kiting this weekend

[MikE mAy]

what's the plan this weekend? looks like a storm is hitting sunday, and saturday is going to be the calm before the storm. i'm anxious to get out in the powder with a kite affixed to me.

any advise wind pioneers and guru's? chance the storm sunday morning? wait and watch PC? head up to pow mow and bend over for the ticket office? i of course have all weekend free but nobody likes a smelly skunk.

[Kenny]

Saturday looks good at Skyline. Looks like the typical afternoon west winds. Should be tons of fresh powder.

[KyrkWright]

I am hoping to try out skyline for the first time tomorrow. Will the winds be better in the afternoon? The morning works better for my schedule but I may be able to adjust? Also, do you have any recommendations on the spots I should try as a newbie (I will be there with one or two other friends still getting in our first rides).

Thanks.

[bordy]

AARRRGGGHHHHH.... I like to kite but Mrs. Bordy likes to snowboard pow and may have to do so with some of her students, Since we are doing what I want to do on Sunday (go Pats!!) She is in charge of Saturdays plans, perhaps I can talk her into skyline..

Mikey are you planning to go to Skyline?

[MikE mAy]

planning on going to skyline tomorrow unless there is no sign of wind. i'm bad at predicting winter wind- i just have no clue at all. so, if anybody sees that skyline is goign to skunk out- help a brotha out and text me. why am i always that guy that gets laughed at by "the elders" when i show up either an hour too late, or to an empty beach?

your back better bordy?

anybody have any old burton bindings? i discovered last weekend that mine aren't much better than a $20 toys r us snowboard. they hurt like hell. i want to get on the snowboard, but my bindings just hurt too much. perhaps its the boots. either way- i'm willing to take anything off anybody's hands that has a bit of padding.

[Mark Johnson]

Hey Mike I have a set of clicker bindings and some 10.5 boots. You could borrow if you have the screws to put them on your board.
I am planning on heading to skyline sometime tomorrow unless someone or the weather talks me out of it. I am also clueless on forcasting so my plans can change.
I will try and post in the morning before I leave.

[Kenny]

Okay, I will try to give you guys the 411 on predicting Skyline Wind. First, go to http://www.kiteutah.com, go to the local forecast and click on the Skyline heading. This will give you a point forecast for Skyline. Tomorrow is calling for 11 - 15 mph west southwest winds. I find that usually the point forecast is pretty accurate for the morning hours, but the wind is a bit stronger in the afternoon then what they call for in the forecast, especially on the hill. The forecast is also calling for a 30% chance of snow, but they are not expecting a lot of precipitation. So, you may have some flurries. The wind is more gusty on a southwest wind, but if you have a good bow kite, it should not be a problem.

Some other things to check. Copy and paste the lat/long into the digital prototype forecast. Click on the table tab and hourly tab. This shows the wind on an hourly basis, amount of accumulation expected, temperature, etc. I also check the winds aloft on the kiteutah site. By the way, thanks to Brian and Heather for this nice site.

As far as morning vs. the afternoon goes, I find that the wind blows in the morning, but it is not always as strong. I have some big kites, so I like getting there at the crack of dawn to get the good powder and to get a least a few hours of riding before the sledheads show up and break the stillness. However, if you are a beginner you may not enjoy 10 mph wind in the launching area. It will be 15 on the hill, but then negotiating the hill that is covered in powder is not easy for most beginners. That being said, sometimes it is stronger in the morning than in the afternoon. I never really know until I get there, I just always come well prepared.

The place to ride as a newbie is adjacent to the parking lot on the east side of the road. Be careful to not leave your lines out for too long, the sled heads will eat them up if you do. Might want to bring some cones of caution tape to keep them off your lines.

Have fun, I have to do the downhill duty with wife and kids at Brighton tomorrow. Oh well, at least the snow should be good.

Kenny

Kenny

[Kenny]

The forecast for Skyline has changed. A higher chance of snow and reduced wind. I still think it will go off in this afternoon, but it is more of a crapshoot.