Big Wave Challenge 2025

Visit Mt. Bachelor to celebrate the 13th year of the Big Wave Challenge hosted by legendary Big Wave surfer, Mt. Bachelor ambassador, and Bend local, Gerry Lopez.

This event, inspired by Gerry’s passion for surf and snow, is a snowboard contest held on a custom-built course featuring a series of huge sweeping banked corners, quarter pipes, and spines, incorporating the natural terrain as much as possible. The result is a series of wave-like features linked up along a flowing course that brings the surf to the mountains, or in Gerry’s words: “We build waves out of snow and have a surf contest!” The jam-style format allows registered riders of all ages to take runs through the course as many times as they like during their division’s allotted time. Judges will score competitors similar to scoring a surf contest based on speed, power, and flow along with overall performance and impression, with prizes awarded to the top three riders in each division!

Divisions:

• Adult Men’s Open (Kane) & Women’s Open (Wahine)
• Over 40 Men & Women’s (Makule)
• Groms 16 & Under (Keiki)

REGISTER HERE

You can stay in a cozy vacation rental only 25 minutes from Mt. Bachelor! View our Sunriver vacation rentals.

2025 BIG WAVE CHALLENGE EVENT SCHEDULE:

Thursday, April 3:
Packet Pick-Up – Details coming soon!

Friday, April 4:
8:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.: Late registration and On-site packet pick-up downstairs at West Village Lodge
10:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.: Course open for practice for registered riders

Saturday, April 5:
7:30 a.m. – 8:30 a.m: Late registration and packet pick-up downstairs at West Village Lodge
9:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.:  Makule, Pro Surf & Keiki Divisions
11:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.: Wahine & Kane Divisions
11:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.: Luau BBQ at West Village Base Area
3:30 p.m.: Awards inside West Village Lodge

Sunday, April 6: (backup weather day)
9:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.: Course open to the public!
Registration opens in early 2025

THE ALOHA SPIRIT
Aloha spirit, stoke, and the desire to raise money for worthy causes have always been the driving belief for this one-of-a-kind snowboard event, and this year will continue to carry that sentiment! This year’s Big Wave Challenge beneficiary will be Pat Malendoski, an instrumental figure throughout the early Big Wave Challenge days who has been battling a cancerous brain tumor since 2016. His special skills in transforming a terrain park into a sea of snow waves helped shape what BWC is today. 100% of the proceeds from the event registration fees will be donated in support!

Event image courtesy of Mt. Bachelor Ski Resort