Snowkiting is a great winter choice for anyone who enjoys downhill skiing and snowboarding. No matter if had practiced any sport before, everyone can learn how to snowkite. You just have to start in the right manner, find an instructor first and get some kite control lessons. After that, all you need is a kite, a harness and pair of skis or snowboard. Add some wind and snow and you’re ready to go. One of the main reasons why snowkiting is so accessible, is the low risk. You can practice on flat surfaces covered by a thick layer of snow with minimum wind speed. You will learn during the course how to proper evaluate the spot to be on the safe side. Once you get the hang of it, a new world opens up for you.
Ever since kitesurfing’s genesis in France, we’ve seen a few examples of this taking off. We’ve had kite-buggy, landkiting using either a skate board, a mountain board or longboards, hydrofoil-kiting, stand-up-paddleboard-kiting and a handful of more half baked combinations. Though the one area that really took to the addition of a kite was the world of snowsports.
Downhill skiers and snowboarders really enjoy the fact that you don’t need to drive to a resort and buy a lift ticket every time you want to go out and ride. The fact of the matter is, most of us have stopped going to resorts now that we have discovered just how versatile and enjoyable snowkiting can be.
While it’s still considered to be somewhat of a niche sport, snowkiting is one of the fastest growing sports and just about every country that gets snow has a dedicated community of snowkiters.
Originally, snowkiters began by using non-inflatable foil kites. Foil kites are not generally used for water based kiting, as once they hit the water they often lose their shape and are near impossible to get back in the air. However, this obviously isn’t as much of an issue on snow. Recently, though, more and more people have used the same kite gear as when heading out to sea.
When learning to snowkite it would be ideal to know both how to kitesurf and also how to ski or snowboard, as the sum of their parts is arguably more difficult than the individual elements.
You will find out that kiting is slightly easier to learn on snow, but without proper lessons and training it can clearly be more painful, for the simple reason that falling is more of an ordeal on hard packed snow or ice than on a nice soft stretch of sea. As being said before it is always advisable to take lessons and practice under instructor training and supervision before venturing on your own.
Just imagine setting your kite atop a beautiful mountain and as you snowboard down the mountain your kite helps you gain speed and with a good gust of wind you too can be a few meter up in the air. You too can be implementing the same moves as a kitesurfer does including jibing and crossing over. Now there are kiters crossing huge frozen lakes on multi-day expeditions, riders jumping off massive cliff edges, there are endurance events and course racing and even slalom. Not to mention the levels of freestyle riding that’s being explored at the moment.
Learn to snowkite
It is always best and safest to take lessons in understanding the basics and learning how to snowkite! You must also be very familiar with the safety systems of your equipment!
What equipment do you need?
- Instructor!
- Helmet
- Kite(s) & bar (kite size considering skill, wind speed and terrain)
- Harness (either sit or waist harness)
- Safety leash
- Snowboard or pair of skis
- (Protective) clothing
It is also advisable to have an avalanche kit with you!
Once you learn the basics and are very confident about your skills you may go on your own. You must always pay attention to the weather because you may set off on a perfect forecast with blue skies and good winds but mountain weather can change quickly therefor it’s important to know how to adjust to the cold, low visibility or a total whiteout. You must always check the weather forecast, analyze the wind forecast and wind conditions.
Beginners should always learn to ride on flat terrain and try to look for areas with less gusty wind.
Always go with a kite buddy or an instructor or guide!
Always pay attention to the wind direction and the characteristics of the area where you are kiting. Take into account any possible obstacles or danger zones! Also you must be aware that in the mountains you can experience high wind speeds.
Snowkiting gives you freedom and the ability to explore the mountains in an incredible way. You can basically go anywhere you want by flying your kite. Climbing up any mountain up to 45 degrees is challenging, but certainly feasible. Once you’re up there, you may continue discovering uphill or snowboard/ski downwards. Whether it’s flat or hilly, a kite can literally extend your boundaries.
The sport offers unlimited adventures and adrenaline rushes. It’s very addictive and provides the feeling of freedom and excitement. Whereas some enjoy cruising through fresh snow, others like to jump or glide. Mountains create the ultimate playground for freestylers and freeriders whereas flat surfaces are perfect to practice as a beginner or to race.
All you need is your gear (which you might already partly have), wind and snow and you can start riding the white gold! Drive to any spot you want and enjoy the free slopes. No need to worry about expensive lift or parking tickets anymore. A good quality powerkite or dedicated snowkite will last for years if you take care of it. Do regularly check for wear and tear especially on the flying lines, safety systems and control gear.
One of the key features in snowkiting is enjoying life with your friends to the fullest. If you’re new to the sport, it’s very easy to connect with people and find communities. There’s always a good vibe amongst the riders whether it’s before, during or after a snowkite session. The benefits of riding together are of course plentiful; you can learn from each other, have a race and challenge each other and it is a lot safer to explore in a group.
Snowkiting can take place in a varied selection of terrains and environments. That means that there is a whole lot of countries offering ideal conditions to learn to snowkite. There is some great snowkiting to be found in the areas classically associated with snowsports – the Alpine region of Europe, New Zealand’s south island. But for the more open minded, there are some slightly more off the beaten track destinations to be explored.
The endless snowfields of Greenland, the barren wastes of central Russia or the glacial majesty of an Icelandic winter all offer some fantastic snowkiting. And that really is just the beginning. Snowkiting could bring you to a corner of the world that never entered your mind as a possible destination and explore some of the best places on earth. For that alone, never mind the many other great reasons, I would strongly recommend stepping out and giving this amazing sport a try.
