Well, that went fast. Another year of the West Coast Session has come and gone. Staying at Windells, a summer camp, now seems all too fitting, as friends new and old pack their bags and head back down their respective paths. For some, those paths are leading skier back home to Utah, Colorado and Spain, while others continue on their journeys to all corners of the world. Each of those people, regardless of their path, take with them the memories, photos, scrapes, bruises and hangovers from the week. The skiers may cross paths over the year, and some even live in the same home town, but it is still not the same as when you get back together with the whole crew back at summer camp for that week or two every year. The West Coast Session offers just that to these people, a week of hanging out, making friends, letting loose, and in our case, a little bit of skiing.

Alex Hackel having some fun on one of the many transitions of the jump

Our week wrapped up with a pretty perfect day up at Timberline, with blue skies and warm temps providing an amazing backdrop for a couple of crazy sessions on the signature feature. Things got started in the early afternoon with a couple of gnarly cases on the jump, including Christof Schenk landing completely flat on the deck. Getting those out of the way, and the salt down, the session went off. This was one of my favorite jump sessions I’ve witnessed because of the mix of skiers throwing down on the feature. In a changing of the guard in some ways, we saw both the seasoned vets like John Spriggs, and the hungry young guns like Teal Harle and Colby Stevenson. Spriggs was bringing the style that we know and love, while Teal threw some of the biggest and gnarliest airs of the day with a triple and dub 16. This afternoon session really made the week for many, with calm winds and the ability to really explore the feature, the edits will definitely be fun to watch.

The feature was then prepared for what turned out to be a pretty epic sunset shoot, with some gorgeous clouds and colors high up on Palmer. With a smaller crew and a faster, harder jump things got going and flashes got popping, a good time as always.

MVP Lucas Schafer

Laurent De Martin, a first time WCS participant in the pre-sunset glow

As is tradition, the event concluded with awards back down at camp. With everyone packed into the “intimate” setting of the roadhouse at Windells, as described by organizer Ethan Stone, the skiers, filmers and photographer got together for one last night. Photos were shown, winners were chosen, but that’s not really that important in the scheme of the West Coast Session, what really matters to theses skiers and people is the memories, photos, scrapes, bruises and hangovers from the week that they take home with them. Brandon Pastucka, the other event organizer, alongside Stone, joked early in the week “this event has grown to something beyond my control.” While that may sound scary to hear from an event organizer, Stone and Pastucka have created a tradition and the highlight of many people’s ski season because of the way the event brings people together. This year for example, we didn’t have the best snow or the best weather, but still skiers turned out en mass for that one week a year where they get together and see the homies, and got in some skiing that will be sure to keep you glued to your screen.

Classic Reed BMOS Lewis style

On that note, we depart from camp, leaving friends, memories and behind until another year of the West Coast Session rolls around the first week of May. I have been stoked to be a part of this event for only two years, but they have been fun ones without a doubt. A big thanks goes out to Ethan, Brandon and those that make it possible, they truly do an amazing job of pulling this event together. See you at WCS 10.

Colby Stevenson

Award Winners:

Rookie of the Year

Jonah Williams (narrowly beating out Colby Stevenson)

Repeat Offender

John Marks

"All Day" Syndrome

Joona Kangas

Best Trick

Zak Mousseau- Zero Spin

MVP

Lukas Schafer

King Meat

BMOS