Shaun White Helps Launch U.S. Olympic Talent Search At Mount Hood's High Cascade & Windells

High Cascade Snowboard Camp and Windells Freeski Camp today announced a partnership with U.S. Ski & Snowboard to host Project Gold – a national talent identification program focused on mentoring the country's top up-and-coming snowboard and freeski athletes. The inaugural session will take place June 15–21, 2025, at the camps' facility within the Wy'East Mountain Academy campus on Mount Hood, just outside Government Camp, Oregon. Three-time Olympic gold medalist Shaun White will join the session on June 17 to work with athletes and coaches, sharing insights from his own youth development journey and Olympic experience.

Project Gold brings together 60 of the country's top junior athletes for a week of Olympic-caliber coaching, progression-based training, and evaluation by U.S. Ski & Snowboard's elite coaches. The program represents a key step in bridging the grassroots culture of summer camps with the structure of the national team pathway, providing early exposure for athletes who may represent the United States at future Olympic Games.

This year's session will also mark the debut of the camps' new landing bag, an Olympic-caliber dry slope and airbag training system designed by Austria-based Banger Bags and generously funded by parents of a Wy'East Mountain Academy alumnus. Located on Wy'East Mountain Academy's 28-acre campus, the world-class landing bag includes a 30-foot-wide adjustable takeoff ramp with jump distances ranging from 30 to 60 feet and a landing zone over 100 feet in length. The system will be used by Project Gold athletes this June before opening to a broader group of campers this summer.

Athletes participating in Project Gold will have a unique opportunity to learn directly from one of the sport's all-time greats when Shaun White visits camp on Tuesday, June 17. White will meet with the group to share lessons from his own path to Olympic success and offer advice on navigating the sport's evolving landscape. White recently launched The Snow League, the first professional winter sports league dedicated to snowboarding and freeskiing, which includes a new revolutionary head-to-head format and more unified competitive schedule, allowing the next generation of athletes to excel.

"This is a key moment for developing talent here in the U.S.," said White. "We've always had incredible young riders, and now we have the infrastructure and partnerships to help them grow at home—starting at the grassroots level. High Cascade and Windells have been part of the foundation of snowboarding and freeskiing for decades, and Project Gold builds on that legacy by giving the next generation the tools, coaching, and opportunity to dream big and go far."

Athletes invited to Project Gold by U.S. Ski & Snowboard were selected based on their performances in the Revolution Tour, Futures Tour, and USASA National Championships. Additional invitees were selected based on prior-season eligibility and developmental potential.

"Project Gold gives our national team coaches the chance to work with athletes in a true development-first setting," said Anouk Patty, U.S. Ski & Snowboard Chief of Sport. "It's not about results—it's about long-term progression, relationship building, and identifying athletes with the skills and mindset to succeed at the highest level."

A youth athlete's journey often begins at High Cascade and Windells weeklong summer snowboard and freeski camps, held on the year round snowfield at Mt. Hood. The camps welcome riders of all levels – from young beginners learning to link turns in the Soft Start™ program to competitive athletes in the Performance Focus™ training track. With six sessions each summer, campers ride, train, and build community alongside experienced coaches, Signature Session™ pros, and like-minded peers. As athletes grow, they have opportunities to stay for multiple sessions, enroll at Wy'East Mountain Academy, and ultimately earn invitations to Project Gold, where the pathway to Team USA becomes a real possibility.

The June session will be led by a combination of the Hydro Flask U.S. Snowboard Team, Stifel U.S. Freeski Team, High Cascade, and Windells coaching staff, including Leah Stroud, Mike Lund, Ryan Conway, Eric Beauchemin, Danny Kass, Mike Ramirez, Stan Wu, Dave Euler, Ryan Wyble, Ryan Carey, Niko Drew, Mike Riddle. In addition to their on-snow responsibilities, coaches will focus on developing trust, assessing long-term growth potential, and connecting with athletes who could rise through the national team ranks in the years ahead.