Skyline Drive, Utah?

[Geo]

Hey. I have to / get to go out to Provo, Utah for a short business thing. SInce I am flying in on Sunday morning, I am going to take advantage of the free same-day ski pass that Park CIty offers if you have your flight boarding pass, etc. Monday, looks like I can squeeze in 2 hours or so at Skyline.

I hate to give up a free lift pass, but if anyone has been out there, would it be worth going kiting INSTEAD on Sunday? I suppose it depends on the wind, snow, etc. Did seem to be a bit tough to figure out what forecasted winds are like up at Skyline, but maybe I just need to look around more.

Any thoughts?
Thanks - Geoff

[Matixsnow]

Usually, Strawberry is closer from SLC than Skyline if your in a time crunch. Skyline is closer from Provo. Both are awesome places to kite and are currently stacked with snow. http://www.Utahwindriders.org has great forecasts and info.

Right now at Skyline, Sunday looks better than Monday. http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.ph ... -111.20375

[Geo]

Thanks.

I am actually going NEXT Sunday, but that is good info. They say that Strawberry is "the Best" place to go ,too. If you google the directions, it is actually equidistant from where I'm gonna be (Spanish Fork). Sounds like you could potentially work your way into powder areas in either place (which would be the whole point, right?)...just gotta make sure that you can get back to where you started from.

I like the idea of terrain that you could go UP and Down in.

[BBAddict]

IMO, Strawbs doesn't compare to Skyline. Both the upper drive and the lower drive have a lot more to offer than Strawbs. I was out there for a couple weeks last year and had a great time being exposed to what snowkiting is really about. Changed my view on snowkiting in a major way from the old frozen lake scene. Skyline is at at about 10k feet, which means that the wind is more consistently good, so you'd have a better shot at both wind and snow. Great time with lots of great people all the time showing up at Skyline and Brian and Heather from Ozone kites were extremely helpful with the local knowledge.

Have fun...I'm jealous

seth

[JRN]

Tighe was pointing out that once you're aloft, it is like a paraglider, but you are actually facing backwards down the hill. Do you think Alex swings around to the back side of the bar during long desents? I'd like to feel that float some day. Hope you have a great time , Geo!

[BBAddict]

Jim,

When I was at Skyline, I rode with a guy that paraglides with AP and had bought all of AP's modded Best kite equipment when he went back to Slingshot. He confirmed that AP does fly/glide backwards (to a kiter--forward to a paraglider) and does several other things based on what he is doing. He apparently also wears a climbing harness in addition to his waist harness with the climbing harness attached via carabiner to the chicken loop and spreader bar as a backup system and also wears a basejumping parachute--I don't do that! But the climbing harness set-up is really nice, especially when you're gliding--very supportive but not as bulky as a seat harness. I think an Ozone harness would provide the same feeling with even less bulk. One of my friends just got the Ozone with a spreader bar from Velocity Kiting and I have one coming, so I'm hoping to find out Thursday!

Seth

[Geo]

I was packing up my harness today - A Dakine Nexus seat - and was kind of marveling at how good shape it was in still. And the other day when it was COLD, that thing does keep your ass warm.
I've noticed that the times that I have been lucky enough to catch 4/5 second airtime around here, I haven't been thinking "gosh what a comfy harness". One time in particular on a double boost (my first), I was thinking: "Gee, this was a bad day to forget my helmet!".

[Perry Pearson]

I made it Bosco Hill today at Skyline for a pm session in icing sleet and well tracked up powder.
It was white -out towards the end of the session.I was flyin an 11 foil and there were a couple 15 foils
and a 17 Waroo out for a while too. It was great going for a flatlander skiing uphill powered up,coming down was a different story.Always room for progression. I checked out Windzups new location at the Triangle in MT Pleasant,
and yes, Heather and Brian said the 'c-4' explosive kites are in the warehouse stock now.
Inversion in the valley here in SLC is kind of stalling the winds I guess,but it was snowing on the drive back.
Perry

[seamonkey]

Jim, why would you be facing backwards? watch this, and learn........ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zPVw7Qq9 ... re=related

[Tighe]

Mike,
other than a few videos I have seen where the rider has flipped their bar around 180 after takeoff. Most riders, Alex and Chasta included, fly backwards. Think about it. If you put the kite overhead, the LE is facing into the wind and your are facing downwind. When gliding the LE is facing down the mountain, and you are facing back up.

think that's how it works.

[seamonkey]

not with side on wind.

[Tighe]

You might be right Mike. I have absolutely no experience here. Intuitively though it seems clear that you will be facing the opposite direction of your direction of travel.

[Geo]

landings might get a little hairy when things aren't going smoothly, eh?

[Tighe]

if you watch Alex, he kite loops the kite back up the hill as he lands to put the kite down in the window. BE CAREFUL

enjoy

[torisspacedog]

Once your in the air there wont be any sideon wind dir. the kites leading edge will be into the wind and you'll be dangling below it and you will be moving the dir. that the wind is blowing. Thats the only option you really have unless you gain alot of altitude and these kites have some forward speed like a parachute would. Any other thoughts on this ?? Mark L

[Eric P]

They most definitely go up wind when they are jumping in the hills. It is because of the updraft effect of the wind going up the hill. This, and the fact that you are going down hill, losing potential energy. All you need to have is a glide ratio on the kite that is greater than the drop off slope. The real effect you feel when riding in the hills is the updraft. It's amazing the amount of power you get in your kite when you go up a hill with the wind going up the hill as well. It is a totally sweet feeling. Every snow kiter from Minnesota should take a pilgrimage to the mountains to feel what real snow kiting is all about. I've only been once, but it was grand.

[BBAddict]

Like Eric said, everybody should make a snowkiting trip to the mountains somewhere. I know it was an epic vacation for me, but be warned that it will change your perspective on kiting forever. It was hard for me to get back on the lakes after that. Seriously though, find some snowy terrain and enjoy what snowkiting is all about. You don't even have to go all the way to Utah. Check out the first Drift snowkite mag or talk to locals and you can find spots to ride in ND or too many options to mention in Montana...just a long weekend trip!

[seamonkey]

Regardless of the windspeed & direction, you have your own mass, gravity, plus apperant wind speed. I am driving to Utah Feb. 25 with one other. We have room for one more. We can turn this debate into a field study. Mass plus gravity do not let wind direction dictate how we will be facing down the hill. that's what I love about the mountains!

[seamonkey]

I forgot to ask this question: Who in this group has snowkited Mt.Hood, Mt.St. Helens, and Mt.Rainier?, other than myself? Get back to me on that one. I was no Chasta or Peterson, but at least I did it! Only because there were no sharks. I'd rather fall to my death than get bitten to death.

[JRN]

U SAID IT, C-MONK! Do you have to pack snow-shoes in case the wind dies? Are they using Telemark bindings to free the heels for ski-ing out? Which is better for a beginner, Haggin or Utah? Slope float sound so kool, but challenging!