Hi all,
I plan to go snowboarding this winter at Charlotte Pass. I've read in different places that the area is snowkitable.
I can surfkite a little (I am not great but I can go upwind) and I can snowboard well in both goofy (preferred) and regular (reasonable).
Now, I would LOVE to get snowkiting lessons, but this sport is not popular enough in Australia to find any schools (that I could find anyway). I would also love to go with someone else (beside my wife who would be watching).
So, I am tempted to take a small kite With a bit of luck, I'll find someone else on the spot there doing it. Maybe some of the snow instructors there are into it. I am quite happy to pay for lessons or even for some good awareness advices.
If you know anyone who is into snowkiting and will be in the area in July, please put me in contact.
Also, what kind of kite would be more appropriate? As snow has low resistance, and the board a long nice edge, I would imagine the kite size required is smaller than kitesurfing for the same wind strength. Is that right?
Any input is welcome thanks. Relative safety is a priority over fun.
Cheers,
Jeremy
Heh i've never done it but reckon it would be great fun in the right conditions, which unfortunately I suspect will be rare up in the snowy mountains, but from my experience up there its often pretty windy so small kite would be the go....you don't need tot hold your weight out of the water, just pull yourself around after all.
Should be pretty easy on the right terrain too i.e a nice flatfish high plain which you can hold an edge on.
The biggest safety concern would be weather and natural hazards. So again finding the right area would be key to this, but otherwise as long as you stay reasonably close to your departure point you can easily just walk back.
Suggest you post your question in the "Land kiting / Snowkiting" forum.
Snowkiting in the Seaman's Hut / Rams Head / Rawson's Pass area is quite popular. FlyingDutchy (member here) accesses the area from the top of the Crackenback chair at Thredbo. Send him a PM.
Hi Jeremy,
This is a good plan to try. We are a good crew from Perth going to New Zealand every year.
The first thing I would say, snowkite is easier than kiting (on flat surface). As said above, the kite doesnt have to pull you out of the water and it's pretty low friction to ride on snow.
Regarding the spot to go :
- choose an empty spot out of usual obstacle (same as kiting)
- wind needs to come from a clear direction and facing directly the spot you are riding. So the wind is always going up the hill where you are kiting Avoid wind coming from behind a mountain or behind a crest.
- Start somewhere flat. Then start to experiment going up and down slowly.
Kite to choose :
- We find out that we can kite most of the time with our 7m inflatable (Ikon Peak) so from 10knots to 25knots. Best shapes are delta/hybrid shape. Avoid C-shape.
- The second kite to have would be a 10m/12m foil kite (need a bit of experience to fly them) or a 12+m inflatable delta/hybrid shape
- Dont kite over 25 knots
Tips :
- Avoid kite at the zenith, The wind window is sometime over your head so the kite will lift you up quiet easily. Keep your kite mid wind window (10 o'clock or 2)
- Test your safety before
- Check your valve before flying (the cold can freeze the plastic of the valve
- Better to have a smaller kite and move it than a big kite
- Snowboard : every board is fine (around 160cm will do) make sure the board is symmetrical (the front bindings and the back bindings are at the same distance from the tips. Put your bindings at the same angle, dont go to much on the angle cause your knees will be in pain.
Check our video from last year :
