The Legendary Baker Banked Slalom: Snowboarding's Living Legacy

Mount Baker’s Legendary Banked Slalom isn’t just a race—it’s the heart and soul of snowboarding. This past weekend the Mount Baker Heather Meadows parking lot overflowed with racers from around the world, all eager to take on the legends, pros, industry veterans, and die-hard boarders. Some rolled in with campers and RVs, while others partied hard and crashed in Baker cabins. At Chair 9, a punk band ripped through Face to Face covers, while a metal band and Wes Makepeace jamming out an acoustic set kept a cabin party in Glacier alive.

Words and Photos by Natalie Langmann

Spencer O'Brien

Families showed up with their groms in tow—Leanne Pelosi and Jeff Keenan took their son on his first barless chairlift ride when mom wasn’t racing. Back in the day, JF Pelchat would bring his daughters Amalia (Billy) and Juliette, along with their friend Maggie Crompton, to camp in RVs in the parking lot. But now, the tables have turned. Amalia (Billy) and Maggie, joined by Caleb Chomlack, have their own spot in Baker, making new memories and proving to every parent that once their kids race in the LBS—they’re hooked for life. Billy dominated with a 2nd in Women’s Pro and a 1st in the Women’s Switch race, while Maggie took 1st in Women’s Ams and 2nd in Women’s Switch. Both sent major props to the youth in the Juniors and Next Generation divisions, making it clear: the future of racing is stacked. This event is legendary not just for the history, but for the youth who are taking it into the future—like Harry Kearney, who claimed 1st in Men’s Pro and earned the coveted gold duct tape, paying homage to the day he beat all the pros, boardercross racers, and top-notch snowboarders when he was just 16. Meanwhile, legends like Peter Line didn’t come to compete—they showed up to cheer on their friends, shoot pool, and get "kidnapped" from Chair 9.

Where else in the world can you bring snowboarders together like this, in one truly magical and legendary place?

“I was seriously contemplating building a racecourse with chainsaws two weeks ago,” joked Gwyn Howat, CEO of Mount Baker Ski Area, as she addressed a packed crowd at the awards ceremony at White Salmon Lodge. Gwyn reflected on the challenging lack of snow conditions leading up to the event. “Things got dicey, but it turned into one of the most beautiful weekends I can remember. Someone put sparkles on my face, snow started falling through the sunshine, and suddenly, sparkles were falling through the sky.”

Skylar Rodier 

This grassroots event has stood the test of time, keeping the focus on community rather than corporate sponsorships. “One year, a long time ago—God forbid—I got a sponsor from a car company. It was a nightmare. They didn’t get it,” Gwyn recalled. That’s when the Howats—the founders of the LBS and the family behind Mount Baker Ski Area—decided the event would never be an exclusive, corporate-sponsored competition. Instead, the entire snowboard industry would be welcome as sponsors. “We’re all going to play together, and this event is going to live and die within the snowboard industry,” says Gwyn.

This year, the LBS team raised over $200K in sponsorships just to break even, ensuring the event remains by snowboarders, for snowboarders. The duct tape trophies reflect this ethos—a nod to the days when Gwyn would tape her sister Amy into her bindings before she dropped in. Gwyn thanked the crowd for making the journey to this 1,000-acre slice of snowboard paradise. “We do it our way because we are fiercely independent.”

Simon Grewal

Honouring Legends and Building the Future

Each year, the event honours those who have shaped Mount Baker and snowboarding as a whole. The Craig Kelly Award, founded by Jeff Galbraith (publisher of frequency: The Snowboarder’s Journal), recognizes individuals who embody Kelly’s pioneering spirit. This year’s recipient, Weeg Simmons, has been a fixture in the community for decades.

“I’ve known her for 35 years,” said last year’s recipient, Jason Loeb. “We’ve even coined terms for her, like ‘Double Over Weeg.’” A true Baker local, Weeg claimed second place in the Pro Women’s Legends category, once again edging out Barrett Christy-Cummins. “I’ve thought about retiring,” Christy often jokes, “but not if Weeg keeps beating me!”

With legends returning year after year, the event stands as a living history of snowboarding. Snowboarders often reflect on the early days of the ‘80s when most ski resorts banned snowboarding. But thanks to the pioneering vision of Duncan Howat, who recently retired after 56 years as Mt. Baker’s president and general manager, Baker became one of the first resorts to embrace the sport and welcome snowboarders with open arms. “It all started when Tom Sims gave me a board,” Duncan reminisced. “I strapped on some old Sorels, taped them up with duct tape, and sent it straight off Chair 2. That’s when I knew snowboarding was the future.”

“We had to take tests to prove we could get down the mountain and Carter Turk tested us,” recalled Pete Saari, founder of Lib Tech and Gnu with his brother Mike, adding that the off-ramps from the chairlifts used to be a lot gnarlier, so that test was probably a good idea. “Duncan believed in us, and because of him, we had a place to ride.” Duncan’s impact is undeniable—he was at Pacific Northwest Ski Resort meetings in the '80s, telling them snowboarding was awesome and that they needed to allow it at their resorts. Duncan jokes, “I had to fight with other ski operators to allow snowboarders, which I probably shouldn’t have, because it took business away from Baker.”

At this year’s event, a signed snowboard from every participant was presented in Duncan’s honour. “The spirit that lives here spreads around the world. There are snowboarders, and then there are Mount Baker Banked Slalom frothy snowboarders—and we all can thank Duncan for kicking down the doors,” declared Pete Saari.

Leanne Pelosi

The Course and the Culture

Duncan played a major role in shaping the Banked Slalom course, drawing inspiration from his motocross background. "We realized snowboard racing wasn’t just about gates—it was about berms. We had this natural ditch, so we set some gates in it, and it grew from there." He reminisced about legendary sections like the Jaws of Death and the notorious Toilet Bowl. And even though he’s retired, Duncan has plans to make next year’s run even more intense, extending all the way through the Toilet Bowl for an even wilder ride. "If you’re coming back, you better train up," he warned.

Gwyn laughed, recalling that although Duncan's officially retired, he still brought the snowcat out on Monday and kept convincing her the finish berm wasn’t big enough. She responded, “I don’t know, those rollers are pretty big.” Duncan joked, "I mainly did that to put Ken Achenbach over the netting edge."

Duncan’s words to the crowd were as legendary as his career: "If you die with good knees, it’s a waste. Speed is safety. And for those of you getting older, those who go slower... slower wins. The last thing about racing is that you can’t get out of trouble until you get into trouble.”

As the Legendary Baker Banked Slalom moves forward, its legacy remains intact. For those who make the pilgrimage, it’s not just a race. It’s a rite of passage, a homecoming, and a testament to why snowboarding will thrive for generations to come.

Full 2025 Race Results Here

Kimmi Lamoureux | Women's Second Place, Mid-Master

Terra Samson | Women's Second Place, Masters

Harry Kearney | Men's Pro Winner

Shin Campos

Xavier Lamoureaux

Maggie Crompton

Ryan Paterson

Jake Kuzyk

Mark Fawcett

Sara Niblock

Ken Achenbach

Louif Paradis

Billy Pelchat

Caleb Chomlack

Estelle Pensiero

Billy, Gillian, Maggie

Oli, Joe, Justin

Mary Rand

Joe Grewal

Spencer O'Brien

Sean Pettit