Absolute warriors.
That’s what I’d call everyone who helped build, hone, and maintain the hand-dug course for this year’s Sesh Up X Brain Bowl Sessions event at Mt. Baker, WA. It rained, it snowed, then rained and snowed again. Nevertheless, these dedicated snowboarders shoveled through the variable weather to create a one-of-a-kind backcountry terrain park inspired by transition focused skateparks. Despite working with a much lower-than-average snowpack, they laid the groundwork for one of the liveliest Brain Bowl Sessions to date.
Tools of the trade. Photos: Josh Poehlein
Build week. Photos: Marissa Krawczak
For nearly 30 years, snowboarders have amassed at Mt. Baker in late May for the annual Sesh Up, a DIY event focused around one big step-up jump within hiking distance of the ski area’s parking lot. In recent years, the folks behind Sesh Up and Brain Bowl Sessions joined forces to create one incredible spring sendoff. This year, Matt Wainhouse, chief Sesh-Up builder and creepily precise block-cutter, arrived to what is usually the endlessly slushy landing of the Sesh-Up jump to find a smattering of four-to-five-foot trees sticking through the partially covered slope. He knew he had to pivot the build plans. Instead of the usual cheese wedge, construction began in earnest on a quarter-pipe and unique right side hip feature. Considering what would go down on these hits, this Sesh Up switch-up became a resounding success.
A finished work of art and a couple of it's sculptors, Matt Wainhouse and Cole Jack. Photos: Josh Poehlein
The gathering brought together locals and legends alike. Brain Bowl first-timer Pat Moore was in attendance and easily throwing down a myriad of perfect handplants on the QP. Peter Line was also there, and he brought an Olympian with him in the form of Eli Bouchard. Eli went the highest on the hip, by a sizeable amount, and was still somehow finding transition upon landing. Peter boosted a few lofty air-to-fakie style transfers to show the young heads he’s still got it.
Matteo Soltane and Pat Moore sampling Wainhouse and crew's hand-dug offerings. Photos: Josh Poehlein
Eli Bouchard, boostin'. Photo: Josh Poehlein
Bouchard, boostin'. A quad-fecta of hip trickers. Clockwise from top left: Cannon Cummins, Unknown Shredder, Julian Gluck, Markus Rustad. Photos: Josh Poehlein
One of the MVPs of the hip sesh was Emory Orlando. She hiked the hip like her life depended on it, and proceeded to land on her back, stomach, face, head, etc. She probably landed board side down 30 times too, but the ride out kept eluding her. When she finally stomped a frontside rodeo 630(after probably 50 tries?) everyone felt it deep in their hearts, and collectively let out a cacophony of wails, hoots, and applause.
Emma Hall planting. Marissa Krawczak grabbing. Photos: Will Weisz.
Brendan Sullivan brought his own log along. Photo: Josh Poehlein
Forrest Burki brought a crowd of photogs. Photo: Josh Poehlein
Throughout the rest of the bowl the action was often rapid fire, but things slowed down when a few riders found one particularly wild transfer. Mac Malkoski, Cannon Cummins, and Markus Rustad were starting way up high, pumping every inch of transition, flying left to right off a Wu-Tang’d lip with a corrugated tube on top, over an extra-tall butter box, and finding a tiny blind landing on the far side. This was before having to slam on the brakes to avoid smoking people in line for the rope. Mac went BS 360, Cannon went Front 7, and Markus threw a styled out backy. All of them paid their dues for these makes as well, and that was half the entertainment to be fair.
The GNU team was putting on a show. Top to bottom: Cannon Cummins FS720 over the sneaky gap. Markus Rustad backing him up with a flip that goes back--a "sloth roll," per se... kids these days with their slang. Last but not least, Garrett Baker on the hip. Photo: Josh Poehlein
Hosts of the event, Tre Squad’s very own Max and Gus Warbington, were keeping vibes high on the mic and in the DJ booth. They haul up a full DJ setup and sound system every year, as well as a portable rope tow (“only three people on the rope, don’t make me say it again”), and beers, shovels, generator, fuel for said generator, a tent to cover it all, and their snowboards of course.
Powder turns, Budweiser, vintage snowboard movies, and Mt. Baker--a winning combination. Photo: Josh Poehlein
After a long day of riding, I found Max Warbington by the jam band from Bellingham that set up in the lot. Looking around at the various fires, and fire spinners, and absurd camp setups, I asked “How crazy is it that you helped make all of this?” Max looked around, and with a huge grin on his face, said, “It’s insane man, insane.”
Thank you Max and Gus Warbington. Thank you Matt Wainhouse. Thank you Skip Lester. Thank you to everyone that dug and built and lugged equipment and made Sesh-Up x Brain Bowl Sessions what it is.
Variable weather has it's aesthetic perks. 'Til next year, Mt. Baker. Photo: Josh Poehlein