After a two-year hiatus, Alyeska Resort launched its own freestyle camp program to further support its growing terrain park and super pipe investment. Demand from Anchorage freestyle alpine skiers, freeheelers and snowboarders has been very positive; offering a dedicated freestyle camp program encourages progression to all variants of freeskiing and riding.

Close to one hundred skiers and snowboarders participated on the first day on Alyeska Resort’s two-week long summer camp program. With favorable weather, ample snow depth and a partnership with terrain park construction experts, the features, rails and half pipe were well received by camp participants.

Summer camp is geared towards all ages and those of intermediate skiing, telemarking and snowboarding abilities and above. Select national professional skiers and snowboarders plus, a number of local coaching experts were invited to work with the campers. Levitation Project, a collective of artists, athletes, designers, photographers and cinematographers, also brought up team athletes to support Alyeska’s camp and will be documenting filming participants in action to assist in coaching and instruction. The coaches come from a collection of local forces: the Alyeska Mountain Learning Center, Big Alaska Snowboard and Freeski Club, and Alyeska Ski and Snowboard Club.

One celebrity coach is Alaska local and professional skier Tim Durtschi, who is happy with the upper mountain conditions for camp. “Alyeska was blessed with a lot of snow this winter, which is making it possible to ski full laps on Chair 6, which is great for the kids,” he says, “and when you are this far north, the sun seems to travel at a snail’s pace, staying high in the sky throughout the day.”

“The month of June is typically a non-skiing and snowboarding month, leaving a hole in the freestyle community,” said Josh Lempert, owner and founder of Snow Grind, a company that specializes in snow park design, building and consulting, “With the reinvention of Alyeska’s summer camp and the full support of upper management, we’ve been given an amazing opportunity to build a full mountain jib fest on about two miles worth of terrain accessed by a high-speed quad.”

Camp features include a half pipe, multiple quarter pipes, tables, rails and boxes, along with Alyeska’s plentiful natural terrain spread out over nearly one hundred acres. The goal of camp organizers is to create a safe, fun and kid-friendly environment where participants could improve their skills without crowd pressure or intimidation.

For more information check out www.alyeskaresort.com