LAKAWA

As pointed out, it depends on the lake. For example, Harriet is spring-fed and a guy went through with an iceboat the same day I was driving my car on White Bear. This in the middle of a cold winter. Late season the ice starts to fragment and crystallize and water will push up to the surface of the ...

Saturday, February 20, 2016 Details and a link to register here: http://excelsiorbrew.com/excelsior-snow-kite-open-2016/ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ KITE RACE: Open to Snowboarders and Skiers Registration Here! 8am – Registration & Bib Pick Up @ Excelsior Brewing Company tap...

NOTE - the Excelsior kite ski race was postponed to 2/20 (and now conflicts with the Wayzata Bay kite race date).

http://www.zapevent.com/listactivities. ... entid=8856

/Adam

Calhoun is in very nice shape. A little glare ice here and there.

Did 28 miles in 1:45 and 39 mph max.

http://gps.motionx.com/maps/be90a83dfd2 ... 11e9475792

/Adam

Did a drive-by of Calhoun and it looks like a good day to ride. Forecast is solid 10-15 all day. Headed over this afternoon.
/Adam

Calhoun has dried completely and has locked up (no standing water) as of 9am today.

Iceboats are setting up now, I plan to kite once it softens a bit.

/Adam

I personally do not think it matters all that much. I ski carver boards out west and they matter a lot on the hill. But for kiting I use old straight 203cm Volkl slalom skis and they seem to work fine. Call me old-school (used to ski 100+ days a year) but going straight hard on-edge on a frozen lake...

I was out there too on wed. What color/kind kite are you flying Adam? I'll swing by next time and introduce myself. I live in uptown, so for quick workday sessions I'm usually on Calhoun or Harriet. I have a question, if anyone could give a little insight. I was flying my 9m T3 Wednesday and was a ...

Today (Wed.) was also really nice - maybe a dozen or so out there. The next few days do look ugly! As far as actual wind on Calhoun, I use the NOAA/NWS site. Type in the zip 55410 and you will get MSP airport 6 miles away airport under "current conditions". Under "More Local WX" ...

Agreed. I dressed but did not realize the horror show until I walked out there. The water pockets are really nasty - even on skiis I broke through 8-12" to the lower black ice. I have no idea how that that layer is so tucked-tail and left.

/Adam

I am gonna sail Calhoun this Saturday 12/18.

8-10 mph west.

A few ice fisherman were out today, fwiw...

/Adam

I was just about to post....thanks!

/Adam

From Bob Dill, iceboater extraordinaire, on the topic of ice....

http://lakeice.squarespace.com/

Enjoy!
Adam

JRN wrote:IF YOU READ THE POST TITLIED,"ICE THICKNESS," you'll see that Adam posted that an iceboat went through Calhoun on thursday.

Someone (me?) needs to go and drill it. Maybe Tuesday I'll check.

/Adam

Typically what happens is the new snow either pushes down on the thin ice making "snow ice" (grey, not black), or the snow load insulates the heat of the lake and it takes much longer for ice for grow. And of course you cannot see what is going on a few inches below your feet. This is the ...

Calhoun should start freezing more with this cold snap. We will need more snow though. I drove by it yesterday and there is so much bare ice. Not sure if the water soaked through or what happened but it does not look rideable even if the ice were safe. Hmm, perhaps it may have blown off in the big ...

A DN went for a swim on Calhoun today, Thursday 12/9....fwiw.

/Adam

Swede is good to go for both kites and iceboats - sailed it yesterday. Snow is not so deep to kill the iceboats but grippy enough for kiting. Just an inch of windpack...

/Adam

Today (Sunday 3/14) was a party out there. 64 degrees. No gloves. T shirt. Acres of lycra beautified the beach. The 6 or so DN's were doing 45 mph on GPS and well, I was staying with 'em. Figure mid to high 30's. Sailed 40 miles easy. 4-5 kites came out. Good stuff from noon til sunset. No idea wher...

March 13, 2010. Calhoun is in great shape - grippy and fast 20" ice. I saw no hazards on the southern half of the lake. East shore is walk-on still.

Sailed until past dark in a vest with a lone DN iceboat. More on Sunday for sure.

/Adam