THE FILM
VARIABLE chronicles the 10 year journey of two brothers as they attempt to backcountry ski the Adirondack 46ers - a rugged collection of 46 mountains rising to 4,000ft and higher - in a quest to become the first to ski all 81 of the classic high peaks of the Catskill and Adirondack Mountains. The duo face an uphill battle skiing to the summits, navigating through complex terrain of ice, rock, thick trees, and a seesaw of harsh and unpredictable winter conditions.
Physical injury in the mountains, a midnight rescue across thin lake ice, and the tragic loss of a spouse, all test the brothers’ commitment. In a landscape where climate change now has the final say on what form winter takes, the two find themselves racing against the clock, and a disappearing snowpack, to finish skiing the last peaks before the decade-long goal melts beneath their skis.
Mountain Gazette called their accomplishment “a New York skiing achievement like no other.”
SCREENINGS
Lake Placid, NY
Wednesday, March 26, 2025
US Ski & Snowboard Hall of Fame /
International Skiing History Association
Film Festival and Filmmaker Reception
Olympic Center
(note: new venue!)
Ticket Info
FILM + SCREENING INQUIRIES
Please reach out to Jamie Kennard.
PREVIOUS SCREENINGS
Montreal, Canada -Saturday, March 15, 2025
Presented by Alpine Club of Canada
North Creek, NY - Friday, February 28, 2025
Tannery Pond Center
Bartlett, NH - February 21, 2025
Mt. Washington Backcountry Ski Festival
Presented by The North Face
Ludlow, VT - February 20, 2025
Friends of Ludlow Auditorium (FOLA)
Presented by Catamount Trail Association
Livingston Manor, NY - February 15, 2025
Old Souls
Montpelier, VT - February 6, 2025
Onion River Outdoors
Presented by Catamount Trail Association
Saratoga Springs, NY - February 2, 2025
Skidmore College
Presented by Skidmore Outing Club
Hunter, NY - January 23, 2025
Doctorow Center for the Arts, Mountain Cinema
Boulder, CO - January 15, 2025
Zeal Optics
New Paltz, NY - January 11, 2025
Rock & Snow
Brooklyn, NY - December 19
1st Annual NY(SKI) - An Evening of Short Films and Ski Docs
Nighthawk Cinema, Williamsburg
Woodstock, NY - December 14
Tinker Street Cinema
Presented by Bread Alone and West Kill Brewing
North Adams, MA - December 13
Bright Ideas Brewing @ Mass MoCA
Presented by Western Mass Backcountry Alliance
and Thunderbolt Ski Runners
Burlington, VT - December 12
J Skis Intergalactic Headquarters
Lake Placid, NY - December 7
ADK Backcountry Ski Season Kickoff
Walter Breeman Performing Arts Center
Presented by The Mountaineer and Barkeater Trails Alliance
Rochester, NY - November 13, 2024
ADK-GVC “Outside Voices”
Rochester Museum & Science Center
PRESS
NCPR
“Despite injury, loss, and tough conditions,
two brothers ski 46 High Peaks” (story, audio)
Adirondack Explorer
”Brothers make history skiing 81 mountains
in Adirondacks, Catskills”
The High Route
”Variable: A film about perseverance
and heads up Adirondack skiing”
Hudson Valley One
Life has its ups and downs: Rock & Snow screens doc
on ten-year backcountry ski odyssey
46 of 46 Podcast
Summit Sessions #63:
Skiing the 46 High Peaks with Jamie and Doug Kennard
Times Union
”Skier brothers conquer all Adirondacks
and Catskills high peaks”
support
“Rocks & Stumps & Ice & Snow” t-shirt
VARIABLE is a 100% self-supported film. If you’d like to support this project and future screenings you can purchase a shirt here.
A portion of sale proceeds will be donated to Protect Our Winters.
Cast
Doug Kennard, skier
Jamie Kennard, skier
David Goodman
Journalist, Author “Best Backcountry Skiing in the Northeast”
Caitlin Kelly
Writer, Co-Founder Adirondack Community Avalanche Project
Ron Konowitz
Local Legend, First ADK 46er Skier
Laurie Rankin
President, Adirondack Forty Sixers
Andrew Weibrecht
Two-time Olympic Medalist, U.S. Ski Team
Charlie Wise
Owner, The Mountaineer, Keene Valley, NY
About the Director
Jamie Kennard purchased a camera in 2022 after losing his wife, and partner of 31 years, to cancer (having spent the prior two years as her full-time caregiver). He immediately began a self-taught journey into filmmaking. A month later he made his first vignette film ‘The Ski Guy’. He followed up with ‘The Needle Felter’ (2022) and ‘The Ciderist’ (2023).
In 2023 he completed his 500th consecutive “5k a day”, a self-imposed challenge to counterbalance a period of personal loss and grief, following three simple rules: 1. Move outdoors every day (on foot, bike, or skis). 2. Five kilometers (and up to 100+ miles). 3. Rain or shine, no excuses.
He lives in Woodstock, NY, in the heart of the Catskill Mountains.
