike visuals and nighttime skiing segments with a soundtrack built entirely around the music of the Grateful Dead. But in its most unique form, Mountains of the Moon isn\u2019t just a ski film\u2014it\u2019s a live performance.<\/p>\n
At select screenings, the soundtrack is performed live by a band while the film plays, transforming the experience from a traditional movie screening into something that feels more like a concert. Ross James, who has performed with members of the Grateful Dead, joins Alex Koford, Tyler Grant, and Bill McKay to bring the music to life in real time.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou get to feel the film, instead of just watching it,\u201d Benchetler told SKI before a recent screening at the Outside Festival, which took place at downtown Denver\u2019s Auraria Campus the last weekend in May, where attendees watched Benchetler\u2019s colorful journey accompanied by a live performance.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s this immersive approach that allows Benchetler to fully express his own passions. A longtime Deadhead, he sees the project as a natural extension of his love for both skiing and music.<\/p>\n
Not everyone who watches the film will be a Grateful Dead fan, but Benchetler isn\u2019t concerned.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey can either love it, or they can hate it, but just trying to create an experience that brings people together, and live music and film do that in a beautiful way.\u201d<\/p>\n
The film itself feels like a trip through Benchetler\u2019s wildly creative mind. Combining art, skiing, action sports, and colorful visual effects, Mountains of the Moon explores the connection between athleticism and artistic expression. It\u2019s a fitting project for someone who, when asked by comedian Katie Burrell during a post-screening interview whether he considers himself first a skier, filmmaker, artist, or amateur skateboarder, answered without hesitation: \u201cArtist.\u201d<\/p>\n
A lifelong Grateful Dead aficionado, Benchetler debuted a limited-release GFD-themed ski last fall. Needless to say, it sold out quickly. (Photo: Courtesy of Atomic)<\/p>\n
Most skiers know Benchetler through his collection of iconic Atomic Bent ski graphics\u2014top sheets that often look more at home in a gallery than on a chairlift. Mountains of the Moon extrapolates that artistic vision onto the big screen.<\/p>\n