Mt. Baker Ski Area in northwestern Washington developed into a distinctive ski destination after the highway reached Heather Meadows in the 1920s. A lodge and ski club began operating in 1927, tournaments were underway by 1930, and expansion continued after the lodge burned, with lifts added over the following decades. Known for a dramatic alpine setting, steep terrain, and access to surrounding backcountry, it has become especially respected by advanced skiers and snowboarders. The area is also famous for extraordinary snowfall, including a single-season record of 1,140 inches in 1998–99, and for its long role in Northwest ski culture through the Legendary Banked Slalom.