12-7 & 8th Island Park, ID 9-11m

[windzup]

Went north for a couple of days to check it out. Rained in lower elevations so the snow was no longer prime at Ririe, so we headed up to IP. Good snow in Island Park, creamy powder on top of a packed couple of feet. We flew 11 meter kites and met a new snowkiter who was figuring it all out on a 4m. Pretty cool to see him teach himself, and then step up to demo a 9m Frenzy... I forgot how big smiles get on your first lit up session.

We headed up to Rainold Pass on the Montana side of the border, the wind was 9m range. But the snow was hollow, full of sage and not quite completely fun. Good kiters can make bad conditions look good tho, as Noah was rallying on his skis all over the place and boosting huge off the sage covered slopes.... meanwhile I post holed around, constantly getting feet stuck in what felt like a never ending box spring. The sage on the surface helped snag lines and fumble a couple launches as well. So Heather and I packed it in and headed back to the better snow at the Hungry Bear in IP.

After several hundred miles of touring around, we realized the best snow in the west is currently at Skyline. The lower elevation snow between here and Idaho is not ready for winter just yet, unless you live locally and can score it fresh. So we drove back last night and are heading up to Skyline this AM.

Windzup,
Brian Schenck

www.FlyOzoneUSA.com

[windzup]

Of course everything changes quickly in winter. Guess I found the wrong couple of days to be up north. Got a call this morning that 8 inches of fresh is at Ririe, and its looking good with solid wind today. HMMMM. Guess I may have to quit my day job to chase the wind.

Windzup,
Brian Schenck