Monday, July 30

Windell's Summer Snow Camp Action

By Dave Finger
EXPN.com

Driving on Oregon State Highway 26 en-route to the single biggest summer snowboard scene in North America my eye catches the road sign at the Shamrock Motel.

"No Vacancies Sorry Dude"

And no vacancies is just one of the things that makes this place perfect. That's what camp is all about right? Meeting new people with similar interests and having a blast while doing it. When I jump out of the car and take my first look at the Windell's facility (located at the 28 acre Shamrock) I see kids - tons of kids. Some are riding BMX bikes around with snowboards under their arm, some gather around a picnic table to participate in a binding clinic, while others shoot hoop using their shiny new studded belts to help set a pick.

Everyone needs one of these things for their backyard.

No matter who the kids are, they all have one thing in common, the look of maximum stoking. Their eyes wide with excitement as everything in these weeklong sessions is new - new fashions, new riding styles, new ways of living, new equipment, new skills and new people. Attention teenage guys (and girls)! This is the ideal way to spend your summer. Come here to meet new friends and cool girls (or guys) that actually like the same sports you do.

I catch up with the main man himself, Tim Windell, and he so graciously takes me on a tour of this incredible camp facility. First thing we come to is the skate ramp set-up, an amazing collection of capsules, minis, extensions, tombstones, rails, fun boxes, street obstacles and one fantastic vert ramp (Andy MacDonald was just here blasting head high airs to the delight of the campers). That's when I see Shaun White frontside alley-ooping the mini-to-mini transfer with much style and finesse. Shaun has been a camper (and now a coach) at Windell's since he was 6 years old.

Then it occurs to me, not only do you get to take advantage of these world-class facilities but also you get to learn how to do whatever it is you're working on with the help of the very same pros you see in the videos. Now I'm the one with stoked written across my face.

After checking out the skate terrain we wander around the 28 acres containing the living facilities as Tim points out various bits of coolness along the way. The future home of a 15,000 square foot indoor training facility. The trampolines with that harness thing that attaches to your waist so you can spin around like a top in the air and not worry about landing on your head. The BMX track (both beginner and advanced) fully equipped with jumps, burms and rhythms of all sizes. The shop that has a little bit of everything you need - except sunscreen, which you definitely need. The yoga/movie room stocked with a video library that would put yours to absolute shame. And my favorite, the old Windell's transport bus that's been converted into the snack truck featuring yummy food items like corn-dogs and the "front-flip" ice cream.

The super secret bike and skate park hidden deep in the forest.

Complimenting Tim on this amazing collection of terrain and options for fun he shoots back with a sheepish grin and mellow gait,

"It's not me, it's my staff."

Givin' credit where credit is due. Tim then invites me to eat with the campers and check out the hill before taking off to attend to one of his many responsibilities, like high five-ing almost every camper in sight. The kids love Tim. I say thanks and hope to run into him on the hill the next day.

After a fitful night's sleep at the K2 house with my new buddy, House Manager Dan Sorcinelli, I head to the hill. Snowboarding in July? That's right kiddies, and Windell's makes it just about as good as it can be if you're not in the southern hemisphere. Booters, rails and pipes of all shapes and sizes perfectly groomed and salted plus superstar guest coaches make the Windell's vein of glaciated snow absolutely mega-fun.

After eating my hot dog lunch at the "dawg tent" and checking out the snowskate jibbing contest I run into two of my favorite Windell's coaches, Tim Carlson and Chad Kummerow. Tim points out to me that they are playing "piglet" in the pipe. The game is just like playing "pig" (piglet, more letters equals a longer game) on the basketball court, you do a trick and everybody else playing has to do it, if you can't then you get a letter. Chad busts a method air over the board I'm holding with two arms above my head. Then I think to myself - How great is it to have a perfectly groomed super-pipe with just you, your friends, some cool as hell coaches? All of that and lunch is even waiting for you at the bottom of each run. Yes, it is very great and yes this is what Windell's is all about. If that is not enough there's tons of off-hill stuff to do that I haven't even mentioned. So find out more for yourself by either visiting the website at windells.com or by calling Windell's Snowboard Camp at 1-800-765-7669. Now go get 'em tiger.

Check out the photo gallery from Windell's.