A AGOLDEN, British Columbia – Professional skiers Tessa Treadway and Izzy Lynch are sharing what it’s like to parent in the mountains while handling loss, grief and love in “Motherload,” a new mini-series presented by Arc’teryx.
In an article on Freeskier magazine, the two women spoke about their unique journey as single moms trying to raise a family while living in a mountain town in British Columbia.
“Suddenly being forced to carry the load of parenthood on our own made us realize we are capable of things we never imagined,” Lynch said in the series intro. The original “Motherload” short film, which premiered in 2020, showed the harsh and honest realities both women were dealing with at the time, Lynch said.
Treadway’s husband, Dave Treadway had passed away in a ski accident in 2019 and Lynch’s marriage had just fallen apart, leaving them both to navigate motherhood on their own. It was raw and heart wrenching, following the two friends as they supported each other and shared a vulnerable part of their lives with the world. “After the first film, we had so many people commenting that they wanted more,” Lynch added.
To watch the first episode on YouTube, click here. A new episode arrives online every two weeks.
“The main thing that energized us were the heartfelt comments that were left on the YouTube page when the film was released,” said Zoya Lynch, who directed the film (and is also Izzy’s sister). “There are over 300 comments from people all over, including a ton of mothers and single parents who expressed how much the film meant to them, and how they finally felt seen.”
In the opening episode,Treadway, her three boys, a pregnant Izzy Lynch and her son spend the day riding their mountain bikes in the mountains around Golden, B.C., exploring trails and also looking for a cow that escaped her property. The two women show grace in the face of chaos, with plenty of humor sprinkled in as they shrug their shoulders and let go of what they can’t change, determined to get their families outside as much as possible.
To read the full story, click here.
Pictured: Tessa Treadway with her three sons.