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The Windells vibe with Nick Visconti

May 14, 2012 By

Nick’s ear to ear smile peeked in the door before he did. After the grin strolled in some signature Nick Visconti tight pants, excited chatter and a couple friends. When Nick and I sat down to talk, I expected a quick interview about shenanigans lately, upcoming projects, and general stoke for summer at Windells. A couple minutes into our conversation, I realized we’d cover these topics, yeah, however, Nick has a huge heart and “general stoke” doesn’t even scratch the surface.

Angela Swain: Hey, Nick. Let’s hit the basics. How long have you been coming to camp?
Nick Visconti: Oh, gosh. For about 13 years now. I was a camper for five years and I coached for a couple years and I’ve been coming back with Stevie Bell, Curtis and J Rob for our Team Takeover for a few summers.

Wow, that’s quite the stint. What have you guys done with your Team Takeover Session in the past?
We try to make our session about the campers. Yeah, we’re here to have fun and hang out and enjoy summer on Mt. Hood, but we use our session as an outreach rather than an outlet for ourselves. We try to interact with the campers as much as possible and really give back to the community that supports us.

So, what initially struck you about Windells that made you a return camper and then decide to continue your involvement with camp?
I think it was camp life; it was so much more than just camp. Windells is a place that welcomes campers to a community and allows them to really connect with other snowboarders, both peers and professionals. I really became absorbed into the world of snowboarding during my time at camp. For most of these kids, snowboarding at their home mountain is recreational but when they’re here they really get a sense of the culture.

What’s one experience with a camper that really sticks out to you?
It’s hard to pick just one. Me and the guys are more intent on building relationships and making connections with the kids during our Takeover session, and to carry those out beyond their time at camp, too. Social media has made it easy for me to stay in touch with campers throughout the season and to share my love for snowboarding with them which is really cool.

Well, we’re all looking forward to Session 4 with The Reunion. What projects and things should we be on the lookout for?
ReCreation with Transworld was a big one; it’ll be out in March. We’ve been working on a Christian snowboard film called ANTHROPOLOGY with Nations Foundation, Dave Downing, Ryan Paul, Simon Chamberlain, Jordan Phillips and Director Joel Parker. Other than that, I’m just eager to come out for the summer and excited, as always, to hang out with some campers.

Nick rides for Arbor Snowboards and placed third in this year’s Winter XGames Street Jam. Like the vibe at Windells Camp? Get registered for your session at the”funnest” place on earth.

And the Team Takeover Thursday winner is

May 11, 2012 By

Hari Khalsa!

“Condasteeza Rice” actually made us laugh out loud, and for that you win this week’s Team Takeover Thursday contest with Poor Boyz Productions. Below you’ll see your booty. That sounded weird.

Every one else, thanks for participating! Keep up with the Windells camp blog for more chances to win. There’s still a couple more weeks before summer starts! Don’t like the anticipation? Get kitted out with all the latest gear in the online store.

Six minutes with Saga Outerwear

May 11, 2012 By

Saga was born at Windells Camp in 2005. When Saga was just a young brand, it had one jacket line. Saga got along with the other kids, and it was well-liked amongst its peers. When Saga grew up a little, it decided to move away from home; to the snowy peaks of Salt Lake City, Utah. There, Saga would develop and mature and soon, all the ladies wanted Saga.

Windells has been the “incubator” to many of the top brands in the industry. Grenade, Bonfire Salomon, Skullcandy, Atmosphere and Saga sprouted their first knuckle hairs at Windells Camp. I had the chance to chat with Sean Harkins, a past Windells employee and now the Sales Distribution Manager at Saga Outerwear, while the guys were on campus. I caught Sean, Jordan Harper and Jeremiah Paquette in the middle of a fashion show in the Betty Rides cabin, but I don’t want to be the one to spill the beans. Sean and I chatted West Coast Session, Saga summer plans, and expansion.

Collin Collins at Timberline. Photo: Jordan Harper

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Team Takeover Thursday: Poor Boyz Productions

May 10, 2012 By

This week has been a busy one on Mt. Hood. The West Coast Session guys are all staying at Windells, and, well… you can imagine. Tanner Hall, Henrik Harlaut, Karl Fostvedt, the Inspired Media crew and Poor Boyz Productions have been hitting the Timberline parks hard this past week enjoying the unexpectedly sunny weather and above-par snow conditions.

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On The Road With Luke “Ocho” Allen

May 6, 2012 By

Some call him Coach Och, some just stick with the classic “Ocho,” or if you want to be fancy feel free to call him Luke. No matter what name he goes by, our head ski coach is always one of the best guys around. If you haven’t had a chance to meet him, well, you’re missing out. He spends his winters in the rocky mountains, coaching, skiing, and working on his amazing company RMU Skis. Ocho finally had a minute to breathe after an interesting Colorado season so let’s see what this legendary young man has been up to:

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Windells Intern profile: This is Sven

May 5, 2012 By

Sven showed up at camp in the middle of one of our Spring Break sessions. With a handshake, a hello and a tour, he was whisked right into camp life. Sven would ask, “Vhy do you do zat?”, in his German accent and, with no real answer as to why we paint campers like zombies before heated games of dodgeball , we’d brush it off, “Just… Because, Sven. Because we do.” I wish I could count the times he’s shaken his characteristically blonde German head and muttered “Americans” at our antics. We love bacon, we put cheese on everything, we eat chicken and waffles for dinner; “Americans.” We’d never really thought twice about the logistics of a Philly Cheese Steak but, apparently, they’re incredibly American as well. Oh, Sven. It’s going to be a great summer.

We’ve learned a lot from our new intern thus far, too. “Headis”, as some of you learned in a previous post, is all the rage in Germany these days. It’s ping-pong played with one’s head… Exactly. If nothing else it’s highly entertaining. Sven handed it to me in a game of regular ping-pong. “I’m not that good.” Please. Germans. He’s decent on rollerblades and, if I’m not mistaken, he’s worn the same flannel for over a week now. He’s getting really good at weeding stickers  and his taste in music is as European as you’d imagine. We might not agree on the appropriate neckline of your average men’s tee shirt, but we do agree on beer.

World, meet Sven. Sven, meet World.

Angela Swain: Let’s start at the beginning. Where are you from?

Sven Westermann: Cologne, Germany. Cologne is cool.

How old are you? Where’d you go to school?

I’m 24. School? Uh, University? I studied … (momentary pause to Google English translation) Sport Outdoor Education and Movement.

Right. Moving on. I heard you and Lee did some exploring around Oregon this week. How was that?

We went to Pacific City. We surfed with the Academy kids.

Sounds fun, glad I got the invite. So, tell me more about Headis. How many hours a week do you play Headis?

In a good week probably 10 hours. When it’s nice we play Headis all night. I was in a tournament once. Head Clash 2011. I lost to an old man.

Just wait, we’re going to make Headis happen this summer. What made you want to do an internship at Windells?

I looked it up in the internet. I knew Mt. Hood had snow all of the days around so I decided I would. I have skied since I was three years old but only on vacation because the Alps are seven hours from Cologne.

What are you looking forward to this summer?

That the rain stops and that people show up. Activities and games and things.

What’s your advice for the rest of the interns this summer?

Prepare yourself. Bring your own tweezers for sticker picking because we only have one pair and they are mine.

 

This week’s Team Takeover Thursday contest winner is

May 4, 2012 By

SPENCER WATKINS!

Spencer, you won this pack of rad Windells gear. Stoked to read so many great comments. Everyone else, see you for the next Team Takeover Thursday!

Special shout out goes to Mark Bryan Richardson for enthusiasm and strangeness. Mark left this comment on our facebook page, “If u give this to me i will cover my self up in vaseline and pretend im a slug.” I think we just decided on a new camp activity.

Gotta have some Windells gear? Check out the online store!

From parents and campers to you: Windells Camp reviews

May 2, 2012 By

The reviews don’t lie! Parents love Windells Camp for all kinds of reasons. Here’s what parents and campers have to say about their experiences with Windells Camp…

love2ride4ever: “Heaven on Earth for my 3 kids and I. I have 3 children, 2 boys and 1 girl, ages 11,12 and 14, who have attended Windells Camp for the last 3 summers. They absolutely love it! My daughter, who is the youngest and was only 8 when she first attended, was a little apprehensive. After meeting her counselor and coach, whom both made her feel so comfortable, she quickly became at ease. [Read more...]

Neff x The Seventh Letter present Sesame Street with a twist

April 30, 2012 By

Neff Headwear has spent the summer months on Mt. Hood with Windells for years. Neff, in the grand scheme of things, is a young company but they’re making waves in the industry like they’ve been doing it since the beginning. Neff teamed up with The Seventh Letter and Known Gallery to present a medley of Sesame Street inspired art, showcased in Los Angeles this past weekend. The exhibit featured pieces from the likes of notorious urban and street artists, Madsteez, Mr. Cartoon, AXIS, Todd Bratrud, Dabs & Myla, and benefited City of Hope, an independent biomedical cancer research, treatment and education institution in LA.

Neff can tell you how to get to Sesame Street.

 

 

Familiar faces and friends to Windells Camp, Louie Vito and The Dingo, along with a wide spread of other VIPs, visited Known Gallery to check out the show.

Get in with the movement! Join Windells and Neff for another round of sunny and sick summer days on Mt. Hood this year.

April showers bring new inches on Mt Hood

April 28, 2012 By

We live in the Northwest. It rains in the spring time. It might be a little too wet in the city for some but the high level of precipitation is good for one thing: snow, and lots of it!

April brought spring snow to Mt. Hood. Windells Academy students were hyped to get a powder day on Friday; 9 new inches at Timberline Lodge. Timberline opened Palmer last Saturday for the first glacier laps of the summer season. Riding up Palmer Chairlift under blue skies and a flannel felt a little nostalgic, and our mood was suddenly overrun by uncontrollable excitement (and sheer terror) when we realized summer is a mere five weeks away… It’s going to be a good one!

Today should be another great day on Hood. (No surprise there!) Annual snowfall is on the upper end of 518″ and Hood’s new base is a saucy 169″. As the indigenous peoples of the great Northwest once believed, Sasquatch, a mythical creature native to Oregon’s rain forests, stands around 8′ tall. Therefore, our current base depth is roughly 2 and 1/3 Sasquatches high. Thanks, mystical Sasquatches, for allowing us to shred the Windells Private Park all summer long.

Want to get in on the action? Sessions are filling up fast. Register now to save your spot for summer 2012 at the “funnest” place on earth!