Snowkiting - what will this year bring???

Daily Wind forecasts, questions about weather, gear, locations, etc.

Snowkiting - what will this year bring???

Postby Kenny » Mon Oct 16, 2006 9:14 pm

The past couple of years we have received most of our snow from the Pineapple express (storms coming up from S. CA). This resulted in rain or slush at lower elevations and really good snowfall above 7000 feet. If we were to have more typical storm patterns coming out of the north, a whole lot more terrain could open up at lower elevations.

A few years ago I had some great sessions on the west side of the valley and at the point of the mountain. Trapper's Loop and a lot of the terrain around Snowbasin could open up. I remember that we had some great riding areas around Evanstan and even the hills surrounding Sulphur Creek. We all used to kite at Swaner's Preserve before the fuss from land management. The past 2 years there hasn't been enough snow to make it much of a temptation and the wind and terrain is so much better at the dump. Rush Lake was very popular a few years ago, but I don't think I read one post last winter.

There are some spots around the SLC valley that can work as well. If we get a lot of low elevation snow, we could have a ball this coming year without having to drive mega miles.
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Postby Augie » Tue Oct 17, 2006 7:38 am

Another spot up north by Ogden that I have been looking at is the old Defense Depot Ogden site by 12th street. They have knocked down a lot of old buildings and leveled a huge lot to create a business park. However, there hasn't been a lot of new buildings yet and there is an enormous field with no trees or power lines to interfere. It is only about 2 miles from the mouth of Ogden Canyon. Just like Kenny, I have also been looking at some of the area by Trappers Loop.
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Postby Jacob Buzianis » Tue Oct 17, 2006 10:28 am

I remember two years ago at Rush Lake Valley when we got 4 feet of snow there. The place was like a total snowkite park. The mountain on the west side of it was cover with snow and nice cornest to hit and carve of it. The lake was butter smooth powder. Ever 15 mins, the track would be cover with new snow. It was the sickest snowkite park I have ever seen. I wish I would of spend more time out there.

Ryan and Spencer-you remember that

There another sick place to check out this winter is go past Grantsville Res. for about 10 miles and you will see open field with a huge drop off wand 500 yard wide that was shape by rivers. This places doesn't get much snow cover each each year. Hopefully this year we will get a lot of snow.

Kenny and Mike- There some big open area where we could go close by our house. It mostly at the High School field. We might disturb the students there.

Hey guys- post any new place we could hit in the valley or in mountain this year without having to use a sled(snowmobile).

DAMN, quit talking about these new snowkiting places. Are you guys trying get us all excited when there not enough snow to go yet?javascript:emoticon(':evil:')
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Postby rizzle » Tue Oct 17, 2006 11:08 am

Jake I remember that it was sick we need more days like that.
We would have so many spots to kite if we get the coverage in the valley. Another sweet spot is just off the I-80 between the airport and the great salt lake, be carefull crossing the little river the ice can be thin, I spoke with owner of the property he said we can kite there if we dont bother the cows but they are on the other side of the field, he sayed we can build kickes, another good place would be the west side of North Salt Lake (foxboro area). Lets pray for a snow and lots of it......

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Postby MikE mAy » Tue Oct 17, 2006 12:45 pm

pray for snow indeed! i think it's been close to a month since i've flown a kite. just not enough time or motivation to brave the cold waters yet.... skating has been my priority for the first few weeks of my kiting sabatical. seems kiting was a great cross trainer though as i took third in our GS race down main street park city! i think i skated only a handful of times all summer becuase i was deep into my kiting habit/obsession.

Kenny and Jake- i'm in for whatever local adventures we can dig up this winter. high school- are you thinking highland? when the snow builds up in the valley this winter, there has got to be a whole gambit of areas to ride.... looks like there are all sorts of areas we can poach 4500 west and beyond. there was also talk of a lake somewhere in the industrial park west of the airport. reports have been made of people trying to kite on the nasty water. i wonder where this is and whether it freezes over the winter. that'd be like a ten minute drive for me.

one thing- would any of you suggest investing money in a good 10M frenzy for snow kiting, or should i move to a bow kite like a waroo and plan on using that for water kiting as well. i'm torn as what to use this winter. the 17M fuel is definitely going to be in my quiver though. i'm also hoping to pick up a pair of cheapo twin tips from the swaps this next weekend. any hints would be great on the kite as i'm going to pull the trigger soon.


do more people snowboard or ski? i can do both but am a much better skier. for those skiers- what skis tend to work better? i've got a whole basement of skis to use, but perhaps i need more? i'm hoping to pick up a run of the mill twin tip for switch riding.... i've always got my oldie gotamas which should be nice for the soft days. is too much sidecut a bad thing? strighter skis work better? center mount or traditional? am i going to want some width for float or skinny for cuts into the snow. i'm just thinking 2D at this point. i can always make anything work on the downslope.

oh, Jon- if you read this- "check is in the mail". no really though. seems i forgot to put a stamp on it and got it back yesterday. it's heading back out today. sorry for the delay.
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Postby lesvierra » Tue Oct 17, 2006 1:19 pm

What is this year going to bring? For me, will I spend more time at PM or on Pinview. Pineview is for beginners. Maybe. But with a 20m kite and some fat skiis, I'm thinking its going to be the perfect place to learn those twisting jumps and turns, the jumps I didnt progress fast enough to learn this summer. Ooh, but that ice under 5 inches of snow is going to hurt. just like ice hockey. Build some kickers with plywood, snowblower, or 4wheeler and plow. Or maybe with a snow fence. Maybe some rails. Or maybe early morning sessions at PM and work on real mountain kiting. Not sure what this winter will bring except the end of alot of anticipation.

I like to snowboard, but I'm good on the skiis. Make the skis ride like a snowboard is my thought. Mike, I'm going for some Line Prophet 130's for this year. I'll mount some fritchi freerides on them and hope I can make some 130 skins work for backcountry. I'm thinking It'll be nice to stay on top of the wind packed while kiting and less friction in the powder for smaller kite. I'll use my old skis for hard packed.

As for kiting in Ogden Valley, It'd be nice to post a map of kiting places here. Access is always an issue. Up on trappers loop, they've done alot to keep folks from crossing the fence line with no tresspasing signs. Pineview is always on the way to PM. There are some good places down low. In liberty, by the Church. And some private property, I just got permision to ride on just below north ogden divide. These two places do good with a west wind over the divide. Head up to PM.

Soon..
Warren Miller this weekend in Ogden. Great way to bring in the season.
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Postby Augie » Tue Oct 17, 2006 2:29 pm

Les, I really think you should slide on whatever you feel comfortable on. I know that most people are on snowboards but ski's allow you to walk around. Myself, I am on tele skis, but that is the exception. However, I carry skins and I feel like I could walk out of any backcountry area if I have a kite equipment malfunction- try that on a snowboard. Also if the wind dies or lulls you don't fall down but just get a wider stance to remain upright. I went with some wide ski's last year and they really smoothed out the sastrugi wind ridges that you may have to ride over. Since the wind ridges form parallel to the prevailing wind direction you find yourself riding perpendicular to the way they form. I am on Black Diamond Havoc's in the longest length that they make (190cm) and they are about 98cm at the waist. Also look for a wide ski that isn't a noodle in it's flex pattern since that is how a lot of the big powder ski's flex.
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Postby lesvierra » Tue Oct 17, 2006 3:28 pm

Thanks Auggie. I'm currently riding an awesome ski just a little skinnier than you BD skis. Check out these dimensions I am looking at for new,

Line prophit 130 Dimensions: Tip: 155 mm / Waist:
130 mm / Tail: 148 mm

or

Faty-pus Dimensions: 172/140/158

I'll probably go with the Line ski because it is a lighter twin tip than the Faty-pus. Note Im not a jibber and I prefer going foward, but its not to late to change, especially with a kite in hand.

I always carry skins too for the same reasons. So can I talk you into some backcountry outings off of James Peak this winter??
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Postby jason morton » Tue Oct 17, 2006 5:41 pm

Mike-
Your Gotomas will be perfect. I'm going to use my Fischer Big Stix 106 for when the snow is bad, and a snowboard for when it's good.
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Postby jason morton » Tue Oct 17, 2006 5:43 pm

BTW-
Water kiting ain't over yet. Dean and Arpi rode SSB yesterday for a couple hours. Ryan and I drove down and the wind died. Oh well.
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Postby Kenny » Tue Oct 17, 2006 8:17 pm

Mike M,

I ride a similar setup to Augie, BD Havoc's in a 183 with Fritchi freeride bindings instead of telemark bindings. An AT binding is a good choice if you like having your heel locked down while riding, yet still gives you the flexibility to release the heel if the wind dies. Some riders only use skis, some only use a snowboard and some of us use both. Like Jason, I use the skis on any hard surface or when the wind is light.

I think skis are a better bet if you are new to snowkiting. You will spend a lot less time on your backside and it is easier to get going with less wind on skis.

The other cool thing about skis is that you can load up better on skis and jump higher. On the other hand, a snowboard feels so much better in the powder as well as for jibes and jumps.

Jake,

Thanks for mentioning that awesome day you guys had at Rush. I remember that I sat in a whiteout that day. I also want to try that spot you talked about south of Grantsville. There are some really amazing spots that will open up if we get some good valley snow. I remember Ryan talked about some awesome spots near Evanston. Marty and Doug also found some as well.

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Postby Kenny » Tue Oct 17, 2006 8:26 pm

Mike M,

You asked if you should buy a Frenzy or a bow-style kite. I will tell you the pros and cons. The pros of a Frenzy are fast setup and take down - no pumping is a good thing in the winter time. The Frenzy also packs up much smaller for backcountry kiting than a LEI. The con is that they are not water relaunchable, so few riders use them on the snow and the water.

The Waroo or another bow style kite has to be pumped up. You can speed up your setup time by keeping the lines attached, but it will still take longer than a Frenzy. The pros are that you can use the same kite on the snow and water and because of the solid leading edge they tend to be more stable in gusty wind than a foil. The cons are longer setup/takedown time and the snow can be hard on a kite.

I think the Frenzy had as much or more depower than a "C" Style kite. It remains to be seen if the 2007 Frenzy will have as much depower as a bow or SLE kite.

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Postby mike loeser » Tue Oct 17, 2006 9:29 pm

Ryan,
Where is this place between the airport and great Salt Lake? I am still looking for a spot to mountain board out there. They closed off Burmester a year ago and I haven't been back. I loved cruising around on the salt flats. You could ride for miles.
Also, I asked what was up at the bird refuge in Park City, but never got a response. I know there was enough snow there last year and its that much closer to Salt Lake. Is there anything we can do to open this area up?
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Postby Kenny » Tue Oct 17, 2006 9:56 pm

Mike L.

I have seen people kiting out by SaltAir on a landboard. I kited at the salt ponds without a problem several times this summer. I think you could landboard there as well. Rush Lake will work once the ground freezes solid if we don't get any snow, if we get the snow coverage it will be that much better.

I don't know if anyone has tried contacting the landowners for the Swaner Preserve for the past 2 years. I think the reason that you did not receive a reply is that nothing has been done.

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Postby mike loeser » Tue Oct 17, 2006 10:09 pm

Salt air is a bit close to the shore and you end up hitting wet patches which stop you in your tracks. Burmester was rock hard, like a huge concrete parking lot. I don't know if the place Ryan is talking about is anything like that, but it should be further from the water.
So, if no one has talked to anyone at Swaner lately, is it okay to contact them again and see if we can get access? I would be willing to try, but I don't know the history. Like I said in my post - I thought Derick Sayers was doing something to get it going two years ago. I haven't seen Derick on the forum for a long time.
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