COMP - Freeride Camp 2.1
This is the second year that Golden Alpine Holidays has hosted a Freeride Camp with skiing superstar Eric Hjorleifson and uber guide Russ Lybarger. The camps are set up in 3 and 4 day tours over two weeks in early December and based out of the Sunrise Lodge in the Esplanade Range east of Rogers Pass.
What's a freeride camp you might ask? The GAH camp is designed to provide the average backcountry enthusiast with "an educational experience based on a culmination of mountain knowledge and avalanche awareness with emphasis on the fusion of ski touring & freeride touring techniques". What it means is that you've got some of the most experienced and talented backcountry enthusiasts for 4 days to pick their brains, get feedback on technique, bounce ideas off, and chill out with.
Monday morning we arrived by Helicopter at the Sunrise Cabin. After a couple of hours of beacon training we were skinning up and ripping down the nearby slopes. The conditions in the Esplanades were near perfect with fresh snow on a deep, well settled snowpack. We skied from sun up to sundown milking the experience for all it was worth. As the days progressed our posse distilled with some choosing bigger objectives and some slightly shorter days. 
Each line we rode we discussed the snow conditions, safety zones, sluff management strategies, and group management. We shared ideas on lines, take offs, landings, creativity and anything else shred related. Our group included Pep Fujas who was more than happy to show us his skills and share his expansive knowledge of freeriding.
An added bonus to the camp was the 4FRNT and Dynafit sponsorship which meant you could try out a pair of Hoji skis for a day, set up by the master himself. For those who haven't experienced a true powder or charging ski this was a great opportunity.
Without any doubt this was the best way to start the season. Learned a whole bunch, had some of the best touring you could hope for, skied with lots of other great skiers from all over the continent, ate gobs of food (2 breakfasts and 2 dinners each day) and got to hang out with a great bunch of people.
If time and money permit in the future I will be very keen to do this again. It was an incredible experience, helped by the best early season conditions in memory.