It looks like the 2015 Bighorn Snowkite Summit is officially on. Will be running from Dec 7-13; more info available at the Jackson Hole Kiters Facebook page.

For those of you who have never been, it is pretty spectacular. The Jackson Hole crew is awesome, and it pulls a lot of great talent and people from Montana, Wyoming and beyond. Last year skills ranged from a 15 yr-old taking her 1st lessons to the hill-soaring, mega-looping crowd. Everybody I met was super helpful and willing to share their knowledge.

Very few egos, just a lot of great kiting with great people; definitely worth making if you can (oh, and the food is great).

Dang! I'm starting to think about this. Jackson Hole is about a 4.5 - 5 hr drive for me. I've never snowkited before but have spent this year buggying a lot and I can hold my own on skis having been a racer back in the day. I'd plan on getting some time in here with my Peaks in the Wasatch before heading up. Thanks for the head's up!

If you go, you might have to invest in a wizmount for the gopro

Windstruck,

There were several folks there from UT there last year. You should seriously consider coming up. We had people from CA, Canada, even got Chris to come out from NC.

You never know what the conditions will be like in early Dec, but last year winds tended to be light which made for great conditions for folks who were learning to hill glide or learning to snowkite in general. I tend to prefer lighter winds and big kites, so it was perfect for me. The year before that was super cold with great snow coverage.

Here are a couple videos:

2014 Bighorn Summit
2013 Bighorn Summit
My video from last year. not nearly as cool

Thanks for the great videos. I've got to see how my work schedule shapes up in the beginning of December, talk it over with my wife, etc. Looks like a blast!

Loved it last year. I'm in again!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGTDXGySDHs

Sorry Chris - totally forgot your video!

The Spryte has become somewhat legendary. Although don't expect to get anywhere fast.

I've got to teach late Thursday night, but hoping to get up there Friday and stay through Sunday. Hoping I can convince a couple CO counterparts to come as well.

Good times!

I put the word out there. I missed last year and said I wasn't going to miss this year, but it snuck up on me. I'm hoping to get a green light. I'll get back to you, PKF.

Maybe one of these years they will move it back a week. This is the third year that it has been during Finals week, and we are forbidden to give finals early ... The Big Horns are Awesome and so is the crew out at the high country lodge.

Nate, my purchase comes with a couple free days right?

Ahh! Hey - the event itself is free - its just the lodging that gets expensive. FWIW, I called the lodge on Monday, and they said they were already fully booked - even for floor space - on the Friday and Saturday night I plan on being there. So it sounds like its going to be a full event.

I still plan on driving up there with some friends of the family I have been teaching to kite - a son and his dad - and we plan on staying in the parking lot. It's about a 2 mile/800ft elevation gain from the parking lot to the plateau where you can start kiting. The snowcat and snowmobiles are constantly running that route so it stays fairly packed and it shouldn't be too bad. Good way to warm up in the morning, especially if its been in the negative digits ( and I do mean Fahrenheit)!

Come on over, Moto - would love to see you there! There was a faction from Portland there last year.

Quote:

This is the third year that it has been during Finals week,

43Patrick: I hope that means you're a teacher and not a student, otherwise I'd say don't make a career out of school!

I have the same problem though: our quarter doesn't end until the week after. I told them I had annual business Conference to attend in WY - which is technically true - and would be missing one of my days of teaching. I guess that's a silver lining to being a part-time adjunct professor (aka slave labor) and not full-time faculty.

Nate,

Honestly i'd love to, HOWEVER i'm a mid/high level manager at a ski resort. While you might all be about to go on vacation, i'm gearing up getting ready to see all your students out on the slopes. Terrible timing it's during an industry "blackout" date. Even if i wanted to go, wouldn't happen.

Moto,

That sounds like torture - working whilst being forced to watch everybody else have fun. Don't worry - we'll be sure to take some epic pictures and video to share around and pour some salt in the wound when we're done.

But hey - did I hear something about you guys getting a monster storm over there? Send some snow my way!

THE SNOW IS ALL OURS! CAN'T HAS NONE!

Nah, it's fine, when i need a ski break i take one. The advantages of management. It's also nice to deal with happy people on a daily basis.

I kid...sounds like an awesome job. Do what you love!