Take The Rake year four, an all-women's event where a group of women come together to build a park for everyone to ride. This year, sixteen women from all over joined forces at Trollhaugen for this magical week. The event provides women with the opportunity to gain experience in welding, feature maintenance, and park building. This year’s Take The Rake fostered an even stronger snowboard and ski community.

The women began the week by familiarizing themselves with Valhalla (where they built the park), exploring the Trollhaugen rail yard, and designing their dream park. They then gathered to finalize one cohesive design that incorporated all their ideas. The following day was spent preparing the features and learning new skills such as welding, feature maintenance, and feature setting. After that, it was time to brave the Minnesota cold and build the park!





For the participants, this was an unbelievable experience filled with an unreal amount of stoke. The women came from diverse backgrounds with varying levels of experience in the industry. Hearing their stories and what motivated them to attend Take The Rake was truly inspiring. Keeley Swedenburg, a mother of a nine-month-old baby, reflected on her decision to participate: “Applying to Take The Rake was a gamble,” she shared, unsure of how the experience would go while prioritizing her baby. Keeley “really wanted to prove to herself that you can have a kid and still pursue your passions.” She described Take The Rake as a surreal experience and hopes to inspire other women to follow their passions and find joy in life.





This year’s crew showcased an incredible amount of talent and collaboration. Billie Taylor noted how the week offered a chance to learn from other women with diverse experiences, saying, “I love learning from that perspective,” as each participant came from different resorts, each with unique operations.





Shelby Dahley, who works at a small hill in North Dakota called Frost Fire Park, wears many hats as assistant manager, snowmaker, bartender, and park crew member. She shared her excitement about taking the valuable skills she learned at Trollhaugen back to her home hill. Heather Hannigan expressed her enthusiasm, stating, “Being at Take The Rake is probably the coolest thing that has ever happened to me.” She spoke highly of the inspiring crew, particularly Laura Rogoski, Marsha Hovey, and Chloe Butel. Observing how these women uplifted each other, strengthened their community, and encouraged one another to pursue their passions was truly remarkable.





Once the build was complete, the park opened to the community, and several pros had the chance to ride the Take The Rake park, including Jill Perkins, Zeb Powell, Grace Warner, Rob Roethler, and more. The response to the park was overwhelmingly positive. Jill Perkins shared her highlights: “Getting the opportunity to speak with and watch all the girls from Take The Rake do their thing has left me with one of the most inspiring feelings I’ve felt in a while. Witnessing their hard work, communication, and expression has made it an extra special park to ride.”

I cannot wait to see what the future holds for these women and the lasting impact that Take The Rake will have on the snowboard and ski community.

Take The Rake Crew 2024: Chloe Butel, Kryn Allen, Paula Moore, Laura Rogoski, Billie Taylor, Hope Gienger, Maddy Stewart, Erin Alexander, Keeley Swedenburg, Heather Hannigan, Shelby Dahley, Jess Richitelli, Krista Holden, Katie Aley, Marsha Hovey.

Take The Rake was made possible thanks to Pistenbully North America, Technoalpin, Red Bull Snow, Arena Snowparks, Effective Edge, LVL Up Academy, and Trollhaugen.