17-20 Big Horn Mountains

Drove up on Wed and got a late day session on Bald Mountain's west side on 15M.
Lodging at Wyoming High Country Lodge, just a couple of miles from Bald Mountain, sled access only.
Thursday was great 11M day on the south west face of Baldy, the "famous" gliding mountain ridge.
Great snow conditions and tons of features to play on. Then we moved around to Terminal B, the south east facing part of Baldy.
Friday we went to Terminal B, rode for hours on 9M. Later we packed up and went to Duncum mountain for the late day 9M session. Long day...
Saturday the clouds cam in, and we had to go lower to find kite spot. The 15M conditions were smooth and reminded me of kiting runs at a resort on the groomers. We may be snowed in Sunday. The plows don't run up here on the weekends. 1-2 feet in the forecast sat night. We may have to wait for the plows to get out of here on Monday.

16--11M Lake Creek

Nice wind, mediocre visibility, a little gliding.
And a kite rescue.
Kevin climbed the tree, Matt had to cut the front lines, but no real damage.

15--9M 8M Rush

South east winds, but not the usual smooth SE.
Doug was the early bird with Andrew, Vern, Jim, Jason K and a few others.
Deep enough for some good reaches on a surfboard.
Virgin run on the Space Pickle, to strong at first to be fun.
Had some fun speed runs in the smooth south shallows on twin tip.
Noon lull then it was back up again.
Rigged the 8M and went back out on the SP and enjoyed it.
Gonna be a good light wind board, slow but super stable and fun to ride.

14--11M Lake Creek

Top 3 day of the year,,,again.
Super soft layer of (day before yesterday) new snow on top.
Strong but some what turbulent winds made for some great exploring.
We went down as low in the valley as we have ever gone.
Rode the gully that would be the stream bed.
Tons of lips and powder pillows to play on.

13-- 11M-9M Viva Naughton

Matt and I took the RV and sleds with the plan to go north to find powder and wind.
We nailed it right off the start. We rode the sleds up a little and rigged 9M
but just as we went to launch it lightened to 11M which quickly was to much.
After riding some super terrain, ridge after ridge with softies in each gully,
we ripped back and jumped on our already rigged 9M's
Almost 4 hours of exploring a huge part of the area.
It was what I had always imagined kiting would be like there with strong wind.

One of the Top days of the season, the snow was good, but a few inches of new pow would have been heaven.
Kitequila, overboard,, then a sled exploration day on friday.
We thought a light thermal wind would come up in the afternoon, but it was a calm day.

12-11M Strawbs

Took the tour from Chicken Creek,
south west, across the reservoir,
then southeast to Mud Creek,
then north east by the hills west of the marina
then northwest back to Chicken Creek.
On skis with Matt and Eric.
I wanna go back on a snowboard
to the little glide hill by Mud Creek, friendly..

11-11M,15M Strawberry River

Rode 11M and Skis for the first session on grippy, heavy snow.
The 15M and snowboard felt better for the second session.

10--15M Chalk Creek Farewell

Matt and I rigged in the light wind on the west side of the road.
After a short while, we decided to rig down and kite the east "usual" area.
Bad news as the land owner came by and said we were trespassing and to never do it again.
Lots of good times up there, I think Doug and I may have kited there as early as '05.
Bye, Bye,,,,,

9--11M Strawbs Chicken Creek

Jim and I headed to Strawbs for an afternoon of strong but gusty winds.
Snowboard for the first session, ski for the second.
a few pow patches on the lee side of the hills,
the harder snow softened as the day progressed.

8--11M VN

Looked like a great wind forecast at Viva Naughton, more southerly.
reports of new snow over the last period made us hope all the sage was covered, it was.
As the wind picked up from the south, we were excited to hit some new huge areas.
The snow started a little crusty, but quickly softened up and in places was creamy nice.
We covered lots of gound, but only small area compared to the potential.
Skis worked great, especially because the wind died and we skinned out the last few miles.

7--11M Skyline

It wasn't that long ago I said,
"if I had to use skis I wouldn't snow kite"
I'm gonna eat those words.
It wasn't the skis it the wrong skis.
I enjoyed the day and the S7's
It will be easier and safer to follow Matt to the backcountry now.

6--15M View Area Strawbs

Met up with John Guay who said that VA was not plowed and to park at Ladders.
I rigged the 15M and took off, but it felt good and powered.
I hung around the parking lot for a while to test the wind
and decided the 11M may be more fun when I got to the VA hills.
Bad move, to light to get to the VA on the lake.
While floundering, I heard what sounded like road work at the VA.
Made it back, Slawek sent text and said VA was open.
So off I went, didn't fuck around and rigged 15M.
Warm and sunny, but mashed potato snow.
It was fun to get back out to one of the best snowkite spots ever.
Lots of great memories out there, following Rob, Chasta, Brian the first time out there in '06.
Many days with Matt delving deeper than common sense dictates. (on snowboard)
Eventually the clouds built and we headed closer to the parking lot.
Visibility went to shit, and then the gravy for the top of the potatoes started falling from the sky.
By the time we got to the parking lot, we were soaked.
But fun....

5--11M Viva Naughton

The most wind on the Sailflow map was where we headed.
Very light in the parking lot, Matt and Eric rigged there.
I pussed out and rode my sled to higher ground and found stronger winds.
They were very to alma over powered on big, I was quite powered.
Such a huge area to ride, it could take year to hit every spot.
Can't wait to hit it on a more southerly strong wind.
That will really open up some huge terrain.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMGPpzMky1Y&feature=youtu.be

4--LC 15M

It wasn't great, because the wind was light and the sled tracks were almost every where,
but it wasn't bad either because there were plenty of untracked power patches to carve up.
It's so nice up there on a sunny day that just being up there is a treat.

3--LC 11M

Days like this are the reason I love Lake Creek and snowkiting.
Lots of wind, and lots of fresh snow off the ridges.
I don't need to take old gear up there any more, coverage is good.
It was one of these days when all of the open area at LC could be explored.
It was quite northerly, so it opened up even a few new spots to comfortably play in.
The highlights were, the powder waves in the ravines that just had to be carved up.
The mini glides of the small hills.
Sitting on a ridge resting, then boosting from a sitting position into a floaty ridge ride.
8 kites up, the most I can remember, word is out.

2--Skyline 17M

I went to Snowbasin with Vern Yesterday and got the first day on my season pass.
It wasn't the best snow, but I do like my new Rossi S7 Ski.
Matt and I headed to Skyline early.
It was so much lighter than anticipated so we rigged big.
We headed to the west ridge and finally the wind picked up.
Matt was getting some massive glides, with style.
I decided to head back to rig down,
but found the big kite let me go lower on the ridge and found the softer snow.
I caught an edge and rolled into my lines and cut a steering line.
I forgot to put a pigtail in my newer coat, but luckily Matt had one.
Made a larkshead on one end of the cut line and a big knot on the other end.
Then attached the pigtail to give it the length that the knots took up.
The hard part was postholing on the steep hill to get the lines straight to launch.
With help from Matt when a line would get around a twig,
I launched and headed straight to the Van.
Matt got me a free car wash at his new Fast and Friendly car wash, it's great.
Then we went to REI and I got some new Burton Moto boots to replace my packed out old boots.

1--Skyline 11M, 9M

We had plans to go to Lake Creek,
Changed our minds when we I got a wind text stating
05 Jan 7:00 am MST -4 -29 (wind chill) NW 24G32
Skyline has the parking lot to warm up in for a break,
So we went the easy route.
Lit 11M on the west ridge, and some nice pow staches.
Rigged the 9M after the break.
Matt got a kite line stuck in a tree,
after an episode of gully trappage and a runaway kite.
All kinds of fun and a balmy 19 degree.