26th Nate Chute

Please join us for the Nate Chute, the second longest running snowboard banked slalom in the US. The cash purse for the event is now up to $4,500, and proceeds help to raise money for a great cause - the Nate Chute Foundation . As always, this longtime event is presented by Stumptown Snowboards.

The courses are fun, the community is great, and you will likely get a bunch of cool stuff. The overall winners of the Open Men's and Open Women's divisions will earn an entry to next year's Mt. Baker Legendary Banked Slalom.

TICKETS GO ON SALE THURSDAY JANUARY 22. If the event is 'SOLD OUT' sign up for the waitlist! WE WILL BE PULLING RIDERS FROM THE WAITLIST ON FEBRUARY 21,2025.

Check out an event recap: Nate Chute 2023

CHANGES FOR THE 2025 EVENT

• Date Change - The event is a week later than it has been for the past few years.
• Limited Banked Slalom Only Entries - 30 Banked Slalom Only spots are available.
• Chip Timing - Competitive Timing will be timing the Banked Slalom event, providing chip timing for all racers. This will allow for more racers to compete this year.
• Age Brackets - With the success of the Biggie Banks Series, we have increased the minimum age for the Nate Chute to 15 this year. Younger athletes can compete in the Biggie Banks series, and this will allow for a more competitive course. Please select the age bracket that reflects your age on race day. Athletes who have competed in 3 or more Nate Chute events will be eligible to compete.
• NC Foundation Fundraisers - The racers who were able to fundraise the most last year will be guaranteed a spot this year.

PARTNERS – NC FOUNDATION AND STUMPTOWN SNOWBOARDS

• The NC Foundation's mission is dedicated to suicide prevention among young people in Western Montana through education, outreach, and training.
• An extra special thanks goes out to Stumptown Snowboards for being fantastic contributors to this long-standing event.
• Hot Dogs and snacks provided by Skiers and Snowboarders for Christ. Saturday at the finish, Sunday at the start.

THE CONTEST FOR A CAUSE
This is what sets the Nate Chute apart from other snowboard events. It is a contest for a cause! Here is the lineup of fundraising opportunities for the Nate Chute Foundation, a local non-profit corporation that is dedicated to suicide prevention among young people in Montana.

Other Social / Fundraising Opportunities – TBA

NC Article

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MANDATORY PRE-REGISTRATION & DAY OF CHECK IN
Registration opens Thursday, January 22, 2025 at 12:00pm. If the event is 'SOLD OUT' sign up for the waitlist! WE WILL BE PULLING RIDERS FROM THE WAITLIST ON FEBRUARY 21,2025.

PRICE

• 2 Day Registration - $100 (110 spots available)
• 1 Day Registration (Banked Slalom Only) - $75 (only 30 spots available)
• Both 1 & 2 day racers are eligible for a hoodie.

SCHEDULE
This is the same for both days.

• 7:30am - 8:30am - Mandatory Check-In Both Days at Ed & Mully's to pick up hoodie, bib, confirm participation, etc.
• 9:10am - Early Lift Load for pre-registered Riders Only
• 9:20am-10:00am - Mandatory Course Inspection (1 Lap only). This will be done by class - Open, Ams, Groms.
• 10:15am - Competitors Meeting at Race Start
• 10:45am-3:00pm - Races. Open Finals at 2:30pm on Sunday at the top of Goat Haunt.
• 4:30pm - The LAP FOR THE LOST (Sunday Only). Meet at the top of Chair 1 at 4pm, and head to the top of Ed's Run (Near the Top of Chair 2, a little below the Jesus statue). Moment of Silence followed by a Moment of Loudness and a group ride to awards.
• 5:15pm - Awards (SUNDAY ONLY) at the Events Office (3915 Big Mountain Road)
  

LOCATION

Mandatory Check-In – Ed & Mully's Restaurant
Saturday - The course will begin in the tree island between Whitetail and Silvertip, above George's Gorge and continue through the Gorge.

Sunday - Goat Haunt Boarder Cross Course located on Chair 7. The Lap for the lost will start just below Jesus, near the top of Chair 2.

Awards – Events Office - 3915 Big Mountain Road

CATEGORIES
$4500 CASH PURSE across all divisions.

SBX divisions have caps based on bracketology and previous participation.
Men’s Snowboard Divisions

• Pro/Open Men (any age 15+)
• Old Joes / Breeders Cup - 40 & up. Prizes Only.
• Amateur Men 30's - 30-39
• Amateur Men 20's - 21-29
• Amateur Teens - 15-20
  Women‘s Snowboard Divisions
• Pro/Open Women
• Old Josie's / Breeders Cup - 35 & up. Prizes Only.
• Amateur Women 21-24
• Amateur Women 15 -20

If your division is sold out, please sign up for the waiting list . We will contact you if spots open up.

Saturday - Day 1 - Banked Slalom

• Best time wins and seeds racers for the Sunday SBX. Each rider will take two timed runs. Helmets are mandatory.
• The course will include hand-built turns, rollers and jumps in the woods between lower Whitetail and Silvertip and then down through George's Gorge.
• Best run of two timed runs wins. In case of a tie-breaker over the two-day competition, the best Banked Slalom time is the deciding factor.

Sunday - Day 2 - Boarder Cross

• Sunday is one of the biggest boarder cross events in the Northwest, with 125+ riders competing for the title and coolest trophies around.
• Two to five riders will race through a great course made of jumps, banks, rollers and traffic and advance through a tournament with multiple rounds / heats.
  
  SBX Seeding, Bracketing Format and Consolation Rounds
  SBX seeds are based off Banked Slalom results, and entered into a bracket based on the number of competitors in each category.

Advancing to the next Round
Winners Bracket

• Riders placing in first or second in their heat will advance to the next round. Riders placing in 3rd or 4th in their heat will advance to a Consolation Round / Last Chance Qualifier Round. Open Class may need to advance to round 2 before qualifying for the LCQ Bracket due to the size of the bracket.
• If a rider in a heat in the consolation bracket does not place first or second, they do not advance to the next round.
• Categories with 5 or fewer racers will race three times, with points given for each place on each run. Places are determined by the total number of points after three races, with the tie breaker being the last race.
  Last Chance Qualifier Bracket (Loser’s Bracket)
• SBX racers will enter a Last Chance Qualifiers (LCQ) bracket if they do not place in 1st or 2nd in their heat.
• LCQ bracket racers may not eligible to win their division outright, depending on category.

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WHAT IF I CAN’T SEEM TO REGISTER?

Don’t give up hope! There are two things to know. Registration does not open until about 2 months before the event.

1 – Register for the wait list .

2 – Know that there are limits to certain categories. The Boarder Cross is limited by how large a bracket is and how many heats there are needed to determine a winner (a division of 32 needs more heats than a division of 16). Each division has it’s own bracket, and we have limited each division to make sure that we have enough time to get every division through during the day. If you can’t register now and a spot opens up in your division, we will contact you ASAP to see if you can make it.

WHAT SHOULD I DO AFTER I REGISTER?

• Please double check your entry, make sure it is right. You will be emailed a confirmation/receipt. Please contact [email protected] immediately if any changes are needed.
• Hoodies are available on a first-come, first-serve basis. The first to register are the first to get hooked up!

WHAT SHOULD I DO ON THE DAY OF THE EVENT?

• Check-In On Time - Stop by Ed & Mulley’s to pick up your bib, confirm your start, get some Monster, snag some stickers, and be an awesome competitor.
• Helmets are required to race.
• Each morning may only allow for one run inspection, depending on conditions. Inspection laps will be broken down by class - Open, Amateurs, etc. These are not full speed runs, there are other riders inspecting the course at the same time.
• Watch the provided competitor meeting before the race and be at 10 am at race start for a shortened meeting.
• The Banked Slalom is best of two runs. If you miss a gate on your first run, you can still win. We will have course marshals / gate judges along the course and the course will be marked with blue dye prior to the race.
• The Boardercross is seeded based on your banked slalom time. Each heat will consist of 3-5 riders. Top two riders advance to next round. If you do not advance you are entered in a 'Last Chance Qualifier'. In the LCQ, you can still win the division, but if you finish outside of the first two you are eliminated.

WHAT SHOULD I DO AFTER THE RACE?
Sunday - The Lap for the Lost – details TBA. One of the coolest moments in snowboarding, located at the top of Chair 2 / Top of Ed's Run. Ride down Ed's to the awards ceremony at the Events Office. There will be a raffle, Banked Slalom awards, SBX awards and overall awards, as well as the big-ticket raffle and season pass drawing. There will also be recognition from the NC Foundation.

SPECTATORS
These events are located on the backside of the mountain to take advantage of George’s Gorge a super cool natural feature that serves as a natural halfpipe over 1/3 mile long. That makes the course accessible only by skier/boarder traffic. No foot traffic allowed on Chair One so you must be able to transport yourself.

The Saturday Banked Slalom begins near the bottom of Goat Haunt and continues through George's Gorge. Some of the best viewing is from Chair 7. Sunday Boarder Cross is best viewed from alongside the racecourse located on Goat Haunt.

VOLUNTEERS
We need help! We are looking for intermediate to advanced skiers/snowboarders who would like to earn a lift ticket for the day you help and for another day within the next year! We need help course marshalling on the day of the races, but also building the banked slalom course alongside our events crew. If you would like to help, please register .

I need to make a change to my registration!
Changing your category at registration is not an option. If the information provided is incorrect (you want to change divisions, for instance) you must re-register for the event with the correct information (name, date, age, gender, category, etc). This will require you to pay for a second entry while the refund is being processed. Please allow up to two weeks for refund of the incorrect entry to be processed. To request the refund, you must follow refund request steps listed above by the cutoff date for your event.

Is this the X-Games?
No it is not. We aim to provide quality and affordable competition in an effort for our skiers and riders to push and pursue their goals on the mountain. These competitions garner a wide spectrum of skill sets and will offer courses and awards to suit that spectrum.

What are my responsibilities as a competitor?
Events are a group effort. It requires timeliness and accountability of not only the event staff, but of each competitor. There are many details each person is responsible for in order for us all to have a fun day on the snow. Making sure your information is accurate, you are on time and prepared for each event is required.

DAY OF EVENT

TRANSPORTATION, PARKING AND SHUTTLES
What are my transport options getting to the event and around the village?
The SNOW Bus will also operate between Whitefish and Whitefish Mountain Resort. A shuttle will operate in the upper village areas, and all parking lots will be open through the event. Please obey all parking signage and park as per normal.

Village Map

Are helmets required?
Helmets are required to participate in any event.

Inspection
Inspection provides racers the chance to familiarize themselves with the course before competition. During this time, racers must refrain from skiing at full speed due to the number of people on the course and varying skill levels. There will only be time for one inspection run.

Competitor Meeting
Each event has details and information necessary for each participant to have a fun day. There will be a mandatory competitor meeting for each event, and the time of each meeting will be posted in the event schedule.

Where can I find results?
Results are available at the Awards Ceremony and . Typically, they are posted a day or two after the event.

TICKET INFORMATION
Do WMR Employees / families receive a discount?
Yes, 50% off entry fees to all events for employees and their families when that employee qualifies for spouse and dependent passes. You will be asked during the registration process if you work for WMR and for what department you work for.

Discount Codes
If you are a sponsor or have a code to enter, please enter it at the top of the page where you choose your ticket.

Are there Discounted Lift Tickets for Event Competitors?
$55 discounted Event Lift Tickets are available after you have registered for the event. A link will be included on your confirmation email. This ticket must be purchased a week ahead of the event and will be ready for you to pick up at check in.

Can I transfer my entry to my friend if I can’t make it to the event?
No. See refund information above. New registrations must be completed by the competitor / guardian. You can request a refund, and your friend should register independently.

Do I have to bring my printed ticket to the event?
It is not required to print your ticket, but it can be helpful. If you intend on purchasing a discounted lift ticket, it is required.

REFUND POLICY
Things happen. We understand that sometimes people are unable to compete. Entry fees are 100% refundable when contacted 24 hours before the event.

To request a refund, follow the link in your confirmation email to “Go to My Tickets”, from there, follow the “Request a Refund” prompt; OR in your Eventbrite account the upper right-hand drop-down menu, select “Tickets”, then select the event, from there, follow the “Request a Refund” prompt.

Refund requests sent to other points of contact will not be honored.

Are there other events like this?

Biggie Banks Series
Banked Slaloms on Jan 25 and March 15, and Boardercross and Skiercross on March 1

A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS!

STUMPTOWN SNOWBOARDS

US FOREST SERVICE

Host or Publisher Whitefish Mountain Resort