Preparing the Mt. Rainier Berm Brawl: Turning Late Season Into Something Big
Written by: Caitlin Habenicht | Edited by Ben Bertsch
The sentence that stays with you after an event as big as our banked slalom? “Dig crew, we couldn’t do it without you.”
In my excitement for this year’s Berm Brawl, I’ve been reflecting on last year’s course build. We were closed for midweek operations at the time, and I wanted to join the crew to experience the event firsthand. I hopped on the gondola at dawn, the mid-April chill still in the air, and crisp sunbeams poking through the trees, signaling the day’s coming warmth.
The Introduction to Berm Building
When I stepped off the Mt. Rainier Scenic Gondola, I immediately knew it was go time. Shovels, a Park Pro PistenBully, water, hot dogs, and sunscreen. All you need to build killer berms.
(What’s a Berm? Find out in MadHatter Ware’s 101 Snowboarding Terms)
The Park Pro that could. This PistenBully is a precision machine built to shape berms with exactness.
By the time I arrived, the crew had already started digging, and the berms towered overhead. D-Rock, the visionary behind the course, gave me a rundown of what needed to get done. To position the berms, we had to ride the entire course and compact the snow. Building the behemoths was not easy work.
Dig crew volunteer Noah compacting the build and moving to the next berm.
Berm Building Takes Time
It took five full days to bring the course to life. A grooming cat laid the foundation and pushed snow, and a crew of dialed volunteers fine-tuned every curve, wall, and pocket. There was something surreal about the process; the mountain was empty for the build, then suddenly alive on event day.
Shaping the last snow of the season and closing with the Berm Brawl is special. It’s the perfect symbol of Crystal: even when things don’t go our way, we grab the shovels, pack a few snacks, and get to work building something big for our guests.
D-Rock, with a proud smile on his face. Those were some good berms.
Join Us for This Year’s Mt. Rainier Berm Brawl Banked Slalom
This year, we’re proud to be one of only two banked slaloms in Washington. Join us for a celebration of spring riding, community, and the perfect mix of chaos and control. All are welcome to sign up, cheer it on, and be part of this event.
New this year: We’re shifting to a snowboard-only format. We intended to expand our event lineup with Slushammer — a new skier-cross and banked slalom hybrid race — but Mother Nature calls the shots, and we’ll need to postpone it until next season.
