Scroll-Pinned Story — Free GSAP ScrollTrigger Snippet

<div class="wrapper">
  <div class="intro">
    <h1>The Path Through</h1>
    <p>the silent mountains</p>
    <div class="scroll-cue" aria-hidden="true">
      <span>Scroll to begin</span>
      <img class="scroll-cue-icon" src="/images/ui-snippets/scroll-pin-story/scroll-cue-mouse.svg" alt="">
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="content">
    <section class="section hero"></section>
    <section class="section gradient-purple"></section>
    <section class="section gradient-blue">
      <div class="test">
        <p>Beyond the last village, the trail climbs into mist and stone, where no map dares to follow.</p>
        <p>Here the wind carries old songs, and the peaks keep their secrets beneath centuries of snow.</p>
        <p>Press onward, traveler — for what waits at the summit has been waiting far longer than memory itself.</p>
      </div>
    </section>
  </div>
  <div class="image-container">
    <img src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1464822759023-fed622ff2c3b?q=80&w=2070&auto=format&fit=crop&ixlib=rb-4.0.3" alt="Misty mountain trail winding through the peaks">
  </div>
</div>

@import url('https://fonts.googleapis.com/css2?family=Beth+Ellen&family=Chelsea+Market&display=swap');

* {
  margin: 0;
  padding: 0;
  box-sizing: border-box;
}
body {
  background: black;
  font-weight: 400;
  font-style: normal;
  font-family: "Chelsea Market", system-ui;
  font-size: 34px;
}

.wrapper,
.content {
  position: relative;
  width: 100%;
  z-index: 1;
}
.intro {
  position: absolute;
  left: 0%;
  top: 0%;
  right: auto;
  bottom: auto;
  z-index: 3;
  display: flex;
  width: 100%;
  height: 100vh;
  flex-direction: column;
  justify-content: center;
  align-items: center;
  color: #cfe8ff;
}

.intro h1 {
  font-size: 40px;
  font-family: "Beth Ellen", cursive;
}
.intro p {
  font-size: 60px;
  font-family: "Chelsea Market", system-ui;
  font-weight: bolder;
}

.scroll-cue {
  position: absolute;
  bottom: 56px;
  left: 50%;
  display: flex;
  flex-direction: column;
  align-items: center;
  gap: 6px;
  font-size: 14px;
  font-family: system-ui, sans-serif;
  letter-spacing: 0.12em;
  text-transform: uppercase;
  color: rgba(207, 232, 255, 0.6);
  opacity: 0;
  transform: translateX(-50%);
  transition: opacity 0.5s ease;
  animation: cue-in 0.8s ease 1s forwards;
}
.scroll-cue.is-hidden {
  opacity: 0 !important;
}
.scroll-cue-icon {
  display: block;
  width: 22px;
  height: auto;
  animation: cue-bob 1.8s ease-in-out infinite;
}
@keyframes cue-in {
  to { opacity: 1; }
}
@keyframes cue-bob {
  0%, 100% { transform: translateY(0); }
  50%      { transform: translateY(6px); }
}

.content {
  overflow-x: hidden;
}

.content .section {
  width: 100%;
  height: 100vh;
}
.content .section.gradient-purple {
  height: 50vh;
}
.content .section.gradient-blue {
  height: auto;
  min-height: 100vh;
  display: flex;
  align-items: center;
  justify-content: center;
}
.content .section.hero {
  background-image: url(https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1483728642387-6c3bdd6c93e5?q=80&w=2070&auto=format&fit=crop&ixlib=rb-4.0.3);
  background-position: center center;
  background-repeat: no-repeat;
  background-size: cover;
  transition: opacity 0.5s ease;
}

.image-container {
  width: 100%;
  height: 100vh;
  position: absolute;
  top: 0;
  left: 0;
  right: 0;
  z-index: 2;
  perspective: 500px;
  overflow: hidden;
}

.image-container img {
  width: 100%;
  height: 100%;
  object-fit: cover;
  object-position: center center;
  position: relative;
  z-index: 1;
}

.test {
  position: relative;
  color: white;
  display: flex;
  flex-direction: column;
  justify-content: center;
  align-items: center;
  max-width: 800px;
  margin: 0 auto;
  padding: 0 32px;
  text-align: center;
  line-height: 45px;
  color: #9fd4ffc4;
}

console.clear();

gsap.registerPlugin(ScrollTrigger);

window.addEventListener("load", () => {
  // pin just long enough for the zoom to play out — once it hits max scale,
  // release the pin so the story below comes up immediately on continued scroll
  gsap
    .timeline({
      scrollTrigger: {
        trigger: ".wrapper",
        start: "top top",
        end: "+=50%",
        pin: true,
        scrub: true,
        markers: false
      }
    })
    .to("img", {
      scale: 2,
      z: 250,
      transformOrigin: "center center",
      ease: "power1.inOut"
    })
    .to(
      ".section.hero",
      {
        scale: 1.4,
        transformOrigin: "center center",
        ease: "power1.inOut"
      },
      "<"
    );

  // reveal the story text as it scrolls into view, after the pin releases
  gsap.from(".test p", {
    scrollTrigger: {
      trigger: ".test",
      start: "top 85%",
      toggleActions: "play none none reverse"
    },
    opacity: 0,
    y: 40,
    stagger: 0.3,
    ease: "power1.out"
  });

  // toggle the "scroll to begin" cue based on scroll position —
  // hide it once the visitor scrolls down, bring it back when they return to the top
  const cue = document.querySelector(".scroll-cue");
  if (cue) {
    const toggleCue = () => {
      cue.classList.toggle("is-hidden", window.scrollY > 10);
    };
    window.addEventListener("scroll", toggleCue, { passive: true });
  }
});

// darken bg on scroll - jQuery
// cannot figure out how to get the same effect using GSAP,
// if you do, please let me know :D
$(document).ready(function() {
  $.fn.darkenScroll = function() {
    var elem = $(this);
    self = this;

    $(window).on('scroll', function() {
      scroll = $(document).scrollTop();
      offsetTop = elem.offset().top + elem.outerHeight();
      opacity = 1 / offsetTop * scroll;
      if (opacity > 0 && opacity < 1) {
        elem.css({ 'box-shadow': '10000px 0 0 0 rgba(0,0,0,' + opacity + ') inset' });
      }
    });
  };
  $('.section.hero').darkenScroll();
});