Yes, you can snowboard in the summer. And you don't have to go to the ends of the earth to do it. Just buy a plane ticket to Portland, Oregon, and get yourself to Mt. Hood, a little over an hour's drive from the airport. Hit the slopes at , where you can also rest your head ($135 a night for a “chalet small” in August; ). The lodge, whose exterior is featured in the 1980 film , is mid-way to the summit, and you'll be grateful for the spectacular view of the mountain when you're sitting on the outdoor patio, nursing a beer after a long, hard day of riding. Depending on the amount of snow left over from earlier seasons, the green runs may or may not be open, so your best bets are the Magic Mile (blue), the Palmer (black), and the park and pipe. No need to shy away, even if you're a beginner; the Magic Mile's a good place to get your boarding legs. When you're done riding for the day, check out the local scene down-mountain at , where you can scarf a then head to for $2 beer and a game of Horseshoes out back.
OUTFITTED: Whether you're a newbie or veteran snowboarder, High Cascade will teach you new tricks. (I went from zero boarding experience to running a black diamond in four days, with the help of one of their coaches, while the rest of the students worked on nailing moves in the park and pipe.) HCSC runs two–soon to be three–week-long snowboarding sessions for adults in the summer ($1,950 for lodging, meals, coaching, demos, lift tickets, and groundtransportation; ). It's basically a camp for grown-ups (group housing, communal dining, outdoor activities), led by highly experienced, effective coaches.
–Aileen Torres
Photos courtesy of High CascadeSnowboard Camp