Snowkiting Minnesota & Iowa & South Dakota UPDATED! 1/12/16

[Matt V]

How is the snow where you are?

Okaboji/Spirit Lake IA has some deep snow in the grass and no bean stems showing through on the soybean fields. Unfortunately there is no base in the grass so this snow will have to pack down some to be an easy ride. Today my back leg was really doing all the work as I fought to keep up the tip of the snowboard. The ankle high grass is definetly rideable if you have kited in powder before. But the chest high grass is holding loose powder that has not packed around the root clumps. This can make for a "stop and go" ride if you do not keep your tip up.

After the 8th of January, I may check out Ft. Pierre National Grassland in SD on my way out to Montana or Skyline. But I would rather stay here at Spirit Lake if this stuff would form into a base and then get another snowstorm to top it off. It would be epic here again like it has not been for 5 years. Here are my old, and some new prospective spots on a map.



Update 1/10/16 - I hit Christopherson today in 4-8mph of wind (15m Matrixx I). Christopherson South was pretty much a bust for wind but the snow is doable everywhere, even on the peaks of the hills. Only about 3" firm snow there and there is the occasional boulder here and there. I did not make it to any good terrain there because the wind was not out of the right direction to get compression off of the elevation rise. This spot is THE NORTH WIND SPOT! Today I just wanted to check out the bad snow on top and I am pretty happy with it.

Then I went to Christopherson North and made it all the way up the valley with a few downhill kiteloop backrolls showing off to the hunters across the way. Snow at the North location is lacking and this spot is kind of a pro spot anyway with a narrow corridor to get through. And there are lots of nibbled off Plumbrush trees here and there. You need to be careful where you "butt print". Speed is also a "no-no"

Planning on hitting Spring Run tomorrow to see what is out there. The drifts there are always best fresh. After a week they seem to loose their hard on. Too much wind yesterday kind of blew off the soybean fields so beginners would be best on the lakes if it is thick enough. But the grass is holding everything that blew off.

Wind looks good for the rest of the week here culminating in Epic possibilities for Christopherson South on Friday and Saturday. I will let you know how the snow is it the tall/thick grass at Spring Run tomorrow.


Update 1/12/16 - Spring run was pretty good yesterday with full snowcover all around. The thicker grass is nice with lots of snow. Cattails are still a bit snakey with the nose of the board. Decent but not epic drifts here and there.

Christopherson South was epic today with some good glides, rides in the bowls, powder traps in the depressions, and some quarter pipe riding on the road embankment. The snow is 100% but pretty thin up on top of the peaks. Windlips are somewhat lacking in size but still appreciated. The creek is pretty filled in almost everywhere and you can ride across it easily plus there are some good drifts along the banks.

If the snow survives the high of 32 on Thursday, this weekend will be epic with the perfect direction (North).

[Stroh]

Hey Matt give me a call, I might be interested in joining you out in MT or Skyline... or maybe one of those grassland adventures.

Jon Stroh (nine52)eight 07 three 306

[Matt V]

Will do!

For me, it looks like a quick trip down around Ft. Dodge, IA to meet up with someone with some private land access, then back to Omaha around the 5th of Jan.

After that I am desperate to try out Ft. Pierre National Grassland as I know for sure there is a base there. A look at the snowcover map shows the most snow right over the best spots in the Grassland.

http://www.intellicast.com/Local/WxMap. ... ayers=0053

(click on Layers, then select "snowcover")


2-3" refresh and it will be paradise. It has huge open areas with rolling hills and some steep enough to glide off of. The best is the washout waterfalls that get up to 8ft tall. If there is enough snow, they are pretty challenging to ride off of and up. The washout canyons make pretty sweet wind lips/cornices that I am still dreaming of from last year.

Here in Spirit Lake, IA, it is deep and soft. But there is zero base and I would not reccomend coming here until next Friday when the snow should be set up into a base and then hopefully there will be a topping with that storm. Could be paradise here too.

Dugout Creek was pretty sweet today. Rode an 11m but was getting lifted pretty bad in the gusts. That is the thing about all of these spots on the "Buffalo Ridge" - You have to add a few MPH to the wind forecast so a 20mph day may be more like 25mph day. I prefer a bigger kite with 11-14mph forecast for comfort.

I will keep you updated on my plans. I pretty much always head to good snow being as mobile as I am throughout the winter.

Matt V
(For-Oh-2) Six8six-NienSven1Four