Photos: Jamie Walter

Well that’s it, that’s all folks. Newschoolers Week at Windells 2014 is over, and despite the crushing post-camp blues, we couldn’t be more stoked on how things turned out. It was tough to say goodbye, and after the last of the high fives were slapped and the various cars loaded and rolled out it was hard not to look back on the week that was and feel like we had been a part of something special. But that’s what next years are for, right? In the meantime there’s nothing to do but reflect on the good times. And shit, were there ever some good times.

Dom Laporte Switch 2 On

The well of human weirdness runs deep in Newschoolers. That much is effectively a given. But to gather a dozen or so of NS’s best and brightest from around the continent is like opening a door onto ridiculousness like you’ve never seen it. From Dom Laporte’s fishing adventures with the Drama Llama to Gavin Rudy’s, ahem, special brand of humor, we were all exposed to a level of shenanigans that can only come from the internet. That is, of course, the beauty of it – that NS brings together the creative and the downright quirky and gives them a place to channel that energy into the raddest, most impressive ski content anywhere. With minds like that running things, it was an easy transition into the world of Windells.

The Drama Llama was first among internet-famous guests this week

Never one to shy away from a selfie, the Llama was always ready for a photoshoot

Totally Trevor owns one of the most valuable signatures in all of freeskiing

We had about as much fun as possible this week on campus and on hill as we did our best to stoke out the 90+ skiers who were there with us. We played basketball in ski boots, we ate until we puked (new, exciting fact: freshly ingested broccoli and marshmallows look an awful lot like Greek salad) and we handed out prizes like it was going out of style.

Hey parents, send your kids to camp!

Stomach of steel: the undisputed eating champion of the world

On the hill we witnessed countless young shred-heads backflip, switch up, cork 9 or even just slide a rail for the very first time. And when it wasn’t a camper, we watched the likes of Noah Wallace, Nicky Keefer and Steve Stepp lay waste to every jump, rail and creative feature on the mountain. It’s a special experience to be able to sit back and watch pros – both guests and resident coaches – session the big jump, set against the backdrop of the Cascade mountains as they stretch southward towards Mt. Jefferson, Bachelor, the three sisters, and somewhere further through the haze, Mt. Shasta.

Noah Wallace and the best backdrop in skiing

Steve Stepp

Brent Whipple getting creative off the tube. photo: Gavin Rudy

This week we also had the pleasure of working with Sony and their new AS100 Action Cams. Each morning we'd take the cameras out and give them to various skiers, pros or filmers. Some used the chest mount, others chose the extendable monopod. Gavin Rudy even attached his to his Glidecam to capture the same shots as his DSLR. CAmpers and pros were stoked to try something new in the helmet-cam game. Steve Stepp, upon receiving a camera, immediately marched off and started interviewing campers to see if they had discovered the latest in helmet-cam technology. Maximillian Smith and Magnus Graner from the Bunch took turns lapping park with theirs. Maxi even stopped an uber-dad hiker and asked him what he thought about Newschoolers. Dom on the other hand used the wrist-mounted viewer to look for fish in the Ark pond. 21st Century fishing technique achieved, courtesy of Sony.

B-Whipple showing off the Action Cam helmet mount. photo: Matt Kretzschmar.

But the vision behind Newschoolers Week at Windells 2014 was twofold. On the one hand, we wanted to spend a week at the funnest place on earth and do all those things that anyone who’s ever heard of Windells is dying (both figuratively and financially) to do. That part was easy, and that part is what will sustain our ski cravings for just a little longer.

Noah Wallace seatbelt grab

They call him Steve Stunt

On the other hand we wanted to accomplish something that, for Newschoolers, has never been done before. The vision that began with the NS ratings system and grew through 2013’s inaugural Newschoolers Yearbook is entering into its next chapter, and Windells became the launch pad for that change. From the dusty, grimy couches of Mantana, we spent our down time editing, debating, drafting and curating the next edition of the Newschoolers magazine. I was going to invoke a cliché along the lines of “when the dust cleared, we…” but frankly the dust never cleared in that place. However, when it was pushed aside slightly, we were left the scaffolding of a magazine that is set to blow minds. Our content heads and editorial staff have a summer of work to look forward to but the Yearbook meetings have set the pace for great things to come.

Say what you will about his personal hygiene; the Drama Llama has a way with the ladies

... and the guys, for that matter

In parting I’d like to give a huge shout out to everyone who made this past week so rad. That means all you campers who were willing to engage in our shenanigans. All the Windells coaches and counsellors who threw down all week long. The guest pros who came out on behalf on Newschoolers (we also want to wish Brent “B-Nips” Whipple a speedy recovery from whatever injury he may have incurred). A final, special thanks to Jason Arens who acted as our chauffeur, host, liaison and Gavin-wrangler.

See you next year!