Year 53 Developing champions since 1975
Overemphasize to trivialize.
Trails, hikes, and runs in the wilderness: a week of growth for ages 13–18.
- Session 1July 11–17
- Session 2July 18–24
Registration opens the morning of January 1, 2027
Let obstacles make you better, not bitter.
Camp at a glance
This unique camp is designed to give campers (ages 13–18) a realistic wilderness running and camping experience. To enjoy and respect wilderness beauty through running, hiking and exploring at high altitude are the major objectives of this camp.
Group and individual instruction will be given in all areas of distance training and racing, with emphasis on performance improvement through self reliance, personal accountability and teamwork strategies.
To enhance personal growth, campers must be willing to leave the conveniences of town behind for the week: no phones, tablets, or screens of any kind, just the mountain.
From the founder
Words from Harland
Camp founder Harland Yriarte (Basqueo-1 on the camp radio) has been firing up campers on the mountain since 1975. Have a listen.
Flatland America, you sort of look like what Flatland America wants you to look like. And that's not always real. It's something like sometimes you think you ought to be, but maybe you can't be. But maybe you're really trying to be, and then you never are. There's something about up here that makes you real. Really real.
Don't medicate it. That's a cast. You need to embrace that, even if it hurts, even if it hurts mentally. Get through it.
You don't have to be strong when you are not. It may take time to make sense of all your thoughts. It may take time to make sense of all your thoughts. But don't fight your tears, because there's freedom in every drop.
I could have managed the pain that way, I could have deflected the pain that way, I could have been addicted that way. And I chose, I chose, I chose to utilize the God-given strength that each and every one of you have in your bodies to manage whatever it is that comes your way.
Cross country is life. There's no doubt about it. I've done all those other sports. Every one of those sports taught me a little bit about how to manage life's expectations, and how to get through and over obstacles, that you did yesterday in the form of logs, rocks, downhill creeks.
One step after another, you'll make it out. You'll make it out. One step after another, you'll make it out. You'll make it out. One step after another, you make it back here. You make it back here. Just like you will in life. Whatever your home ends up being in life. You'll make it out. One step after another, you'll make it.
This is what I notice all the time: there's always more in the tank. What did your teammates that live in Flatland America do yesterday, that aren't here? I'm not sure. You might not even know. But I bet one thing: they didn't do what you did. What about your rivals in your league? What did they do yesterday? I bet they didn't do what you did yesterday.
You know what decision you're going to make this year? The right one. The right one. The tough one. I can do it. I will do it. I'll push my way through, and I'll get to that eye of the hurricane. Tough to go through the actual wind, but if you push through, you'll get to that calm spot. Find that calm spot.
You are what you believe. You always will be what you believe. Positive or negative? All those emotions are self-fulfilling prophecies. Your choice. Your choice.
The sixth girl allowed them to win the blue trophy. Never allow yourself to go, “Well, I'm just this, I'm just this on the team.” No. You are the most important person on that team.
You see the beauty of nature, or the viciousness of nature, it doesn’t discriminate. If you jump off a cliff, you’re probably going to die, male or female.
But it’s when things get tough at the end, it’s when you get the uphill, just like life sometimes. Life’s uphill sometimes. Life’s like this and then this and then like this, like this. The way you get through those uphills is one step at a time. Maybe it’s one step at a time and rest a little bit, two steps at a time and rest a little bit.
Whatever it is that you take, or drink, or swallow, is called encouragement. It’s called giving somebody that best needs it at that moment a really nice helium balloon to lift them up. Words that lift, not words that, “Boy, you really look bad.”
Put a smile on your face. You see, your mind does not know the difference. What it does know is if you’re smiling, your body is probably gonna feel a little bit better. When you’re frowning, that’s a self-fulfilling prophecy.
When you get to that point where you don’t think you can make it anymore, find another person and help each other out. Words, words of encouragement. Words that lift, not sink. Keep a smile, because after all…
2025 - Team Building, Pushing Personal Limits, and New Friendships - Plus an Epic Rain Storm
XC mentality: I can run any course, any hill, in any weather, against any opponent, at any time.
- Homer (AK) Girls State Champs! Boys 3rdGirls 1st 157pts, more than double 2nd place. Boys Tied for a close 3rd, difference between 1st and fourth was only 52 pts
Your job is to take the hand you were dealt in life and maximize it in such a way that it enhances the people around you. You were dealt it for a reason.
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Gear for all conditions, from the Big Day to Cross Canyon.
Photos
Every session, every day
Thousands of photos from camp, going back years. Download, share, and print at will.