Finding Joy In The Mountains: A Convo With Pro Skier Nat Segal

Pro skier and Helly Hansen ambassador Nat Segal’s new film, Mountain Joy, which premiers December 16, 2024, captures stunning alpine vistas while sharing her deeply personal journey of resilience. Diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis, Nat redefines adventure on her own terms, proving that overcoming challenges can lead to unexpected joy. Catch her inspiring story and breathtaking skiing in this must-see short film. —Noa Nichol

What inspired you to create Mountain Joy, and how did your personal journey shape the message you wanted to share through the film?

I chose to make Mountain Joy as I think injury and chronic pain has historically been somewhat of a taboo subject in the mountain sports and outdoor industries. I personally experienced this as a competitive freeride skier in my 20s, where the message was ‘go hard or go home’. It is a generalisation but I found myself constantly overtraining and pushing myself, even when I was injured, in order to fit what I saw as the standard for ‘success’ in the industry. This experience over the 15 years of my career led me to want to share a snapshot of some of my journey and the changes I needed to make when I eventually hit a wall. My wall was an auto-immune disease but my hope is this wall can be related to both physical and mental health journeys that recreationalist and professional athletes can face in the outdoors and mountain sports.

How has managing ankylosing spondylitis influenced your approach to skiing and being active in the mountains?

My diagnosis of ankylosing spondylitis, and the symptoms I experienced before my diagnosis, made me have to stop and change. Whenever I tried to return to my old patterns of training and pushing my limits I fell in a heap and had to start from scratch again. Over the last few years in order to stay active in the mountains I have had to incorporate a slower approach to everything and be open to rest. It doesn’t mean not pursuing my goals or striving for high performance, I just need to be open to a new approach.

You mention that the film encourages people to “go at their own pace” and find joy in the mountains without pushing through pain. How has this mindset transformed your relationship with the outdoors?

I think the biggest change in my mindset through this period in my life is setting intentions before I spend time in the mountains. Previously I was influenced by my work as an athlete or a feeling of needing to prove myself to my peers, which often caused me to push through physical pain and injuries. This can lead to poor decision making both in terms of physical safety and mental health. One of the biggest changes I have made is choosing to spend time outdoors on my terms, which includes setting boundaries, saying no and looking my FOMO (fear of missing out) in the eye and telling it to chill out. It’s not rocket science but making that decision and turning into a behavioural pattern takes time and practice, which I am still working on mastering.

What was the creative process like for Mountain Joy, and how did you balance capturing breathtaking skiing footage with telling a deeply personal and relatable story?

The creative process for this project was quite difficult. I didn’t have a problem with being vulnerable about my experiences or sharing my story. However, I do have a feeling of imposter syndrome or taking up space with this film. I worked with an amazing film crew, including creatives Ryan-Paul Collins and Colleen Gentemann, who helped me to shape the vision of the story in my head in a way that we hope is relatable and creates a conversation around managing injuries, chronic pain and challenging moments in life.

What do you hope audiences take away from Mountain Joy, and how do you envision it inspiring others to embrace their own journeys in the outdoors?

It is my hope that this helps folks to reflect on how they approach time in the mountains and outdoors and see whether it is actually serving them. To try new ways of skiing, hiking, climbing, backpacking, etc., and being ok with letting go of old habits. The only constant in our lives is change and I believe that is a great opportunity for growth and learning (as corny as that sounds). I hope this film inspires folks to be open to change in their lives and realize that we have a choice on how we approach it.