20 Could Duct Tape Save Our Public Lands? With Gwyn Howat Pacific Time: The "What If...?" Of West Coast Independence podcast

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20 Could Duct Tape Save Our Public Lands? With Gwyn Howat

5d ago 37:23

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Mount Baker is the snowiest ski area in the world. It’s also one of the most beloved—and independent—places in the Pacific Northwest. But this episode isn’t about winter sports. It’s about leadership, stewardship, and what it means to bottle the magic that comes from building community in a wondrous landscape. Stuff to bear in mind as Congress got close to selling off vast swaths of public land.

Before she was the CEO of Mt Baker Ski Area, Gwyn Howat was shoveling snow, taping bindings, and riding storms at one of the wildest places on the West Coast. In this wide-ranging conversation, Gwyn reflects on over 30 years of stewardship, community-building, and leadership at one of the last independently owned ski areas in North America. We talk about joy, grief, gender equity in outdoor leadership, prizes of indigenous art and duct tape trophies, and the idea that the mountains—and their caretakers—are part of a sacred commons.

Mt. Baker’s culture is famous among skiers and snowboarders, but there’s a deeper story here: one about staying independent in an industry dominated by conglomerates, and one about designing experiences that center people, place, and purpose over profit.

Whether you're a snowboarder, a public lands advocate, or just someone wondering what good leadership feels like—this episode has something for you.

Highlights:

Why Mt. Baker embraced snowboarding before it was cool—and never sold out
What duct tape trophies say about the values of a place
How Gwyn made decisions as a CEO that balanced community, ecology, and economics
What it means to be a for-profit business on public land—and a steward of a commons
The future of leadership succession at independent recreation areas
The story of the Legendary Banked Slalom, the longest-running snowboarding event in the world
Why Gwyn still visits the beginner run when the weight of a complicated job on the mountain feels heavy

Guest Bio:
Gwyn Howat served as CEO of Mt. Baker Ski Area for over a decade and has worked in nearly every role at the mountain—from lift ops to leadership. A lifelong skier, Gwyn has helped shape one of the most iconic and community-rooted recreation areas in North America. She is also one of the first women to lead a ski area in the U.S. Known for her deep love of the outdoors, her fierce commitment to community, and her belief in designing for joy, Gwyn is now entering a new chapter—one that may involve salt water as much as snow, and meditation as much as being in the mountains.

Resources & References:

Related Episodes:

18 What If We Treated Health Like a System? With Abie Flaxman
14 Could Ambitious Civic Projects Jolt Us Back to Trusting Government? With Nolan Lienhart

08 Leave America and Discover Ecotopia? (Solo)

Join the movement:

💬 Participate in active, civil conversations with your neighbors on the West Coast who are asking ‘What if…?’ Come to the community center for Pacific Time at Substack.

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Listen:

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Thanks to:

Gwyn Howat for taking time to talk during a Hawaiian reset
Spirit Rock for a deep dive into meditation and introducing me to my dear friend Gwyn
Tim Wohlfarth for a quick turn on production
Jim Humes for first opening my eyes to Mount Baker

21 episodes