What is Snowkiting?

Snowkiting is an exciting new hybrid sport that uses powerful kites to pull skiers or snowboarders across snow-covered terrain. The diversity of the sport attracts all types of people. The freestyle aspect is for those who enjoy doing a variety of tricks that have been influenced by ski area terrain-parks, windsurfing and wakeboarding. Being able to soar off of hills is similar to the thrill of paragliding. Exploring the backcountry is a perfect compliment to backcountry skiing and snowmobiling. Snowkites are also becoming the tool of choice for crossing Polar and Antarctic ice caps quickly and with less effort.

The majority of men and women riders are in their 20′s, 30′s and 40′s. But it is the teenagers that are really starting to push the sport. And there is no stopping as riders approach retirement. The 50 and over group is getting out too. You can set your own limits and take it wherever you want to go.

The sport uses much of the same equipment and kite skills as the water sport of kiteboarding. Pulled on either skis or a snowboard, snowkiters pilot a large, steerable traction kite across the surface of the snow and through the air as they jump. With multiple disciplines within the sport, kiters use the speed and power of the kite to cruise and explore, travel great distances on innovative new expeditions and can perform technically complex freestyle tricks that have evolved from skiing and snowboarding.

Snowkiting builds on the skills that skiers and snowboarders already have and adds the fun of flying a powerful kite. It is a perfect compliment to the activities winter athletes already enjoy without the expense of a lift ticket, the pollution of snowmobiles or the hard work of skinning to the top of a mountain. Found anywhere there is wind and snow, snowkiting is the next global winter sports phenomena.