Camp of Champions Session 4

Words & photos by Jeff Schmuck

They say that all good things must come to an end, and that was most certainly the case this past weekend, as the 24th year of Camp of Champions begrudgingly concluded in beautiful Whistler, BC.


The last week of camp is always bittersweet for those who've stationed themselves in Whistler for the duration of the summer to dig, coach and help provide campers with memories that will last a lifetime, as fatigue begins to set in, bodies begin to tire, and various beaches, campgrounds and other leisurely summer activities begin calling our names. But the end of summer camp is by no means a relief, as while the last week of Camp of Champions is usually the wildest and most fun session of them all, it's also incredibly sad, as there simply aren't enough words in any language to appropriately convey just how much fun summer camp truly is, along with how much it sucks when you have to go home.


Heartache aside though, much like the rest of the summer (with the lone exception of the second to last day), it was nothing but sunny skies and sunburn-inducing temperatures on the Horstman Glacier during the fourth and final session of COC, and while many of the coaches and guest pros were licking various wounds after a month straight of charging, the final crop of campers (much like their predecessors) were full of piss and vinegar and throwing down like it was mid-winter...



And despite the aforementioned epidemic of fatigue and injuries, the final week of camp generally brings out the best in those who've been here all summer, as once the reality of not being able to ski or snowboard until the winter sets in, things tend to get extra sendy, and in some cases, extra silly...


And speaking of sending it, last week's 'Send It With...Session' featured Voleurz, and if you know anything about the highly entertaining clothing and film company, then you know that their team (aka the Voleurz Family) always come ready to play, both on and off the hill...and play they did.