Well just when we finally got a good run of cold weather to freeze the lakes followed a nice snowfall everyone was looking forward to getting out this
weekend to kite ski and snowbaord but now it's been raining all morning in southern Ontario that is going to switch to freezing rain then over the
weekend varies from rain to snow to freezing rain as warm air coming up from texas is going to hit a cold air mass later sunday.
This will make for absolute crap conditions for kite skiing. A couple of inches of slush over good ice is easy to deal with other than dressing for
wet. Once you get closer to 4-5 inches it's very tough and more than that with a snow cover makes for the slush sandwich that you stick like glue -
worse than trying to ski on soft wet sand mixed with wet concrete. Add a snap freeze on top and you get the death crust.
Hopefully this doesn't totally mess up everyone's conditions in areas surrounding the great lakes.
here are some tips on checking ice thickness - best to see it close up at 45 second mark
abkayak - 20-12-2013 at 11:19 AM
ohh iwish i had sound on this computer...seems like a lot to learn in that videoChrisz - 20-12-2013 at 02:30 PM
I feel for you! I have the same conditions in Duluth Minnesota, the lakes are really messed up, we have a foot of slush. Just cam back from checking
the lake on my x-country hit slush and had to walk back. Once the slush sticks to the underside of the skis the skis dont move anymore, I found out
on my 3 time ever kitting that hitting slush stops your skis but you and the kite keep going. Can you say face plantFeyd - 20-12-2013 at 02:48 PM
We have slush on the lower lakes here as well. Praying for rain...canuck - 21-12-2013 at 11:28 AM
I feel your frustration too I thought conditions might better seeing all of the
snow footage from Ontario on the Weather Channel. Edmonton had a bit of freezing rain last weekend after a good snowfall but so far the Calgary area
has escaped it.Cheddarhead - 21-12-2013 at 07:18 PM
Expecting up to a foot of snow here tonight into tomorrow compliments of the Gulf of Mexico. Sad that were accumulating so much snow so early in the
season. Hard to do speed runs with snow drifts in your way:evil: I just hope this storm doesn't turn the lakes to slushFeyd - 22-12-2013 at 04:16 PM
We got poured on last night. We could have gone out today but it's too soft and wet and if we track it out now it will be brutal to ride once the cold
front comes through.
We've managed to miss most of the ice accumulation they forecasted. Hopefully not too much death crust out there. :evil:Bladerunner - 29-12-2013 at 09:02 AM
We are so bummed out.
Jeremy's family and I are trying to get riding on a Merrit / Kamloops trip. Lakes are marginal and Lac Le Juene was the classic crust on top of 4
inches of water on top of ice. Add the fact I killed the wind again and it was another fail.
Jeremy's Son managed to head out and back to the same spot on his very 1st ( and only ) run before the wind stopped. That Kid is a NATURAL born kiter
!
I thought conditions might better seeing all of the
snow footage from Ontario on the Weather Channel. Edmonton had a bit of freezing rain last weekend after a good snowfall but so far the Calgary area
has escaped it.