Frequently Asked Questions

Q. What age campers do you accept?

A. We welcome all genders ages 9 to 20 at Youth camp. Adult camps are for ages 21 and up. The Workshops are designed for ages 13 and up.

Q. What’s included in the cost of camp?

A. Everything but airfare (Each camper is responsible for booking their own flight into and out of the Portland Airport on the first and last day of their session between 8am and 4pm).

    Transportation from the Portland Airport and back
    Demo equipment (NEW snowboards, boots, and bindings)
    24-hour SuperVision™
    Snowboard lift tickets
    Snowboard coaching
    Access into our private skate parks and Training park at Timberline
    3 meals per day (spending money is recommended, $50-$75 per session for drinks & snacks)
    All camp activities (including whitewater rafting, skateboarding, etc)

Q. Snowboarding in the summertime – are you for real?

A. Yes, we are… Timberline’s Palmer Snowfield hosts North America’s only lift-operated summer snowboarding. They have snow 365 days a year and have been running their lifts for summer skiing for over thirty years. High Cascade has been running snowboard camps on Mt. Hood since 1990, and we’ve never run out of snow.

Q. What makes High Cascade an INCREDIBLE camp?

By snowboarders, For Snowboarders - we have been doing this for over 30 years for a reason; we love snowboarding. we know that there’s something magical about snowboarding on mt. hood in the summer, and we want to share that experience with you. once you experience it, you’ll understand what brings us from all over back to mt. hood every summer.

Best Snow – Timberline (Mt. Hood) is the only summer snowboard area in the United States and the only one in the world that allows moderate usage of salt. The salt preserves our facilities and allows our campers to ride longer in the day and into the late summer. Salt is our way of combatting the hot sun taking all our snow.

Best Facilities – from the world class on-snow facilities serving as the summer traing grounds for the top snowboarders in the world, to our beautiful campus with its legendary skatepark, top-notch mountain biking trails, and not one, but two super tramps, we have the best facilities to offer.

Best Weather – Of the few places in the world where you can snowboard in the summer, Mt. Hood has the most sunny, warm days of them all.

Best Employees – When it comes to staff, we have the cream of the crop. Our employees are better trained, better respected and better rewarded than any snowboard camp staff. Every staff member passes required drug testing, criminal background checks, is CPR/First aid and usoc Safe-sport certified and receives over a week of intense training prior to the start of camp. Roughly 50% of our staff are college graduates, while the other half is working their way through school or chasing their dreams in snowboarding, skateboarding, and endless other passions. Over 80% of our staff return to work at High Cascade each summer.

Q. What is the lodging like?

Located a short ride from Government Camp , our Campus in Welches, Oregon is tucked away snugly at the base of Mount Hood. Cabins at the wy’east Campus are furnished and renovated, each sleeping 8-12 campers, feature hardwood floors in common areas, and their own bathroom. Each cabin on campus overlooks the courtyard, with tons of skate-able and ride-able features, slack lines, tether ball, fire pits, trampolines, and so much more.

Q. What skill level do you need to be to attend HCSC?

A. All skill levels are welcome. All our full-time summer coaches are required to take an AASI level one certification course, ensuring that they are qualified to teach all levels of snowboarding—from complete beginners to experts. Our Soft Start™ program has been specifically designed for never-evers and those who have only tried snowboarding once or twice.

Q: How does it work with so many different ability levels at each session?

A. Campers are placed into small coaching groups with 6-8 campers per coach. These coaching groups are based on ability levels, so that you feel comfortable progressing with riders of similar ability. Before you come to camp you’ll fill out an ability questionnaire which will help us place you in the best possible coaching group. It is important that you fill out the ability form accurately so that you placed in a group appropriate for your ability. If you end up in the wrong group we can move you to a new group as needed.

Q. Which session is the best session to attend?

A. There is no ‘best’ session. Each session has different Signature Session™ Pros, but other than that, you get the same great value Session 1 through 5. Our parks have consistent snow coverage all summer long due to their higher up location on the mountain. The loss of snow as the summer progresses is seen mainly in the public areas of the resort, not in our parks. The majority of the campers at High Cascade spend 99% of their time in our higher elevation parks, so the public terrain available isn’t much of factor to most campers. We do recommend that beginners attend Session 1-3, as that is when Soft Start™ is offered and there is more beginner terrain available.

Q. Do campers ever stay for more than one session?

A. Yes, many campers stay for multiple sessions. Special supervised activities are planned for weekends. The campers will not be snowboarding due to the park being shut down for maintenance. There are dedicated weekend counselors to cover supervision, lodging, meals ,and activities.

Q. What’s the weather like on Mt. Hood?

A. The weather on Mt. Hood is generally very nice but can be unpredictable. When snowboarding at Mt. Hood in the summer it is best to layer up as the mornings can be brisk and the afternoons warm. (The first session during the beginning of June may be colder and require heavier gear.) Late in the summer the temperatures on campus can reach over 90 degrees. The majority of the time it is shorts weather, but be sure to pack pants, sweatshirts and additional layers for cool evening weather and varying on-snow conditions.

Check out conditions at Timberline, the ski area where our parks are located.

Q. Should I bring my snowboard and skateboard?

A. It is up to you! You can bring your own snowboard equipment and helmet if you have them—especially if you are comfortable with your setup. HCSC has a full Demo center with complimentary snowboards, boots, and bindings from our sponsors to demo if you would prefer to try something new. All demo equipment is FREE to campers and you can ride the same set-up all session long, or try out new stuff each day. Using demo equipment is a great idea if you don’t want to hassle with checking a board bag or pay extra baggage fees. If you would like to skateboard, please bring a skateboard and helmet. We do not have demo skateboard equipment.

Q. What should I bring to camp?

A. See the list of what to bring in the Camp Guide.

Q. What airport should I fly into?

A. Portland International Airport. Portland, Oregon. Airport code: PDX.

Q. How far is High Cascade from the Airport?

A. About a one-hour drive.

Q. When should I arrive for my session?

A. Please make plans to arrive on the first day of your session (Sunday). The first and last days of each session are travel days, and there is no snowboarding. If you are flying, please book flights to arrive on Sunday, the first day of your session, at PDX between 8am and 4pm and to depart on Saturday, the last day of your session, between 8am and 4pm. Flights booked outside this window will be charged a transportation fee.

Q. How are youth campers supervised?

A. Experienced adult counselors live in camper housing with campers. A maximum of ten campers are assigned to each counselor for campers 15 or older. For campers under age 15, each counselor is assigned to eight or fewer campers. All activities on-snow and off-snow are supervised at a maximum ratio of eight campers per staff member. HCSC employs a full-time registered nurse who is on call 24 hours a day.

Q: What is your policy on drugs and alcohol?

A. We enforce a zero tolerance policy at High Cascade when it comes to drugs and alcohol. Any camper (or staff) caught having anything to do with drugs or alcohol at camp will be sent home.

Q. What happens if a camper gets hurt?

A. We have a nurse on-site 24 hours a day. If your child is sick or injured our nurse will assess the illness or injury to determine if additional outside care is needed. If a camper needs to go to a hospital, they will most likely be transported to Mt.Hood Medical in Gresham, OR.

Q. What does ‘Grom’ mean?

A. Our 9-12 year olds are referred to as “Groms” Short for ‘grommet’ this term was once a way to describe young surfers, but now has crossed into snowboarding, skateboarding and other ‘action sports’. Basically it’s endearing term for the ‘younglings’ participating in action sports.

Q. What is your ‘Grom Program’?

A. The Grom Program at High Cascade is our way of accommodating our campers, ages 9-12. Although campers mature at different ages, we’ve recognized that our youngest campers ages 9-12 need more supervision and structure than our older campers. Extra check-in points, smaller SuperVision™ ratios, and earlier curfews are just some of the ways our groms are accounted for at camp. Each session there is a minimum of one Grom cabin.

Q. Are cell phones allowed?

A. Yes, campers are allowed to bring cell phones. All major cell phone providers receive service on Mt. Hood, and are permitted at camp. However, Cell phones are kept with counselors at bedtime. We’ve found that “lights out” works best when campers do not have their cell phones in bed with them. Texting and talking to parents during evening downtime, when campers are tired, can feed feelings of homesickness. In addition, cell phone usage is very disruptive to other campers trying to sleep.

Parents are expected to help foster a positive camp environment by enabling parental content and safety controls in their camper’s phone settings. Viewing, creating, and/or distributing content of a vulgar, violent, or sexual nature is not allowed and may be cause for expulsion from camp, with no refunds or credits given. Please help us out by contacting our office immediately if you become aware that your camper sent, received, or viewed any inappropriate digital content.

Q. What is The Staff Sale™?

A. Each session High Cascade’s staff and visiting pros sell their new and used gear at the legendary Staff Sale™. It’s kind of like a snowboard flea market – deals of the century can be found on new and used boards, boots, bindings, goggles, clothes and accessories. Since this is a flea market setting with staff members selling their personal items, only venmo, paypal, cashapp, etc. are accepted. money ‘needed’ for the camp sale ranges anywhere from $0-$500 depending on what you’re shopping for.

Q. How much spending money is needed?

A. All meals and activities are included in the cost of camp so the only extra spending money you may want would be for snacks and drinks and for any extra shopping. $50-$75 would be more than sufficient for snacks and drinks for a session. If your camper wants to participate in the Staff sale, that number will be more.

Q: Does High Cascade offer Travel Insurance?

A. At this time, we do not offer travel insurance. although, we highly recommend using a 3rd party insurance agency to cover any losses you may incur.

Q. What is the deposit required to register?

A. All registrations require a 25% deposit at the time of registration. Payment plans are available.

Q. When are final payments due?

A. All payment must be received in full by May 15! This is made easily by our Payment Plans! For certain situations, payment extensions can be granted when pre-arranged and authorized.