Hey all,
Just been thinking of giving this a go this snow season and wondering where they are doing it in Aus?, and also New Zealand , heard they were doing it down Wanaka way?
Also is it best to use a foil kite as they all seem too, and what are the disavantages advantages of using either a foil or a inflatable?
What size kite would you need in general for 85 kg's?
All info appreciated.
Anyways cheers 
Mike Walker and i are running snowkite week at Thredbo this year from 14-21 Sept .We have both been snowkiting in the Australian Alps since the late 90's
Advantages disadvavntages of blow upss/foils have been covered before (See if I can find the links ) particularly for our mountains
This time of year is more fiendly for kites and lines as the likelyhood of cauliflower ice is greatly diminished .We do have a condition tho that pump ups can't go out past 5 km radius of top station karels
Cheers
lach
There's a snow kiting weekend organised in every year, down Wanaka way in NZ. I think it usually happens around august/september. Its called Wanakite.
Have a hunt on www.kiteforum.co.nz/phpBB/ for some info. I haven't heard anything about when its planned for this year.
Queenstown has a spot where they teach it IKO style. $75 per hour per person.
Recommends to bring own snowboard for ease of learning but they have plenty to provide and have the kties there i think. check the site to make sure.
ww7.extremesportscafe.com
It would certainly be great if you didnt have to pay extra luggage geting your kite over there and buying a snowboard before trying it out i guess, and im guessing the instructors would have their own secret spots.
OH and they do helisnowkiting too. 
Apparently they use the Ozone Frenzy 05 range because its designed to be used as a snowkite?
Courses run August and September...Im actually looking at going there to give it a burl..
Buy Something Stronger DVD from airborne to get amped for snowkiting, not a bad vid.
Edit:
Site was last updated in 2005, so it may no longer be running...or they may have a new portal, hopefully with the new Airush Snow!?
From what I can gather that other company no longer exists.
The Wanakite event is organised by Tim @ kitesports.co.nz and is held at Snow Farm which is opposite Cardrona b/w Wanaka and Queenstown.
It is usually held at the close of the season, beginning october or something like that.
I am unsure if kites are allowed on the snowfarm during the normal season but I suspect it is ok. Give them or Tim a call and they should fill you in.
And then of course there is this:http://www.boarderpatrol.com.au/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=18&Itemid=55
Now that would be fun!
Jon from Boarder Patrol here based in Queenstown. -4 this morning and a good 20 cms at Snowfarm so looking at going up in the next couple of days for the first session of winter already. The kite spot at snowfarm is about 100mtr walk from the car park. This area is leased by "The Proving Ground" who do winter vehicle testing on their tracks up there. DO NOT WALK DOWN ANY OF THE ROADS UP THERE as they get sketchy about us being there. Last season they were charging $20 a day. We are doing a camp with Chasta 20-27 July. See www.boarderpatrol.com.au We can organize trips anytime though. Wannakite contact is Chris at www.kitesports.co.nz
There are also a couple of instructors who have just arrived so there will be instruction available for the season. Feel free to Contact me for info anytime
1800 611 103 from Aus or once in NZ try 021 0250 9650.
I think I'll pop up to Kosi this winter for a snowkiting play with my friends. I'll stick something on here )seabreeze) when planning to go, so anyone else who wants to play too can come! I'd recommend going with someone who has done it before if you haven't...the snow in Aust is often icey/sketchy, and there are rocks poking out and gustyness.
If you want to go to NZ, then Wanaka is the best place to go (for those without secret insider knowledge!!). Snowfarm is great - but you really should hook up with Tim from kitesports.co.nz first or someone else, because the snowfarm people can get edgy about people using the area sometimes. The upside is that you can go to snowpark (terrain park) next door if there is no wind. And if you break yourself I can recommend sitting on the picnic tables at the bottom of snowpark, with a Moro bar and watching people **** themselves up - it's about one broken bone per 5 minute ratio. Fun!
I was up in Wanaka for the last Wannakite, snow farm was where I went to kite the entire time and there was tonnes of easily accessed land to kite on from just off the car park ( looking back towards Wanaka) though we had to pay the snow farm guys abit for each session. just stay off anything that looks like a track!
I bought my kite, an 06 Ozone frenzy when I was over there. Glad I got a foil because all the guys on c kites were strugling, bow kites weren't as bad. just comes down to relaunch and landing, foils rock (on snow). Note, It was areal struggle finding a kite on the south island, I think there was only 1 store, cant remember the name. Chriss Gebbie ended up posting 1 to wanaka for me. Some C kites had a 5th (or 6th!) line attached to the back of the kite (opposit end of the centre bladder where an old school 5 line it attached) and that seemed to help.
Get a freestyle board (twin tip style) and SOFT BOOTS! I bought hard boots cos I spent so much time on the slopes snowboarding regularly, but If I was only gonna kite I would have gotten soft boots, my calves were all bruised by the end of the day kiting.
Flow bindings or the like, where the heel support folds down as opposed to the top straps folding off would hav helped so much too (I realised to late), you'll see why when you start. I've heard they are not as solid, there wouldn't be much in it though, and for how much easier they make it i wouldn't care!
I've still got my Frenzy and probably wont be using it anytime soon if you are looking for one to buy. 12m 06, go me moving before anyone else out there and you're pretty much parasailing once your airbourne
James
PM me if you had any other ???'s
Oh yes! The soft boots! Absolutely essential..... How one forgets the PAIN.
And foils do rock in the snow - for about ten million excellent reasons. Five that spring to mind immediately are;
1) there are 4 lines attached to the four corners of the kite. No bridles, pumps, pulleys or macrame. Your fingers freeze instantly in wind + snow so this is very important.
2) it's not that easy to leave your tube kite sitting leading edge down in the wind - wind changes direction and the ice gobbles up kites like a hungry icey thing.
3) did i mention the wind changing direction? It's massively gusty and flukey and the foils tend to deal with this waaay better.
4) you can park it above you when you are fiddling around putting board on.
5) they are very warm to sleep in. I reckon I would have frozen to death by now if they weren't. Climb in sleeping bag and then wrap into kite. Toasty!
Well flying a doona would be quite warm i imagine.
As for snowfarm thanks for all the tips lads, im much more enthused about these guys, They seem to have far more experience, just from the look of their site you can tell they know what they're doing...right?
So....who's going and when, Ive got about 3 mates who'll be keen to go...need a few months to gather money though
one of the reasons I fly PL doonas is because they are great in our mountains and the water and yes they are cosy too .they actually saved a couple of mates from freezing to death on a greenland expedition last year .If i'm staying out on the main range i wrap myself up in them .lovely !!
Thanks for all the feedback guys.
Alot of good info, which is great!
So the Ozone is the perferred kite to purchase, so it seems?
Not sure what size to get for 85 kgs and what wind range this will work best in but will check out the websites you have suggested, for more info and definately going to give a good month to going this as it is combining my two fav sports so surely ythat must be a good thing..............................
Kites to consider..........
ozone = frenzy, manta, access
flysurfer = speed, psycho, pulse (can be used on water too)
Peter Lynn = any of the arcs (can be used on water too)
flexifoil = sabre
Then theres the lesser know ones like Gin and HQ.
mike
Gin, Lesser Known?
hahaha...maybe to some, but as far as kitesurfing goes with Ram-Air kites, Gin are leading the pack. For instance, they usually make Paragliders (Parapente for some) which are designed to catch maximum Thermals, Ridge Lift and stay aloft for hours on end.
Seriously, look into Paragliding its helluva lot of fun about as expensive as kitesurfing and great for travel.
anyone kited in the victorian alps?
I know theres been some action at falls and hotham in the past. looking at organising a snow kite trip with a few mates this winter. Just want to make sure that everyone enjoys the trip and gets home in one piece.
Any idea of which mountain is best for experienced kitesurfers, novice ( 1st time ) snowkiters, especially safety wise. Some experienced snowboarders in group.
any advice / input welcome
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Screw the waves and give me the rocks.
Great vid .Thats one of the appealing thibgs about snow kiting is the terrain and the vistas,
What sort of wind would you need for snow kiting? By the looks of that vid not much? 10knots with a 9m kite?
Steve from Kitepower once told me you need Katabatic winds (wind that goes uphill)....makes sense...how else you gonna get up the slope...walk...not for me.
So Mr Float, how long to profiency snow kiting, if you were experienced kiter and snow boarder?
, is it an easy transition?
of course reading terrian is another aspect altogether. Was just wondering as to the usual progression rates and even for non kiters but proficent snowboarders skiers?
What is your opinion between ski's and board or preference.
I'm a better skier than snowboarder and just wondering if it would make any difference, I could imagine kiting on ski's to be somewhat more difficult , yes?
Having seen kiters over the years with no snow experience going well after an hour or so in good conditions wind around 15 kts you should pick it up easily .
Personally I like skis as i can move my feet and body position very easily .Plus I use super short 100 cm snow skates .no heavy bindings and work a treat and if i have to walk there isn't much weight .It comes down to personal preference I have seen boarders and skiers with kite skills both adapt very well
I see slingshot have got a snow kite out now. It looks to be priced a fair bit lower than the ozones too. Will be interesting to see how they compare.
buyslingshotsports.com/kite/2008_kite_kites_ranger.htm
