Mt. Baker is one ski hill whose boundary signs command respect. It's set in steeply rugged wilderness country blanketed by a few hundred inches of snow on the shoulders of Mount Shuksan. The actual Mount Baker, a 10,778-foot volcano, is a few miles to the west.

The 1,000-acre resort contains plenty of ungroomable terrain, a natural playground for snowboarders and adventurous skiers. It's become something of a Mecca to the booming board culture. Young snowboard pilgrims aim to descend these slopes at least once in a their lifetimes—many get here and never leave. During the annual Legendary Banked Slalom in late January, snowboarders achieve blinding speeds as they run the gated halfpipe, a winding narrow creekbed under 20 feet of snow.

Mt. Baker's 1,500-foot vertical drop offers all-day possibilities for beginner, intermediate, and advanced skiers and snowboarders alike, with plenty of gently groomed slopes plus steeps, chutes, and woods that bring out the pioneer spirit.