Come experience the thrill of snowkiting…

Snowkiting combines the airfoil and techniques used in kiteboarding, with the footgear and gliding surface used in snowboarding or skiing. It differs from other alpine sports, in that it is possible for the snowkiter to travel uphill when the wind is blowing in the right direction. This new winter sport is becoming increasingly popular in places often associated with skiing and snowboarding, such as the Western United States, Canada, Iceland, France, Switzerland, Austria, Norway, and Sweden.

Snowkiting is one of the fastest growing extreme snowsports in the world. The kite is tethered to the rider via a waist harness and controlled or steered using a control bar in the hands of the rider. The kite can be flown in specific patterns to generate greater power or can be used to allow the harnessed rider to jump or fly through the air. The large kites used in snowkiting are very dangerous in the hands of a person lacking instruction. Taking lessons with a certified instructor and learning the proper safety techniques is a must in this sport.

Come learn to snowkite with us!

At KGB Snowkiting School we offer snowkiting lessons and services in the Lake Tahoe and Mammoth Mtn areas, from Dec-May. Our Instructors and Guides are International Kiteboarding Organization (IKO) certified and use the newest and safest equipment available for instruction.

We have a private or group lesson that is perfect for you. Lessons are offered for individuals, groups or families, ages 8-80. We have a variety of lessons ranging from first time kiters that wanting to experience the pull of the kite with a Intro or Level I lesson, to experienced snowkiters looking to advance their skills with a one on one private lesson or Pro-Clinic. For water kiters wanting to transition to snow we have a lesson perfect for you.

For experienced snowkiters, our backcountry snowkiting guided tours will take you to hidden locations that offer the most scenic and pristine conditions for snowkiting in the Sierras, and can be tailored to suit your needs.

Lessons and tours can be booked online or please give us a call.

History of snowkiting

In the 1960s Dieter Strasilla and his brother Udo began Parapente experiments in USA, Germany and Switzerland, parachute-skiing in 1972 and later perfected a kiteskiing system using self made paragliders and a ball-socket swivel, thereby allowing the pilot to kitesail upwind or uphill, but also to take off into the air at will, swivelling the body around to face the right way.

Kiteskiers then began kiteskiing on many frozen lakes and fields in the US midwest and east coast. Lee Sedgwick and a group of kiteskiers in Erie, PA were early ice/s

now kiteskiers. In 1982 Wolf Beringer started developing his shortline Parawing system for skiing and sailing. This was used by several polar expeditions to kite-ski with sleds, sometimes covering large distances.

Ted Dougherty then began manufacturing ‘foils’ for kiteskiing and Steve Shapson of Force 10 Foils also began manufacturing ‘foils’ using two handles to easily control the kite. In the mid 1980′s Shapson, while icesailing, took out an old two line kite and tried to ski upwind on a local frozen lake in Wisconsin. Shapson then demonstrated the sport of ‘kiteskiing’ in Poland, Germany, Switzerland and Finland. He also used grass skis to “kiteski” on grassy fields.

Throughout the 1980′s and into the 1990′s some alpine skiers used rebridled square parachutes and windsurf sails to ski upwind on fozen lakes and up hills. In

the late 1990s small groups of French and North American riders began pushing the boundaries of what was to become modern freestyle snowkiting.

The Semnoz crew from France began hosting events at the Col du Lautaret and other European sites where the mountainous terrain lent itself to “paragliding” down the hills. In North America, riders were mainly riding snow-covered lakes and fields where tricks were being done on the flat ground, jumps, rails and sliders.

The 2000s have seen a giant leap forward in snowkite-specific technologies, skill levels and participants in every possible snow-covered country. The development of snowkite specific, de-powerable, foil kites have allowed snowkiters to explore further and push the limits of windpowered expeditions. Recent crossings in record times of large snowfields and even Greenland have been accomplished through the use of snowkites. In the early days of snowkiting, foil kites were the most common type used, now it is common to see both foils and Leading Edge Inflatable (LEI) kites in use on the snow. The safety and durability of inflatable kites has also improved allowing water kiteboarders to venture out in the winter winds and make the transition to snowkiting.

Better equipment, safety practices, community know-how and qualified and certified instructors are now available, allowing people to learn properly and safely through different means than trial and error. The sport is currently being enjoyed by kiters of all ages and in a wide variety of activities like mellow jaunts on a lake, kitercross events, multi-day expeditions, flying off of mountains, freestyle jib tricks and huge cliff jumps. Around the world the popularity of the sport continues to grow each year. On the forefront of extreme kiting, dedicated snowkiting communities from California to Norway are pushing the freestyle envelope, holding competitions and documenting their efforts in Drift Snowkite Magazine.

Lessons can be booked online or please give us a call with any questions.