The Top Places to Snowboard in the Summer Time

Mt Hood, OR--Perhaps the place for American snowboarding over the summer months. There are a number of places to stay while at Mt. Hood, but one good location is Windells -- a Snowboard Camp, Skateboard Camp, Ski Camp, and Winter Camp all rolled into one.

Windells Camp at Mt. Hood is the place for snowboard, ski and skate camps -- winter, spring and summer. They host camps for kids and adults of all ages and abilities. Their camp environment allows for just the right amount of independence, while maintaining superior levels of safety and supervision. Windells Camp has plentiful snow, a 12,000 square-foot indoor recreation and training facility, tons of activities, and a friendly staff.

Glacier Snowboard Camps, Canada--Located in the heart of beautiful Whistler, BC Canada, Glacier Snowboard Camps is by far the best deal for anyone looking to improve their snowboarding and have a great time while doing it. They pride themselves on being a smaller, more personal summer snowboard camp. Unlike other summer snowboard camp owners, these owners are up on the glacier everyday to make sure the camp's terrain is the best it can possibly be, and that every snowboarder is having a wonderful time.

Switzerland--Austria's European equal in offering summer snowboarding facilities. The Swiss boast a number of great destinations which provide half-pipes or funparks; and like everything else in Switzerland, they are of the very highest standard. One of the main places to check out is Saas-Fee, which boasts to having Europe's only all-year-round half-pipe and terrain park. Loads of pro riders hold camp here.

SAAS-FEE

Saas-Fee has been a well-known resort to snowboarders for many years. With its high altitude glacier, Saas-Fee also provides a mountain where you can ride fast and hard in the summer months. Indeed for some here, summer is the best time to visit Saas-Fee. The glacier opens in early July until September, with access to 20km of runs and a terrain park with kickers, ¼ pipe, tabletops, rails and a half-pipe. A lift pass will set you back 60CHF a day.

ICERIPPER

Iceripper Summer Camp has been running camps here since 1988 and has gained a good reputation. There's instruction for freestyle from half-pipe to rails, and room for beginners. In the afternoons there is fine wakeboarding, climbing, tennis, golf, mountain biking, and ice hockey. 590CHF gets you 6 nights Bed+Breakfast accommodation with 5 days riding and instruction, and yes, even a T-shirt. The camp has half-pipe, big airs, corner, rails, chairlift, drag lift, skatepark and some great snowside tunes with an occasional BBQ. www.iceripper.com

ZERMATT

Zermatt has the largest summer boarding area in Switzerland, high up on the Klein Matterhorn. The glacier opens in June until September and there is a number of easy/intermediate runs, all serviced by t-bars and a terrain park.

The Gravity Park has a series of kickers and rails and a super-pipe alongside the lift. A lift pass will cost you 60CHF, but the area is only open from 7:30 to 1:30pm; you need to get up early before it starts getting slushy. In the afternoon you can even take a look at the worlds highest ice pavilion at 3,810m (11,430 feet) if you're so inclined.

STOKED Summer Camp

Stoked runs 2 weeks of summer camps in July. A 6-night package including tuition, accommodation, lift pass etc. will set you back 630 euros. For more info take a look at www.stoked.ch

In most cases, lodging is available at or near the base area of the slopes.

Las Lenas Ski Resort, Argentina

Trails

More than sixty kilometers of runs provide skiers and snowboarders of all abilities with descents of varying difficulties, from a height of 11,253 feet above sea level to the base at elevation of 7,349 feet. The vertical drop of the lift-served in-bounds area of Las Lenas ski resort is a hefty 4,035 feet, with gradients ranking from 12% to 53%.

Chairlifts

Built in 1983, Las Lenas boasts the most modern lift system in South America. Lift lines are extremely rare at Las Lenas, since the mountain has 16 modern ski lifts that allow a total uphill capacity of 9,200 skiers per hour. Ski lifts are named after Roman and Greek Gods: Venus, Eros, Minerva, Vesta, Vulcano, Jupiter, Apolo, Neptuno, Mercurio, Caris, Selene, Juno, Iris, Marte, Urano, and Cenidor. Lifts run nonstop from 9am to 5pm daily.

These aren't the only good summertime snowboarding locations, but they are certainly some of the world's best.