The iconic spring skiing event at Mount Hood calls it quits after a memorable ten years

Ecclesiastes teaches us that there is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens. For the past ten years, the first week of May has been the time to head for Mount Hood for the West Coast Session, an unconventional and improbable ski event that has become a cult classic for many of the world’s top young skiers.

Text by West Coast Session

It has been a time of joy for the hundreds of skiers, filmers, photographers and fans who have flocked to the slopes of Hood to enjoy the Session’s offerings: next-level terrain features in the parks at Timberline, unparalleled accommodation and skate facilities at Windell’s Camp, and a week of uninhibited shredding, filming and pleasant evenings in good company.

Alas, this time has now found its end: in 2016, the tenth anniversary of the West Coast Session was also its last iteration. But the final WCS went out in fine fashion, with a bigger crew than ever before (close to a hundred invited skiers and media), a massive 85-foot private jump at Timberline, and a mountain full of other diversions for the freestyle-minded.

They came, they saw, they shredded. From the huge money booter, to the Down-Flat-Down to S challenge rail, to the sidecountry “Guac Bowl” feature, to the skate parks at Windell’s — WCS10 lacked no amenities for fun-having.

After a week full of action, WCS10 concluded on Friday, May 6 with a raucous Closing Ceremonies which honored the best performers of the week. Here are the “winners” of WCS10 — although at this event, everyone is a winner.

Instagram contest winners:

#WCS180: Mike King – 180 taipan tweak

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A post shared by WestCoastSession (@westcoastsession) on May 10, 2016 at 9:12am PDT

#WCSgrab: Maks Gorham – 360 cuban

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A post shared by WestCoastSession (@westcoastsession) on May 12, 2016 at 9:09am PDT

#WCSgrind: Charlie Lasser – 270 out of the DFD-S

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@dubscoops is the winner of the #wcs10 #wcsgrind challenge with this offer on the DFD-S challenge rail @timberline_freestyle

A post shared by WestCoastSession (@westcoastsession) on May 16, 2016 at 11:22am PDT

#WCScork: Stainus

#WCS10: Reed Lewis – Double front flip Superman

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@bmosreedlewis is the winner of the #wcs10 Insta challenge – best overall Instagram post from West Coast Session 10. Congrats BMOS!

A post shared by WestCoastSession (@westcoastsession) on May 15, 2016 at 5:33pm PDT

WCS10 Award winners:

Rookie Presented by PICTURE: Corey Jackson (Runner-up: Ethan Swadburg)
King Meat: Reed Lewis (Runner-up: Dean Bercovitch)
All Day Syndrome: Max Moffatt
Repeat Offender: Pako Benguerel
The Worm: Evan Lai-Hipp (Runner-up: Blaine)
Best Trick: Colby Stevenson — triple cork 1440 / 270 on, front swap, pretzel 450 on the DFD-S
MVP: Colby Stevenson

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A post shared by WestCoastSession (@westcoastsession) on Jun 10, 2016 at 9:59am PDT

WCS10 may be over, but we aren’t quite finished offering yet — team edits and shots from our Photo Contest will still be dropping at westcoastsession.com and on our social channels throughout the summer, so stay tuned.

“It’s been an incredible ten years of Sessions, and now it’s time for us to quit while we’re ahead,” says WCS founder Ethan Stone. “I can’t believe the following we have gathered and all of the support that has grown behind this event. We never could have made it happen without everyone who rallied alongside us to make WCS what is is — so thank you, you know who you are.”

The West Coast Session is very thankful to the hosts and sponsors of WCS10: Timberline, Windell’s Camp, PICTURE Organic Clothing, Hillcrest Sports, Treefort Lifestyles, Pisten Bully, Buff and Wizardz Wax.