12 camps to consider for the summer & fall of 2022

With the snow melting (or completely gone) and the end of the school year approaching rapidly, it is time to figure out where to train this summer – and with who. If you are really on top of it, you may already be thinking about the fall camps. 

Here is some good news: Ski Racing Media is here to help. Our Camp Directory features twelve of the best camps out there. Ranging from Vermont to Oregon to Europe, Every camp in our directory is unique – there is an option for everyone. Most are on-snow with a dryland component. One camp is strictly off-snow with a focus on sports fitness. Every camp offers phenomenal summer and/or fall training options. Check out the camps below to see what is right for you.

Austria Racing Camps – Hugo Nindl
Stubai, AUT; Hintertux, AUT, Skidome Neuss, GER & Kühtai, AUT

Austria Racing Camps holds camps throughout the year at multiple venues in Austria and at an indoor training facility in Germany. These camps are open to athletes from the age of seven through eighteen. 

World Cup stars like Mikaela Shiffrin have attended this camp, likely because of the quality coaching and training locations. Everything the camp staff does and everywhere the camp trains supports the development concepts Austrian Racing Camps knows to work. The camp leaders are always looking for ways to be innovative and improve, determined to provide the best camp experience possible – on and off of snow. 

The ultimate goal is to help athletes improve and increase their speed. If you’re looking for a camp in Europe with various locations and sessions, this is one to check out. 

Cardigan Summer Ski Camp 
Mount Hood, OR

Cardigan Mountain School’s single-session Mount Hood summer ski camp happens in June.

Cardigan focuses explicitly on the U14 to U16 age groups. Their coaches and staff have extensive experience teaching, coaching, and guiding kids at these ages and they know what works. They provide a structured environment, which promotes achievement by inspiring kids and rewarding effort, particularly for motivated student-athletes.

With the high-quality coaching staff, which includes Julia Ford, and a low athlete to coach ratio, Cardigan gives athletes the attention and dedication that campers deserve. 

Cardigan keeps it fun and provides valued structure. Campers explore Oregon, hiking, playing games, and participating in dryland activities when they are not crushing it on the slopes. 

ELITEAM: Off-Snow Mind & Body Training Camp
Killington, VT

ELITEAM is a comprehensive fitness camp designed for high-energy young athletes across all sports. With two summer sessions in Vermont at Killington Mountain School, by design ELITEAM’s program is fun, effective and educational. 

At ELITEAM, athletes train their bodies and their minds. They race slalom dryland courses, take on sandpits, do ski-specific exercises, play field sports, hike, do USST workouts and so many other fun, challenging activities. It doesn’t end there – daily notebook sessions cover the fundamentals of sports physiology, psychology and nutrition. Campers even learn how to fuel themselves better with cooking classes and a nutrition workshop. 

This is an excellent option for anyone who wants to experience beautiful Vermont in the summer, alongside other motivated athletes. It has been proven effective – quite a few former and current US Ski Teamers have attended. 

Erich Sailer Ski Racing Camps
Mount Hood, OR

Sailer is a household name in ski racing, and some even say he pioneered summer ski racing in North America. Sailer’s camps have a long-established history on Mount Hood, offering many sessions to choose from during the season. 

Erich Sailer Ski Camps, by design, accommodate a wide range of ability levels – from young ski racers who are just getting started to national-caliber junior champions. Their impressive coaching staff allows them to offer this type of range – including Erich Sailer himself, Olympians like Sarah Schleper, Division I NCAA collegiate champs and more. 

Sailer’s camps have on-site support from a ski shop that tunes skis, repairs equipment and has loaner skis. This is a bonus on Mount Hood, as the glacier snow can be tough on skis. 

For more information on Sailer’s camps, visit their directory page here. 

Gould Academy U14/U16 On-Snow Alpine Training Camp
Les Deux Alpes, FRA

In June, Gould Academy will host a summer camp in Les Deux Alpes, France. As a Maine prep school known for its competitive ski program, they know what it takes to get kids skiing fast over the summer. They also know how important it is to experience the culture of different places and emphasize skiing and cultural education The camp takes full advantage of what Les Deux Alps offers. 

Located right in the Les Deux village, campers can walk to everything. When they are not skiing, they explore, swim, play sports, and more. 

Gould Academy is a camp that builds technical skills, fosters solid friendships, and working relationships, and provides cultural education for athletes.

Keely’s Camp for Girls
Mount Hood, OR; Jackson Hole, WY; Galena Lodge, ID

Keely Kelleher believes that every girl deserves to work with a female coach. However, Keely only had male coaches growing up and she noticed that she was one of the few female coaches on the hill when she began her coaching career.

Keely, who has a top 20 World Cup result on her resume and years of coaching experience, identified that female coaches are hugely underrepresented in sports, including ski racing. Her idea for Keely’s Camp for Girls originated from this gender inequality. Her camp not only effectively creates space for female athletes on Mount Hood, but it also provides opportunities for female coaches in a traditionally male-dominated space. 

Keely’s Camps are not exclusive to the Mount Hood Ski Racing Camp, there are three other programs that run over the summer: Mount Hood Ski Touring and Steep Skiing Camp, Idaho Mountain Biking Camp and Jackson Hole Kayaking Camp. All feature female coaches, who often become mentors to their campers.

There are six sessions at Keely’s Mount Hood Ski Racing Camp, running from June through July. All offer quality training, video analysis, dryland activities and inspirational speeches from notable female coaches and athletes.

Ligety Weibrecht Ski Camp
Mount Hood, OR

Ted Ligety and Andrew Weibrecht have been putting their Olympic medals to use on Mount Hood at their very own camp since the summer of 2006. 

They are not the only world-class coaches or athletes that have worked at this camp – the list includes names like McJames, Chodounsky, Kasper, Nyman, Marno, Biesemeyer, Delaney, Ballard, Veenis, Anderson and Mahre. 

There is a lot to learn from experienced athletes-turned-coaches, including their experiences while they were working hard to be their best, just like their campers. They share personal anecdotes about their ski racing careers, including how they mentally prepare, the ins and outs of equipment, fitness, nutrition, teamwork and more. They know what it takes to become a world-class competitor and are ready to help their campers get there.

Of course, they also know how important it is to keep it fun. The camp dryland activities include hiking, soccer, swimming, and the option to go white water rafting and mountain biking. 

Finally, Ligety Weibrecht Camp is looking for coaches with a bus CDL that is excited at the prospect of joining their crew. 

Mount Hood Summer Ski Camps (MHSSC)
Mount Hood, OR

Mount Hood Summer Ski Camps have been operating on Mount Hood since 1979, which confirms they have a quality operation. 

MHSSC values the basics of ski racing, focusing on improving on the fundamentals, finding speed, video sessions and quality training. They work hard to make their campers better skiers without compromising their fun.

Outside of skiing, campers get to experience the best that Oregon offers. This includes whitewater rafting, rock climbing, mountain biking, field sports, etc. Based in Government Campy (Govy), the campus is in a convenient location, making those early mornings on the glacier seem easy. 

National Alpine Ski Camps (NASC)
Mount Hood, OR; Copper Mountain, CO

NASC offers summer sessions at Mount Hood, Oregon and a fall training camp at Copper Mountain, Colorado.

Endorsed by the legendary Eric Schlopy and Deb Armstrong, NASC prides itself on its inclusive, fun and productive camp culture. Their campus in Oregon is directly on the Salmon River, an excellent location for access to activities on and off snow, including (but not limited to) mountain biking, field sports, windsurfing trips and more. Their fall Copper camp is conveniently located slopeside – a huge perk in Colorado, particularly at that time of year. 

Another important and unique NASC fact – the food is incredible. Food is fuel, but it can be hard for growing, active young athletes to get enough nutrition on the mountain, mainly when they spend so much time in the sun on the mountain. To combat this, NASC has a professional chef who keeps taste and nutrition in mind, providing food that campers enjoy eating, even early before morning training sessions. 

NASC keeps its camp on the smaller side to ensure quality. They keep camp to coach ratios small and place a considerable emphasis on the safety and well-being of their campers. 

Okemo Mountain School (OMS) Summer On-Snow Camp
Mount Hood, OR

Okemo Mountain School is traveling from its home location in Vermont to take a trip across the country to train on Mount Hood, Oregon. This summer the camp will run from the end of June through the middle of July. 

The experienced, professional staff has developed a curriculum that allows athletes to experience significant improvement at the OMS summer camp. The coaches are committed to athlete development and athletes get to enjoy their favorite activities in beautiful Oregon. 

Coaches can give athletes a lot of attention due to the low coach to athlete ratio – an important factor in developing technical skills. Moreover, athletes will have help to improve their ski tuning abilities and valuable access to video analysis. 

OL SkiRacing School
Mount Hood, OR; Vail, CO

OL SkiRacing School defines itself as “higher education for ski racers.” Furthermore, OL has a strong focus on the mind game of ski racing because they know it can make or break an athlete’s performance. 

So, they look for coaches who are comfortable with thinking outside of the box. This, combined with passion, created the perfect cocktail for campers to develop their skiing to their full potential.

OL also works hard to nurture a supportive culture where every athlete feels as important as the fastest skier on the hill, regardless of ability. Everyone matters. OL also knows that rest is essential, so while they do schedule dryland and fun activities, they make sure that campers also get plenty of time to relax after skiing. 

Some super fast skiers have attended OL camps, including a few current US Ski Team members.

OL holds camps in Mount Hood in the summer and Vail in the fall. Their summer sessions take place in July, while their fall camp is scheduled for a week in November. 

Waterville Valley Academy (WVBBTS) Hintertux Camp
Hintertux, AUT

Waterville Valley Academy (WVBBTS) is hosting a camp in Hintertux, Austria this June. 

This trip is a wonderful opportunity for athletes to get out of the US and experience a new culture and country, all while improving in their favorite sport. The camp’s philosophy is to develop the individual athletes at their own pace and instill a work ethic technically on the slopes and athletically through daily conditioning. 

Off the snow, campers will participate in dryland conditioning and video analysis. They also will get the chance to explore, hike and even see the Kitzbuehel Streif – an important landmark in the ski racing world. 

If you are a camp, academy, or club and are interested in participating in any of our directory programs, please reach out to [email protected] for more information.