If Alenka Mali introduced herself to you as a snowboarder, you'd probably nod. That checks out: lots of people who live in Squamish do it.
If she next mentioned she's also a BASE jumper, your eyebrows might rise a little. Such a pastime is rarer than snowboarding, the risks arguably much higher. Nonetheless, many use the Stawamus Chief as a launchpad for aerial activities like paragliding and highlining, so sure—why not?
What if you then found out Mali is likely the first woman to document herself landing a successful snowboard BASE jump? You may realize, at that point: she's got you beat in the "cool experiences" department.
The film about Mali's astounding act is called The Beginning. Directed by Cristobal Ruiz, it premieres Feb. 21 on opening night of the Vancouver International Mountain Film Festival (VIMFF). Mali will also speak that evening alongside fellow adventurer Jimmy Martinello.
"I think it's a huge privilege just to be invited," she said. "Jimmy is a really good friend of mine. He also came to the trips where we were shooting for my film. It's a privilege to share my story."
'A whole new set of possibilities'
Mali's dad Klemen Mali and mom Monica Kambic resolved that their children would spend more nights sleeping outdoors than indoors each year. It didn't matter what activity they chose, as long as they did something recreational.
Born in Slovenia and raised in Argentina, Mali filled her early years with climbing, camping, exploring Patagonia and the Alps, as well as trying to outdo her three younger brothers at all of those things. Once her parents divorced, she moved to Squamish at 16 years old to be with Klemen.
Her next adventure was competitive snowboarding. Mali joined the Freeride World Tour (FWT) Qualifier circuit and worked up to 4* events (the second-highest tier), ultimately finishing fourth overall in 2023 and earning a berth into the FWT Challenger series.
She met her ex-boyfriend, Spencer Seabrooke, along the way. Seabrooke is a BASE jumper, and though she'd grown up around such athletes, he was the one who really opened her eyes to the discipline. After a year of watching Seabrooke fly and land with a smile on his face, Mali's interest was piqued.
"I want to jump," she admitted one day. He replied with: "Yeah, I know you do."
A new dream took root in Mali's heart before long. She wanted to ride her snowboard off the edge of Goat Mountain and BASE jump to the ground below.
"It's combining two of my biggest passions," Mali explained. "It's going to prepare me to eventually ride down a line that I couldn't ride otherwise because of a cliff at the bottom. I want to be spending some time in Europe, eventually doing those really, really steep lines that don't have an ending. Snowboard BASE opens a whole new set of possibilities."
Two years of preparation followed. Even after the Slovenian expatriate had built up her physical and mental skills, there were a multitude of elements to factor in. Gusty wind can be lethal for jumpers, as can the low visibility generated by cloud cover. Food, proper equipment, campsites, helicopter transport… all of these would need to be laid out as well.
Last March, the stars finally aligned. You'll have to watch The Beginning to see how it all went down, but let's just say: Mali doesn't regret her hard work one bit.
'Got a few angels out there'
Mountaintop milestones in life can sometimes be followed by valleys of trial and tribulation, especially for adrenaline seekers.
On Jan. 22, Mali struck a cliff during what was supposed to be a routine jump. Her parachute got caught on terrain, leaving her dangling roughly 200 metres in the air. Hours elapsed before Squamish Search and Rescue (SAR) personnel were able to extricate her from the predicament.
Grateful to be alive and somehow free of serious injury, Mali plans to take some time off before jumping again.
"Life is short. I was pretty ready to die on Wednesday [during my fall]," she admitted. "It could have been a lot worse. Got a few angels out there."
The 24-year-old bears no delusion about the stakes associated with her lifestyle, saying frankly in her film: "We need to consider the option that I might die. Every single BASE jump, that's an option."
She keeps forging ahead, though, inspired in large part by her mom.
Kambic was a successful alpinist in her heyday: one of the first women to ascend Patagonian peaks Monte Fitz Roy (3,405 metres of elevation) and Cerro Torre (3,128 metres) as part of an all-female crew. She did it as a single mom to boot, raising Mali and her brothers.
"It's thanks to my mom that I have what it takes to go through with this," Mali said on camera. "She taught me to find healing in mountains. She always said: 'the mountains will cure anything.'"
Check out vimff.org/film/the-beginning to learn more about The Beginning and other VIMFF offerings.
