TITLE: Hana Beaman vs. The Mt. Baker Road Gap
PHOTO: Scott Sullivan
RIDER: Hana Beaman
SPOT: Baker Road Gap
LOCATION: Mt. Baker, Washington
CAMERA: Canon EOS 7D
In snowboarding, it is difficult to stay on top. There are always new names coming up. There are often new tricks. Fresh video parts drop nearly daily. Sponsors come and go. Depending on the weather, one’s season might produce a hefty bag of bangers, or it might result in the dull thrum of down days. And of course, there is always the cycle of injuries and recoveries to contend with. The game of shred is not a delicate game. It’s a beautiful game and at times a brutal slog.
For over 20-years, the professional snowboarder Hana Beaman has navigated all of the above and then some. She’s an accomplished snowmobiler and backcountry rider. She’s dropped dozens of video parts. She’s had photos in hundreds of magazines and online publications. She’s won three X-Games medals. She’s won the U.S. Open. She’s competed in Natural Selection, the terrain contest pitting peers against one another in gladiator-style shred-to-shred combat.
From Big Bear to Jackson Hole to Mt. Baker, Beaman gets more done in one year than many pros achieve in their entire careers. Why is this? If we had to pick three characteristics that set Beaman apart from her peers, these would have to be determination, enthusiasm, and inquisitiveness. While she’s clearly a naturally gifted athlete, Beaman has made a point to pursue new terrain challenges and add new skills to her long list of accomplishments. In our estimation, this is what keeps her riding so fresh and relevant.
In today’s image shot by photographer Scott Sullivan, Beaman blasts a backside 720 over the legendary Mt. Baker Road Gap. It is, by far, the most recognizable road gap in all of shred world. Depending on the time of year and depth of snow, the gap can send a rider careening as much as 40-feet or more above the highway; the equivalent of a four-story building. Coming up short on State Route 542 is not an option. Legendary snowboarder Shawn Farmer pioneered the gap way back in 1989. Thereafter, many have hit it, including Jamie Lynn, Lucas Debari, Eric Jackson, Patrick McCarthy, Wes Makepeace, Kai Arne Lien, Blair Habenicht and on and on. But few have done so with the grace and power of Hana Beaman.
As we write the caption for this photo, Beaman is in Revelstoke, British Columbia competing in the 2024 Natural Selection contest. Over the next few days she’ll be going up against Zoi Sadowski-Synnott, the Olympic medalist from New Zealand. Given the terrain, weather events, and athletes involved, this will be a battle royale between two titans. Godspeed, great lady. Keep crushing competitors and reaching for your personal goals. Far and wide, we’re cheering you on for every slash, spin, and stomp.