May 31, 2008: With last weekend’s Ski to Sea race in Bellingham still fresh on my mind, I was primed and ready for an exciting Saturday out in the sun. It was a wishy-washy morning. A plan to go sailing had fallen through, and thunderstorms were predicted in the mountains. But with last minute help from my snow compatriots, I was whisked off to Mt. Baker for the randomly annual gathering at Grandma’s Step-Up.

This year the session was as big as ever, with several hundred people, including many new faces and crews, hiking out to celebrate the large quantity of snow still in the upper elevations. A small crew had been up digging for a day before and produced an impressive, 40-plus foot beast of a step-up that served up enough air time to satisfy all comers. I lingered above the jump, fascinated by the intensity and level of riding from participants like Ross Buchanan Bart Pattitucci, the Debari siblings, Sam Giffin, and even John Martens killing it on a skunk ape. Double corks and tweaked grabs kept the crowd on their toes while the party in the sun-fueled by a couple kegs-ensued among spectators and competitors alike. Clearly, there is something in the water around here. Or was it the beer?

The 2008 “Sesh-Up” once again provided a good time shredding in the sun for Northwesterners not quite ready to call it a season. A big thank you goes to Casey Desmond and Kyle Sanford for organizing the event, supplying the keg, and making sure the season went out in style.

Photo: Dylan Hart
Rider: Bart Pattitucci