Thrasher Magazine

If Vítoria Mendonça back Smiths in the woods and nobody's around to hear it…

The Element team and Polo invited 13 skaters from around the world to one of the most epic pieces of concrete nestled in the Pacific Northwest. Our first stop was at Seek Skate Camp, a skater's paradise located in Mt. Hood National Forest. The goal was to expose skaters to a week of four-wheeled and wilderness adventures. There was a hiking trip and a nature sustainability course with Oregon's finest, Silas Baxter-Neal. We also got a natural clothing-dye class with Emi from Rain and Shine Textiles, where she taught us how to use plants, flowers and pine cones to color clothing. Then I had the privilege of teaching an analog photo class. From camp to the woods and out to the city, we eventually made our way to Portland's crown jewel under the Burnside Bridge. All the campers enjoyed the elements the Pacific Northwest could offer and left with memories they will have for a lifetime.Thanks to the Element Family and Polo for this amazing opportunity. Get a look at what all went down. —Joe Brook.

Photos by Joe Brook and Conny Mirbach

Straight off the plane, Jaakko Ojanen boosts a backside ollie as his teammates look on

New pro Vítoria Mendonça with a hefty big flip on the bank

Alexander Wex seeks out a rainbow grind

Donny Barley pivots to fakie in nature's solitude

Two rippers, Jaakko Ojanen and Gabriel Fortunato, setting up shred sleds to get down

A SOTY in his natural habitat, getting ready to take the team and campers on a nature hike

Silas teaches the campers about the diversity of Oregon forests and introduces them to a few edible species of plants along the way

The Element squad and campers getting ready to stargaze

Camper Leo Turner flicks a fat kickflip over the hip

Jaakko Ojanen back lips a full-size picnic table with a little help from the tree roots

Greyson Beal understands the vibes of skating rocks, backside noseblunt

Wannes Derycke pole jam one-foot tailgrabs a long way from Holland

Rafaela Costa, back 180 pole jam 

The author teaching the campers about analog photography

Vítoria listening to me tell skate stories from my early days at SLAP up to the present at Thrasher

Me and Beal looking at Greyson's photos he shot around Seek Camp

Photos from the camper's reloadedable point-and-shoot cameras. They did an amazing job. I hope they continue to document their lives after camp

Elisa Martini, checking out the flicks she got

Genshin Harada getting ready to exchange some prints with the fellow campers

Next we got a DIY warmup with the Element crew

East Coast beast Donny Barley is not afraid to front 5-0 on some fresh Northwest concrete

Vítoria busts a bluntside

Takanosuke Hashimoto with a proper frontside flip

Jaakko snaps big v-heel on a tight bank

Westgate comes correct with a textbook kickflip

Emi from Rain and Shine Textiles teaches the campers her natural dying techniques

Class is in session, ya'll

Some of the plants were used to make patterns on natural-cotton bandanas

Campers hard at work using rocks to make the plant colors bleed into the cotton fabric

Then they used vats of hot water and pinecones to naturally dye the shirts

Rocks + plants to make art on fabrics was a very primitive and enjoyable process for us all. It's fun to learn new things

Previewing some product on the drying rack

I’m not just a photographer, but also a certified natural-dye guy

Of course we had to pay homage to our local, humble bridge park. Greyson Beal kicks it off with an alley-oop FSO at B-side

Genshin Harada aka Pen Pen backside sugarcanes a long way from Japan

Back at camp, Leo Turner front blunts the natty QP

Greyson Beal follows up with a back noseblunt

And finally, Moses Nour shut down the scene with a serene melon grab

Element and Polo Camp's last day. Like I said, everyone was walkin’ away with memories that will last a lifetime. Thanks to the Element family and Polo for this amazing opportunity. Hopefully see y’all next year