This Burton rider is the current face of Michigan snowboarding, repping the Midwest with style and service. 

Mark Clavin: What is it like going from learning to snowboard on garbage dumps [to] going to Japan and riding powder?

Grace Warner: Uncomfortable.

[Laughs.] That is an unexpected answer.

Honestly, yeah, it’s crazy how quick things have switched for me. I grew up and the only thing I knew was riding 100 feet down the hill in Michigan, hopping back on the tow rope and hitting a couple of features. Now I’m taking chair laps and riding mountains. It’s just so out of my element! [Laughs.] I’m still uncomfortable with it, to be honest.

I understand that. I went from riding in Cleveland to Mammoth. My legs were smoked.

It’s hard to keep up, even though I would, like, lap a tow rope for four hours straight and not unstrap. I’ll still get, like, super dead just from, like, yeah, riding one lap down Mammoth.

It’s crazy. What’s your home hill, Pine Knob?

Alpine Valley, Michigan.

I grew up at Alpine Valley, Ohio.

I didn’t know there’s an Alpine Valley, Ohio. I knew there’s one in Wisconsin.

There are a few of them. It is on the east side of Cleveland.

It’s so crazy what they can do with, like, the tiniest little hills in our area.

Pretty crazy they can produce pro snowboarders. Do you consider yourself a pro snowboarder?

I think there’s such a clear line in skateboarding they have for a new pro.…It is different in snowboarding, but I guess so. Yeah. 

I would consider you a pro. You don’t have another job. You have some of the biggest sponsors in the space. I just didn’t want to put words in your mouth.

Yeah. With that being said, I’m very much in the mindset of “I’m still learning.” I think once I started traveling, I realized that I didn’t even know how to ride my snowboard. I knew how to hit a rail, but I feel like I’m still learning how to carve and actually have control of my board now.

You are one of the faces of the new guard that’s really coming up and pushing snowboarding for the better, in my opinion. What does that feel like or mean to you?

For some reason, I just got goosebumps when you said that. I don’t really know how to answer that. I’m just winging it. I focus a lot of attention, or at least try to, on other people. I didn’t really have or know any pros growing up. The ones that I would see on the internet or in videos seemed intimidating to a certain extent, and I just think, I don’t know, in snowboarding I want to be a comforting face and maybe give people some motivation. 

You’ve seemed to naturally ride into that. Has each season since you’ve gotten sponsored progressively gotten better or no?

Yeah! The last two seasons have been a little bit different for me because I’ve found that I say yes to everything and I’ve started to get a lot of opportunities. It’s hard to say no. But that is all part of figuring out the job. I’ve ridden my snowboard more than I ever have in my entire life the past few years, so that is great. I just want to get out into the streets more and film.

What is your earliest memory of riding?

I’ve never been asked that before, actually. I feel like my earliest memory of riding was just going out with my dad and getting hot chocolate at the lodge. I specifically remember asking for hot chocolate every single time I went snowboarding as a kid. That was my treat. So yeah, I guess learning how to take my first couple of carves that were actually legit with my dad.

Was it at-night riding or day riding?

Always at night. All my earliest memories are only at night.…Like, our hill did an intermission, and they would, like, break the park or, like, groom or whatever at five o’clock. So we get out of school and then usually get there after intermission. So it was already dark, you know?

Do you ever see yourself moving out West?

Everyone asks me this. It’s a hot topic. Honestly, I’m just so obsessed with riding on a tow rope. I feel like the Michigan scene is on a huge uprise. Traveling so much, it’s nice to go home. I’m such a social boarder, and tow ropes are like skateparks. I get to know all the kids, and it feels more impactful when I snowboard with other people that close. Plus, every time I go home there are more kids at the park and so many kids trying to progress and get out there every single day.

What would you say if we attributed some of that to you always repping Michigan and showing kids that it is possible?

I definitely don’t take credit for that. I think a lot of that has to do with Pine Knob’s park in particular, because in my area it’s booming. I’m so grateful for all the resources that I have and want to continue to bring that back to Michigan and give them the spotlight that they need, because a lot of kids there could go really far. I would love to see it. I love my little scene in the Detroit area.

What about Wisconsin?

I would also totally live in Wisconsin for a bit. I would ride Trollhaugen, like, any day of the week.

Even with the Midwest’s winters seemingly getting shorter?

Dude, yeah. It’s bad. It’s a huge issue.

Does that scare you for your future plans in the Midwest?

Definitely. And hopes for the scene and everything, yeah. That’s kind of why I might be leaning towards Wisconsin—colder temps, so regardless [of] how much snow they get naturally, they could blow more.

Do you have snowboarders that inspired you growing up?

I would watch videos here and there, but I fell in love with snowboarding watching my little brother. I owe him a lot. I always tried to keep up with him. Most of where my motivation came from is my community, for sure—the snowboarding that was in front of me. That’s why I try to give back so much to Michigan, because they are the whole reason I’m here.

That brings us to [your] Grace’s Getaway [women’s event]. At 23, when you’re kind of supposed to be selfish and advancing your career, the idea that you’re already bringing stuff to your community is impressive.

The idea was just to get together and have a little snowboard vacation—no stress, no pressure. Like [when you were] growing up—go hang out in a basement and bond. What Zeb [Powell]’s doing with Slide-In Tour and events like that are really important to the kids. In order to continue to have snowboarding exist, then we have to give back. It’s important to focus on that. I want to do the Getaway thing again, but [on] a larger scale. This year was a bit tough. The weather was so bad, so the resort wasn’t even open to the public, and that was most of the idea. It would be sick for all the kids that go to Pine Knob to see, like, 12 really good, ripping girls from all over ride the park. Growing up, I never saw that, so I want to do it again and include locals so the whole event would be sick. 

On filming versus competing, you’ve obviously dipped your toes in both. Have a favorite?

I hate competing. I just don’t see snowboarding as an activity that you could judge. The whole idea of competing in snowboarding is so crazy to me.

If rail jams became an Olympic event, because obviously the FIS has been sniffing around, would you try out?

Do I agree with a rail jam being in the Olympics? No. Would I do it? Probably.