Over the past two decades, many of snowboarding’s raw, no-frills contests have moved onto the global stage. Events like the US Open and X Games are massive productions and fun to watch, but they’ve lost the grit and atmosphere that once made them must-see in person. So are there still snowboard contests that capture that original spirit? Hell yes, and these are the ones that do it best.
Methodology
Various Locations
Gunstock (Jan 31, 2026); Sun Valley (Feb 28, 2026); Hilltop (March 14, 2026); Sierra-at-Tahoe (April 11, 2026)
Snowboarding has never been about who twirls the most. It’s about style, creativity, and putting your own stamp on the mountain. Methodology flips the traditional contest format by blending a banked slalom with a method air contest, celebrating individuality through snowboarding’s most iconic trick. Hosted as a true community session, it welcomes everyone from first-timers to pros and is built on terrain that rewards edge control, flow, and commitment. Add in stops across the country and proceeds benefiting Boarding for Breast Cancer, and Methodology stands out as one of the most meaningful and authentic snowboard contests in the US.
Mt Baker Banked Slalom… aka LBS
Mt Baker, WA
February 19 – 21, 2027 (2026 Cancelled)
Since 1985, the Legendary Banked Slalom has been THE contest of the year and still has its soul with no plans of selling out. The winner receives a duct tape trophy and an embroidered Carhartt jacket. Due to its popularity, the one change over the years to the LBS is that you need to qualify in one of the sanctioned banked slalom races happening throughout the year. If you’re fast enough, this is your chance to compete against the pros.
Homesick
Stratton, VT
March 20, 2026
For riders who grew up in the 80s and 90s, Stratton is sacred ground. As the longtime home of the US Open, it’s where legends like Jeff Brushie and Shaun Palmer helped define not just how snowboarding was ridden, but what the culture stood for. While the Open eventually moved west, Homesick has stepped in to carry that legacy forward.
Held at Stratton, Homesick brings riders from across the country together for three days of on-snow events with legends, pros, and next-gen talent, backed by exhibits, demos, book signings, and après with live music. It’s not just a contest, it’s a living snapshot of snowboard history, culture, and progression, all in the place where it originally took shape.
Last Call
Loon Mountain, NH
March 23, 2026
Eastern Boarder’s Last Call at Loon Mountain is the ultimate proving ground for East Coast snowboarding, where packed powder and often brick-hard conditions separate the committed from the comfortable. Running every March since 2000, it blends raw terrain park riding with a jam-format contest that rewards creativity, guts, and style across jumps, rails, and transition. Built by the Loon Mountain park crew, the course is consistently next-level and demands riders bring their best when it matters most. More than a contest, Last Call is an end-of-season reunion and a badge of honor that captures the grit, camaraderie, and legacy of growing up snowboarding in New England. And there’s more than 20 Grand up for grabs!
Gerry Lopez – Big Wave Challenge
Mt. Bachelor, OR
March 27 – 29, 2026
Snowboarding and surfing have always been very close to each other. Surfers chase storms to find the biggest and most amazing waves while snowboarders look for deep powder stashes. Since Mt Bachelor’s Ambassador is legendary surfer Gerry Lopez, why not build a one-of-a-kind contest that is “surf” inspired? This snowboard only event features a series of huge sweeping banked corners, quarterpipes and spines. The Big Wave Challenge incorporates the natural terrain as much as possible, to create wave-like features into a flowing course.
Teton Surf Classic
Grand Targhee, WY
April 2026
The Teton Surf Classic at Grand Targhee Resort earns its spot as a true hardcore snowboard contest by throwing the rulebook out and building something completely different. Instead of jumps on repeat, the course is shaped like a wave, built by snowcats and hand tools after months of farming snow, and inspired by surfing and skateboarding at snowboarding’s core. Riders are judged on overall impression, not points, with flow, turns, slashes, and creativity taking priority over spin counts. Add in legends riding alongside kids, course poaching encouraged, and a community-first vibe, and you’ve got an event that feels like snowboarding in its purest form.
Love Games
Loveland Pass, CO
Mid to Late April, 2026
Before snowboarding was allowed in most major resorts, it was enjoyed deep in the backcountry at places like Loveland Pass. The Love Games, presented by Satellite Board Shop, stays true to this attitude. On Day 1, the community comes out to build iconic features so they can be sessioned on Day 2. With a beer in one hand and a shovel in the other, this is your chance to be part of history as riders send it!
Rally for Rocker
Sugar Bowl, CA
Late April, 2026
Similar to the Love Games, the Rally for Rocker event holds strong to the DIY attitude of snowboarding. No grooming machines, no snowmobiles and no chairlifts. All 100 percent hand dug, this banked slalom contest is a BYOB and BYOF event with proceeds going to a good cause: Rocker Memorial Skatepark.
Of course, there are some competitions that may or may not happen. And, there are always those hush-hush events you have to be part of the local scene to be made aware of like Colorado’s Bull of the Woods… but all the more fun!
