Snowkiting Comes To California

Winter snowkiting topics and locations.
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NCKite_Ryder
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Re: Snowkiting Comes To California

Post by NCKite_Ryder » Wed Nov 21, 2012 11:23 am

wjb wrote:I sent an email and this is what I got:

A Royal Gorge ticket($27) or season pass is required or a Sugar Bowl ticket or season pass. The 250 acre riding area with natural and man-made features is definitely worth it. Feel free to call for more info 530-816-0484.
charging to kite is about the lamest thing i've ever heard of... should do some real advertising and stay off the forums with shit like this... JUST SAYIN!
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Re: Snowkiting Comes To California

Post by Yoda » Thu Nov 22, 2012 11:26 am

NCKite_Ryder wrote: charging to kite is about the lamest thing i've ever heard of... should do some real advertising and stay off the forums with shit like this... JUST SAYIN!
Resorts charge for skiing & snowboarding...nothing new or lame about that.
Lake Van Norden is located on the property of Royal Gorge & Sugar Bowl which is leased from the US Forest Dept.
If you want to ski/board or kite on private property you're most likely are going to have to pay to play. If you don't want a "controlled atmosphere" of a resort setting then go to the backcountry. Earn your turns, don't pay for them.

Btw... Posting this thread and it's content is not out of line on this forum. That's exactly what this "Snowkiting Discussion" section is for. Granted it may have been better to post in the "Industry Soapbox", but that tends to be focused only on "water" events... JUST SAYIN!!! ;-)

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Re: Snowkiting Comes To California

Post by Greg » Fri Nov 23, 2012 8:31 am

In the beginning, I'd suggest going to a place with potential HELP if needed.. Finding yourself WINDLESS in DEEP back country conditions could really bum your day...... Be prepared! (take an Air horn & flare gun and NEVER go alone) You can find yourself CRAWLING across the snow covering maybe 1/4 per hour in powder conditions (without proper snowshoes), this requires ENORMOUS ENERGY to make ANY HEADWAY.... Also I'd suggest layering your cloths, be prepared to OVERHEAT trying to move after a breakdown or wind shutdown..

Play SMART! Have FUN, G'

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Snowkiting Comes To California

Post by sc-surfer » Sat Nov 24, 2012 10:20 am

Greg wrote:In the beginning, I'd suggest going to a place with potential HELP if needed.. Finding yourself WINDLESS in DEEP back country conditions could really bum your day...... Be prepared! (take an Air horn & flare gun and NEVER go alone) You can find yourself CRAWLING across the snow covering maybe 1/4 per hour in powder conditions (without proper snowshoes), this requires ENORMOUS ENERGY to make ANY HEADWAY.... Also I'd suggest layering your cloths, be prepared to OVERHEAT trying to move after a breakdown or wind shutdown..

Play SMART! Have FUN, G'

Yep G. Good advice for any backcountry travel. Small pair of snowshoes in a pack if you are going far off the beaten path.
Also bring some high density food items. An overnight or even a long schlog out will burn calories at an alarming rate. Run out of calories and you get cold. Fast! If you are going really deep, consider a dry base layer. If you soak your base layer with sweat and then have to wait out a squall or heaven forbid, post up overnight, having a dry layer will make it much easier to stay warm.
I can fit an avalanche shovel, dry top/bottom thermals, couple of energy bars, cell phone and GPS all into my Dakine heli pro pack. It's small and low profile.
Flare gun isn't a bad idea. They are small, light, and super visible at night. Pick up one of the Olins ones at west marine of similar.

Backcountry is awesome, just be safe and prepared!!

Pray for snow!!

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Re: Snowkiting Comes To California

Post by NCKite_Ryder » Sun Nov 25, 2012 10:10 am

Resorts have lifts employees buildings power restrooms water utilities etc.... What exactly is the charge for? Is there a service offered, besides collecting money? Does anyone know of any other place you have to pay-to-play for kiting? Beyond parking... Are you going to pump my kite for me?

As for posting on this forum.... This "ad" was posted all over the nw forum as well as others (no big deal) except end of day its an ad to pay to play... LAME. It belongs in the back of a magazine IMO.

Sorry to bash your post but ive kited there when its FREE! just sad to see it go down this way. Maybe I'll be paying to kite OB or Camas Valley someday but I'm gonna let the world know its lame.
Yoda wrote:
NCKite_Ryder wrote: charging to kite is about the lamest thing i've ever heard of... should do some real advertising and stay off the forums with shit like this... JUST SAYIN!
Resorts charge for skiing & snowboarding...nothing new or lame about that.
Lake Van Norden is located on the property of Royal Gorge & Sugar Bowl which is leased from the US Forest Dept.
If you want to ski/board or kite on private property you're most likely are going to have to pay to play. If you don't want a "controlled atmosphere" of a resort setting then go to the backcountry. Earn your turns, don't pay for them.

Btw... Posting this thread and it's content is not out of line on this forum. That's exactly what this "Snowkiting Discussion" section is for. Granted it may have been better to post in the "Industry Soapbox", but that tends to be focused only on "water" events... JUST SAYIN!!! ;-)
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Re: Snowkiting Comes To California

Post by rvv » Sun Nov 25, 2012 10:52 am

NC
You must be a fan of free golf courses right? The soapbox would have been a better placement for this post agreed.
This is not a first however, they charge in Europe as well as at Powder mtn in Utah for snowkite access and do well.
So please quit all the hating and just be stoked that there is now a reliably windy, with sensors groomed area in the Sierras to snowkite. They will have kiting features, full facilities and power and sleds for assistance, not too mention ease of access and safety with the ski patrol on hand. And proper lessons to help grow the sport before it withers into oblivion like umm mono skiing? A racing series and events to come soon even sounds more awesome, no longer do we have to trek east for 14hrs to goto a snowkiting event.

I am sure they have even a warming hut and a beer girl as well...just saying :::)

If it's not for you then continue have fun freely post holing in to the launch at all the other not so reliable Tahoe spots. Nothing wrong with that but definitely not as cushy. For me I like the idea of a legit snowkite play area even if I goto shell out a few duckets to ride the private and windy back 9.
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Re: Snowkiting Comes To California

Post by Marty » Mon Nov 26, 2012 6:48 pm

rvv wrote:This is not a first however, they charge in Europe as well as at Powder mtn in Utah for snowkite access and do well.
We were some of the guys that found the kite spot at Powder Mtn. If it's doing well, it's not the locals that are paying. A few locals with season pass kite there. The problem for the locals is paying before knowing if the session is worth the $20, and they close at 3:30, prime wind time. For a vacation kiter that will ride the lifts and have the option to kite, it's a great mountain option. It's not even on my radar when I look at the forecasts and more, and it's the closest snowkite spot for me.
rvv wrote:...just saying :::)

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Snowkiting Comes To California

Post by keithdkd » Wed Nov 28, 2012 1:25 am

Since when is anywhere in Tahoe reliably windy? I hit mt rose meadows twice, skunked both times. If this spot is really reliable, I might pay, but somehow I doubt it.

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Re: Snowkiting Comes To California

Post by Yoda » Mon Jan 14, 2013 2:01 pm

Wednesday is looking to be PERFECT winds (speed & direction) & snow conditions for snowkiting at SSC.
I think I'm going to make a day of it.;-)

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Re: Snowkiting Comes To California

Post by TomAUSTRIA » Mon Jan 14, 2013 3:55 pm

I checked out the Sierra Snowkite spot on the weekend. On Saturday there was no wind, but Sunday was pretty epic!
I was on a 12m the whole time, it started out pretty light (and surprisingly smooth) and got much stronger (and very gusty) towards the end of the day.

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