My first time out was on a 5.5m HQ Apex on bare ice and 15 MPH winds. I thought I did pretty well, I stayed up right and had fun going back and fourth. The only trouble I had was trying to get back to my starting point.

My second time out conditions changed quite a bit, 1 foot of snow and 1 foot of slush on the lake! I tried a 10m HQ Apex with 12 mph winds, I could not keep up right. That kite pulled me on to my stomach a dozen times, face plant right into the slush.

To get moving I had to loop the kite and hit the power zone, I had to keep the kite moving to get any power out of it. Just as I thought I was ok the kite would grab a hand full of wind and face plant me into the slush.

Is this a typical rookie learning curve thing? One minute there was no power next minute too much power and over I would go!

I am not sure what my problem was, gusty wind, too big of a kite, too much drag on the snow???

Any pointers from those who are experts at kitting in deep snow???

Where are you putting the kite in relation to your body? Are you doing say a down wind where the kite is out in front of you or are you keeping it out by your side? Ideally you would want to start off heading down wind then edge out and turn almost perpendicular to the kite. I think the 10m would handle 12mph winds ok without a ton of power pulling you over. Maybe a little slushy as well.

By nature depower foils like to be moving to develop power and speed then you "can" park and ride.

I'm not extremely familiar with kite skiing yet, but the same rules apply when in a buggy or on a board.

I had the kite to my side, I was trying not to slip down wind in fear of having to walk back in slush. Ok, I can see starting down wind to get moving then turning to the side, now that I think of it I was almost trying to go up wind from the start.

A 10m apex is a nice kite and will work well for you as you progress. If the winds are gusty, they can be a handful, especially in the beginning. When sizing your kite, try your best to size based off of maximum gust value. One thing I can mention is to make sure you aren't trying to start out pointed cross wind. Point 45 degrees downwind to start, dive kite only as much as needed to get moving. Once moving you can sine the kite to start building momentum, and start edging cross wind. Keep moving kite to build enough speed till you can park the kite and create apparent power. Once you can hold a line back and forth, you can start edging gradually up wind. It's a bit tricky at first, but once you get these first steps figured out, it will start coming together.

It was way easier to ski on bare ice, I think starting at a 45 to the wind would of helped to get moving and keep moving. I think I should of looped the kite higher in the wind window, I was greedy and grabed too much power to start with. I think next time I will slow down and just shuffle across the snow dipping the kite in the window gradually.

Instead of looping, take your kite to the 11 o'clock or 1 o'clock position in the opposite direction you intend on going, then bring the kite back to the direction you intend on going, dropping a little into the power window which will give you a good start on moving. Then get your edge and sine your kite as shaggs said

I see I was a bit slow in my typing lol. Diving too deep into the powerzone will get you if you aren't ready for it. I've been dragged on my face a few times, and every time I'm still surprised lol.

I can tell you what your biggest problem is on the second time out - 100% of the problem is conditions.
Whenever you have a layer of deep snow on ice that isn't super thick the weight of the snow pushes the ice down to draw up water and also insulates the ice from freezing. Also if you get a rain or mild spell and then a quick heavy snow it traps and creates the dreaded slush sandwich. So the deeper snow will be heavier and harder to power ride unless you really get the tips up and then the slush is like hitting wet concrete that will suck you in stick like glue. That is the worst condition and when you get that you have to decide to go and get wet and stuck or kite another day.
More than a few of us have gotten stuck in the slush!! BEWARE!! Last time I got stuck it was crazy gusty white outs and high winds and I went for a ride anyway and sure enough the kite is bouncy powers up at an odd angle and you drive down below the snow and submarine the tips of skis into slush and then you are stuck. Skis under a foot of slush and water and snow on top. You fall over and immediately get soaked in water that fills boots and gloves, boots locked in bindings wedged under slush. The only recourse is to keep the kite flying and trying and pull yourself backwards out and get coated from head to toe in slush that then freezes - not good kiting conditions. and if you carve up the slush followed by a freeze you'll come back to find you've left jagged ruts to catch your skis on the next outing.

On top of everything suggested here, I will also highly recommend watching this video. I used to own it on dvd, and found it helped quite a bit. Don't know who uploaded it, but since its there, you might as well benefit from it.

http://vimeo.com/19870324

Sine your kite that's a new word for me, I don't know if I had enough steady wind to do that, I was flying figure 8's just to keep the kite in the air at times, other times I was being pulled over.

I am itching to give it another try, it is hard to see what your doing wrong when you are completely exhausted. And how the heck are you suppose to get back up after you fall down? I had to remove my skis to stand up.

falling and getting back up can be less than graceful at times. On a snowboard, I lay onto my back and use the kite to pull me back up, not sure on skis though. Sine is just basically one half of your figure eight over and over again. Dive kite fly back to zenith and repeat. You keep doing that in the same direction you want to travel.

As shaggs said getting back up can usually be easy if you have enough power to lift yourself. First thing to do with skis is get yourself into a decent position. This can mean a lot of twisting and throwing your skis around so be very careful not to knick or cut your lines with a ski edge if you swing and twist a ski up in the air. You want to end up with skis downwind and you'll need to play with the kite and planting your skis and bending your knees for different conditions and wind strengths. As one easier approach start laying on your side head upwind and legs downwind then rotate your legs a few degrees forward in the direction you are going to go so your skis will be at a bit of an angle rather than perpendicular to your body. Then your upper leg plant the edge of the ski - kite overhead take it back in the wind window a little and then swing it forward and down into the power. As you get the lift from the kite the planted ski at a slight angle will leverage you up. If you keep your skis straight (perpendicular to your body) you can sometimes start to lift and end up with knees bent and shooting downwind as you start to glide forward without enough upward torque to lift you.
If you don't have enough power you may need to stand but it's planting an edge to hold and getting enough power for the lift

Here's a buddy that is always falling in funny angles and just lucky so far he hasn't cut his lines with his crazy ideas of where to have his skis to re-start - it doesn't work this way

That video was full of good info I almost paid money for that one, thanks

Having a larger kite is a slight advantage on slushy / sticky snow. You can fly the kite higher and lift yourself a bit / make yourself light.
If anything you had too small a kite, I'm thinking ?

Quote: Originally posted by Chrisz

That video was full of good info I almost paid money for that one, thanks

I agree that was a great video... It is however 2hrs long

I think Markite nailed it. The conditions sucked, as they sometimes do. When you come to a sucking halt, all the power that was motivating you has to go somewhere, and it often ends up just as you experienced. There isn't much that you can do about it but
decide if today is a good day to sit in front of the fire and hope for better times, or continue on. The snow slush thing happens a lot
in the early season and is just something to live with. Keep your equipment well waxed so ice doesn't build up as that will really slow you down and keep your bindings from functioning properly. Many people spray their bindings with silicone to help release the
ice.
Hey, tomorrow might be perfect!

The lakes have finally froze up! I did get out yesterday with my 11m Apex, not enouth wind. The window was really small and my kite kept comming out of the sky, darn weather.

I am starting to get the hang of the kite, I just cant get mother nature to work with me, I missed out on a perfect day to day 15mph winds and 30 degrees, I had other obligatins it almost killed me to not be out there.

Nice Chris! Missing out on perfect opportunities happens all the time for me. "Should have been there yesterday" is what I always hear. What do you mean by "the lakes have finally froze up"? We have been driving trucks on the lakes here since Christmas, Duluth is usually colder than Green Bay, so I would think you've had good ice before us?

The foot of slush finally froze up, got out today after it quit raining and had a blast! The sun was out the wind was warm and blowing about 15mph, I was flying with that 11m Apex, I had a grin from ear to ear!


I think I am going to feel the work out tomorrow I am already getting stiff, I would take kiting over a treadmill any day!

That's what it's all about Chris! I was out today as well, almost 40F here today, no jacket required:D I'm like you, would rather be sore from kiting than step foot in a gym. Good to hear you got your stoke on.

Sounded like a great time. First time it starts to come together is always the greatest feeling. The morning after stiffness is always bittersweet. You know its gonna hurt for a few days, when you ache an hour after a session. I always tell my wife that, if I could kite everyday, I'd be a far better shape than round.