In search of hang time
Local kiters ride a combination of snow and wind
Matt Vincent rides the wind in a pre-Animas-La Plata project Ridges Basin. Snow kiting, the winter variation of kite surfing, is enjoying a surge in local popularity./Photo by Scott Smith

By Erinn Morgan

Heels dug into the grainy sand, a woman powers up the huge four-line kite. The force is overwhelming. Hooked inextricably to the mammoth 10-meter wind magnet via a harness system, she hopes for the best. But she slides forward so fast that her knee-jerk reaction is to immediately de-power the kite by twisting the control bar sideways, taking the wind, literally, out of the sails. Looking back, she sees skid marks running nearly 15 feet through the sand. Impressive.

The sport is kitesurfing. And this is a practice run on land.

Next stop, water. In the warm ocean, she works on "body drags" that literally lift her several feet into the air out of the H2O when she puts the kite into the wind "power zone." Fear aside, she's giggling like a 10-year-old. This is downright fun.

Kitesurfing-which employs a large four-line kite (the wind powers the ride), harness, control bar, and board-has quite literally taken off in the last few years, even locally. "We kite surf in Lake Morgan near Farmington," says Greg Miller, owner of Inferno Snowboard Shop. The reservoir is used to cool the turbines at the nearby power plant, an attribute that led to the nickname "Lake Maui" and draws wetsuit-clad windsurfers and kitesurfers all year. "The water is warm, but it is also in an area with a lot of wind. We'll go out any time it blows. Even in the winter," says Miller.

The newest variation of this growing extreme sport is snowkiting, where riders don skis or snowboard and use a similar foil kite to propel them across open land, lakes, or even up hills. Of course, there is also the hang time; riders can catch up to 40 feet of air. In fact, snowshoers at Haviland Lake or cross-country skiers near Molas might spot one of the colorful, high-flying kites from a distance. Be assured, the pilot is having a blast.

"Now through March is the best wind," says Miller, who is one of a handful of snowkiters in Durango. "We can go all the way through June until the snow is gone in the high country." The local crew's haunts include Breen, the Lime Creek Drainage, Lizard Head Pass, Molas Pass (which requires snowmobile access), and reservoirs like Vallecito and Pastores if they are frozen. "Ideally, getting above tree line is a good route to gear towards," says Matt Vincent, one of the owners of Ska Brewing Company, who got into snowkiting several years ago. Open land is a kiter's friend.

So is good wind. But less is actually more when it comes to the snow. "Ideally, 20 miles an hour is perfect for water," says Vincent. "Snowkiting is great because you don't need near the wind power to get you up. About 10 to 15 miles per hour is good. You don't want it to get too much stronger or you have to fly a smaller kite."

Generally, kites for water are larger and employ an inflatable leading edge (which floats) and struts that allow it to maintain proper shape when flying. The best kite for snow is a smaller foil kite-it utilizes a double surface structure that provides a foil-like airflow similar to a traditional wing. The wing-like shape is supported by a bridle that connects to a number of points on the kite's base and leads to either a two- or four-line connection. A new combo snow/water kite has recently been introduced by Slingshot, but the sizing is difficult because anyone sub-expert needs a smaller wing for riding snow. "Basically, you just have to scale it down a size when you get on the snow," says Vincent.

Wind speed is also a factor in kite size selection. "You have to fly different wings for various wind speeds. I have four foils for diverse conditions. Running a huge wing in the snow is definitely dangerous," says Miller.

Vincent gains on his ‘best friend’ as his foil fills with wind./Photo by Scott Smith

Wind speed is also a factor in kite size selection. "You have to fly different wings for various wind speeds. I have four foils for diverse conditions. Running a huge wing in the snow is definitely dangerous," says Miller.

As for the ride, skis or snowboard will do. "I am on a snowboard because that's what I do," explains Vincent. "But it's easier on skis because you have the ability to start standing up and spread your legs to get started. On the board you have to start on the ground and let the kite pull you up similar to wakeboarding with a boat."

But before you rush out and start kite shopping, be forewarned-this is a dangerous sport that requires a lot of practice. The real challenge is harnessing and controlling the power of the kite. Even expert skiers and boarders need to put in a lot of practice flying time. "You need to be able to fly the kite blindfolded before you go out and try snowkiting," says Vincent, whose wife Taylor is also an active snowkiter. "This is why sports like this get bannedif people go out without training they can get really hurt,"

Even more experienced riders can run into trouble, like the unfortunate friend of Vincent's who was out flying at Vallecito Lake last year in a storm with a wind that picked him up 40 feet in the air. When he and his kite reached this four-story height, the wind disappeared and he experienced a freefall of the entire distance. The result: a fractured pelvis.

Vincent and Miller recommend starting off with a small two-line trainer kite for practice, getting some solid instruction on the four-line kite, and making sure you are ready to incorporate skis or a snowboard into the equation before you head out for the real deal. And they also advise steering clear of unpredictable storms.

To this end, Inferno plans to offer a kiting clinic in the future. The store also currently stocks trainers and larger kites. "We give instruction when we sell every one," says Miller. "We take them out with a trainer and help them out."

Both Miller and Vincent are headed to Dillon, Colo. this weekend to bone up on their own kiting skills. They will be there to ride and check out the First Annual Therapy Sessions snow kiteboarding freestyle event at The Sanitarium at Dillon Reservoir (February 12-13).

For more info, check out www.kitesnowboard.com. Attendees can watch some of the top riders in the world, test their mettle with trainer kites, and hang with instructors who will be on hand to help demonstrate and answer questions. Events like these help promote safe, responsible learning of a potentially dangerous sport. "They say you should have at least 25 hours of flight time with the trainer and understand the dynamics of the kite before you are ready to step it up," says Miller.

But when you hit the next level, the payoff can be huge. Experienced kiters get big air-they can also pull off tricks while airborne (think toeside grabs, back rolls, and one-footers). "The ability to achieve flight is the adrenaline rush for me," says Vincent. "Being up 20 to 30 feet off the deck is pretty amazing."

Vincent suggests caution to would be snowkiters. The sport relies on the whims of weather, and unlike kitesurfing, the ground is not as forgiving as the water./Photo by Scott Smith

 


 

 


 

 

 


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