When you were still just a wee grom, did you ever have that friend who was lucky enough to get given the golden ticket into camp? We're not talking band camp, space camp, or even rock-n-roll fantasy camp -- we're talking Camp of Champions? Were you jealous that they got to hang out with all the pros and learn all the latest tricks? Did you wait all fall, expecting this so-called friend to start busting out double corks once the snow started falling?

Then again, perhaps you were one of the ones who would find work at camp, maybe volunteering -- or maybe you lucked out and got a paying job as a digger, a cook, or even security. Whatever your story was (or is), there remains one common factor: You came to camp to ride. For about four weeks in July of every year, Whistler is overrun with shreds coming down off the glacier, draining their boots (from the pow turns, not rain), grabbing their other deck to skate at the compound, go paint-balling, you name it. If you've never done it before, take a couple minutes out to scroll through this gallery and imagine how good life can be for a summer shred. Launch Gallery »