Westbound Boarder

As ya’ll know already (or maybe you don’t) summer is right around the corner and for all of the shred heads out there, it can only mean one thing…you’ve got it, time to start thinking about snowboard camp. With options all across the globe (literally), there is bound to be a camp out there for you. We have the round up that includes them all - check out our favs:

• Timberline Summer Snowboard Camp: Introducing to you this summer in its inaugural season, Timberline Lodge is bringing you their very own snowboard camp. With the home court advantage you will have the luxury of staying on Mt. Hood at the historic Timberline Lodge, have priority lift access and meals provided by the award winning Timberline Culinary Team. Not too shabby…check out the new Timberline Summer Snowboard Camp and make some memories and history with Timberline.
• Windells: Known as being one of the best summer snowboard camps in the Pacific Northwest, this camp really lives up to its tagline of being the “funnest place on earth.” Year in and year out, Windells continues to capture the attention of top industry pros; this year’s lineup includes JJ Thomas, Louie Vito, Darrell Mathes, Annie Boulanger, Eddie Wall, and more.  Want to go for free? Enter to win on Windells.com as someone will be improving their skills riding with the pros for free this summer at Mt. Hood! Also, read our recent feature on Tim Windell for a bit of background on how the camp came to be.
• High Cascade: Known for their Signature Sessions, High Cascade Snowboard Camp (HCSC) is planning on appearances from all sorts of guys and gals this summer (Hanna Beaman, Tara Dakides, Darell Mathes, JP Walker, the list goes on). On top of the pros HCSC offers “HCSC Girl,” giving the lady campers girl-specific activities and events to continue to open up the world of snowboarding and skateboarding in the perfect, encouraging environment.
• South America Snow Sessions: Hailed as one of the premier international snow camp excursions, SASS is heading into its fifth year of operation. Translation? These guys know snow. However, as opposed to the above-mentioned Hood camps, which focus on summer training and park riding, SASS boasts the full International experience. SASS campers will head to Bariloche, Argintina, where they will live and breathe the full culture of South America (yes, camp activities even include Spanish classes!) This summer, Natalie Gough is returning as head coach of the snowboard program, and for you skiers, Michelle Parker will head out as well, after taking a full year off due to a nasty knee injury. Additionally, this year SASS announced a signature women’s session, which will be held during session 3 (August 17 - 31) and feature pro riders such as Chanelle Sladics and Jamie Anderson. BONUS: If you sign up for the SASS newsletter here, you could win a free trip out to Argentina!
• Camp of Champions: With loads of pros, all day coaching (we’re talking 8am-3pm), free stuff, guaranteed goggle tan and the Whistler Village to conquer after your days riding, what is not to revel? Check out the deets of the Camp of Champions, held at the infamous Whistler ski/snowboard resort in Canada, fersure.

Have more questions? Let us know. We can get you in touch with the peeps you need (and between the few us us, we’ve been to one or many of these!)  Shoot us an e-mail at WestboundBoarder@gmail.com

Tim Windell, Creator of Windells Camp

I’m a huge fan of Tim Windell and recently had the rare opportunity to catch up with him. I say rare as the dude is constantly on the move especially with the Winter Olympics coming up and the wrap up of the Winter X-Games. Tim is the proud owner/operator of Windells Camp - The Funnest Place on Earth.

Windell’s operation is located on the western slopes of Mt. Hood Oregon. Ideally located between Sandy and Welches, Windells Camp occupies a former motel complex, and sits on 53 acres which include Oregon’s largest indoor skate park, a sick assortment of concrete skate features, a foam pit, an Olympic-size trampoline, an outdoor BMX/Freeride dirt circuit complete with the largest assortment of ramps, jumps, rails you name it! The place is constantly evolving and while I was there, the crew had a cement mixer on site and was busy building new features that will undoubtedly prove to be nothing short of incredible.

Tim began skiing at the ripe old age of 3 back in Colorado. As a boy, he enjoyed such places such as Breckinridge, Vail, Steamboat and Winter Park. During Tim’s teenage years, his skiing improved so much that he literally hit a plateau. He felt as though he wasn’t getting much better at it and he began to look for other snow sport opportunities. This is when snowboarding first emerged on the scene. Tim found this new sport to be both challenging and exhilarating. Needless to say, Tim rocked the snowboard world and took countless titles.

However, as Tim explained to me, he began to notice that the younger guys were catching up and he found it difficult to both compete and train at the same time. So, with this in mind, Tim opened up his first training camp in Whistler BC and then finally in Oregon around 1987.

Foam Practice Pit

One of the key ingredients to Tim’s success is the location. One of the greatest things Wendells has to offer is Mt. Hood’s year round snow. There are several companies that offer similar type programs but Windells is unique as it is sequestered away by itself and really is sort of an island unto itself. Yeah, an island of fun! Tim has taken great strides in keeping his campers safe and secure. His is a multidimensional approach that takes into account the physical, mental maybe even spiritual well being of each and every camper. I guess when you churn out as many world champions as Tim Windell has over the years, (16 USA Olympic Medalists, 137 X Games Medalists, top 10 men & 8 of the top 10 women on the Dew Tour) you see this method as the only one in which to employ.

One of the most fascinating things to me was the school that is located on the campus. I think a common misconception is that Windell’s is all fun and games. It is the Funnest Place on Earth to be sure but it also has a serious side as well. Many of the young folks that come to Windell’s come with the need for an alternative education program. The academy students are enrolled in a fully accredited program that will allow the student-athletes to go to college and pursue professional careers. They work at their own pace in a very low key, comfortable environment… I’m a fan.

Snowboards, anyone?

When asked how women have progressed in the snow sports, Tim responded with an enthusiastic, “exponentially”! Women he said “have really stepped up their games. Gold medalist Kelly Clark for example is now un-reachable.” He went on to say the women have much more accessibility then they once had, they’re legit and getting better all the time.” Recently during a Holiday training camp, most if not all were women! He went on to say that there is more camaraderie with women; they’re great ambassadors of the sport and very supportive to one another.

So, in summation, what a great privilege it was to spend a little time with Tim Windell. Truly a visionary and all around great guy. If you ever get the opportunity to enroll in one of his amazing camp sessions, do it! Because, in the words of Warren Miller, “If you don’t do it this year, you’ll only be one year older when you do.”

Wow.  It’s hard to believe that it has been more than a year since we published our first post on Westbound Boarder.  My how time flies!  2009 was an extremely busy, but great year, and we’d like to thank all of you for stopping by our blog.  We hope you’ve enjoyed reading!

In case you’re new to our blog, or simply just want to refresh your memory, here is a list of our most popular posts from 2009:

• Spotlight Female: Kimi Werner, National Spearfishing Champion
• Skimboarding, The ‘Shore’ Kind of Fun
• Windells - The Funnest Place on Earth!
• Get Those Ladies Off Yo’ Board!
• Westbound’s Guide To Sk8board Tricks
• Surfing: Longboard vs. Shortboard
• Resort Review: Vail, CO
• Saturday Shop Review - Val Surf
• Featured Female: Chanel aka CC
• Snowboard Buyer’s Guide: First Things First
• Safety First!
• ‘SUP With Your Board?

We’re excited to bring you more in 2010 and beyond!

(Note: If you would like to be a guest blogger or contributor, we welcome any and all female voices in the action sports industry!  Contact us at westboundboarder@gmail.com)

For those of you looking for adventure this summer, what better place to find it than at a world renowned snowboard camp. Attending snowboard camp (okay, they allow skiers too), is the best way to push your skills to the limit while snowboarding at America’s only summertime resort (Timberline Lodge).

On top of siiick summer riding, you get to board with the pro’s, improve you skate skills (something I never thought I would do until I attended Windells), demo the 2010 gear all the while getting a tan. Still need convincing? Check out our reviews of the funnest places on earth; High Cascade Snowboard Camp and Windells.

So quit dragging your feet and let us know what camp you choose, you can’t go wrong either way!

As we find ourselves in the dead of winter and are snowboarding our lives away, it’s hard to imagine where we will all be, come summer time (okay, so it’s not that hard)! Anyways - with that being said - I am here to tell you exactly where you should be this summer.

Some call it the ‘funnest place on earth’ and some call it Windell’s - we at Westbound Boarder call it snowboard camp and are hoping that you call it your summer plans! Whether it be Windell’s or High Cascade Snowboard Camp, or one of the many other wicked winter, spring or summer board camps- we think you should seriously consider attending one.

My senior year of high school I attended Windell’s Snowboard Camp and I have never been the same snowboarder since. I rode with the pros in the sun for a week straight, refined my snowboard skills, made some new friends, learned to skateboard (something I never thought I would do!!) and was able to demo the best gear around! I look back on my Windell’s camp experience as one of the best times of my life and I cannot wait to attend snowboard camp again someday.

The reasons are endless as to why you should get on board and earn the cash it takes to attend snowboard camp - and we are here to help you make the decision a little easier! So without further ado, I introduce to you, Wicked Snow Camp Wednesday’s!

Be sure to tune in each Wednesday as we feature one of our favorite snowboard camps so you can make an informed decision about which camp you are going to attend this summer - and get excited because we have camps from all over to tell you about - so where ever you are from there is a camp that you can call home this summer!

Have you been to snowboard camp before? Tell us where and let us know what you thought by leaving us a comment or shooting us an email, www.westboundboarder@gmail.com!