If you haven’t noticed, the West Coast has been absolutely drenched in sunshine. So much so that the 2025/26 winter is shaping up to rival the record-setting dry season of 2017/18. Unfortunately, that sunshine has also hit Mt. Baker Ski Area, one of the best places for snowboarding in North America. Because of these conditions followed by a brutal warm atmospheric river, organizers have made the tough call to cancel the 2026 Legendary Banked Slalom and reschedule it for 2027.
The REAL Super Bowl Of Snowboarding
The X Games might grab the headlines, but anyone who really knows snowboarding knows the real Super Bowl goes down at Mt. Baker during the Legendary Banked Slalom. It even lines up with Super Bowl weekend, because of course it does. Dreamed up by shop owner Bob Barci and Sim Snowboards founder Tom Sims, this event is packed with history, inside jokes, and traditions that are pure snowboarding culture. From the duct tape trophy to the infamous “Rob Morrow Rule”, the stories are as legendary as the name itself.
What Happened?
The 2025/26 ski season on the West Coast has been historically dry, and Mt. Baker managed to handle it better than most, until mid January. That’s when skiers and snowboarders everywhere shuddered: a warm atmospheric river hit, wreaking havoc on the snowpack right where the race was set to take place. With conditions like that, the organizers had no choice but to cancel the 2026 Legendary Banked Slalom.
Not The First Time
In a ski area renowned for its staggering annual snowfall averaging 647 inches, the notion of canceling a mid-winter event seems improbable, even impossible. Surprisingly, this isn’t the first time the banked slalom has been called off.
2005
Back in the 2004-2005 season, the cancellation was compelled by the storm track concentrating mainly on the Sierra, Utah, and Southwest regions. Complicating matters further, a mid-January Tropical punch wreaked havoc in the Northwest, which was followed by an unexpected drought. This combination resulted in closures or limitations in many areas for the next two months. Despite these challenges, the season concluded on a positive note, boasting an impressive 439 inches of snowfall.
2015
While the 2014/15 season began on a positive note for Mt. Baker, come January, the entire West experienced severe dryness. Subsequently, a warm storm with snow levels reaching up to 8,000 feet aggravated the situation. The unseasonable warmth and lack of precipitation persisted through February, resulting in a record-low winter for Mt. Baker, with only 265 inches of snowfall.
2024
During the 2023/24 season, the storms were warm… very warm. These conditions made it extremely difficult to maintain the ski area’s operations, let alone host major events. To make matters worse, Mt. Baker Ski Area CEO Gwyn reported that the Atmospheric River on January 28th dumped over 5 inches of rain, washing away roughly 14 inches of the snow base. With conditions like that, the organizers had no choice but to cancel the 2024 Legendary Banked Slalom.
What Doesn’t Kill You Makes You Stronger
The bright side is that whenever the Legendary Banked Slalom has been canceled, Mother Nature has more than made up for it the following season. After the 2005 cancellation, Mt. Baker saw an incredible 800 inches of snow, and following the 2015 cancellation, the winter of 2016 delivered 600 inches. If history is any guide, the 2026/27 season is shaping up to be a powder lover’s dream, promising an even bigger and more epic Legendary Banked Slalom now might be the perfect time to start planning your trip.
