The annual 'Wanakite Snowkiting Freeride' is on the calandar for the last week in August, from the 28-31st, so keep this one aside if your keen to try some snowkiting at New Zealands premier snowkite spot 'The Snow Farm', Cardrona Valley Rd. Contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for more details...

All access is from the main carpark, make sure you go to the office first & pay your access fee (usually $20)
The terrain we mainly kite from is directly out front of the main building. Everyone needs to be aware that we can't just go anywhere....staying off the roads that cut into the hills is vital for continued access... it's pretty obvious as these have low wire fences running along them.

The Snowfarm welcomes kiting, lets work with them as they are working towards better access for us :wink:

Tim 8)

Last weekend four of us decided to get an early snowkite session in in Wanaka. Myself, John Thyne, Sam the Pom, & Genis the Spanish. Forecast- Galeforce winds ALL weekend!!!....oh shit! plus a bit of fresh pow pow at some point.....good enough for us I thought

We arrived very late Thursday night, the updated forecast for Friday was 120km/hr winds NW, the snow from Tues...was rained on:-(

We headed up to Snowfarm early, about 10ish....the snow was thin, & the wind was strong 20-30knots....I wasn't that keen to get out of the van even, but we new we had to test the conditions, you don't come all this way to sit on your ass when its blowing. John (who's always keen) was first in his gear, the other two followed....then me.

Once we got across to the next hill which is a bit higher, straight in front of the main carpark, it was obvious the snow was OK, softening nicely in the very windy but sunny NW day. We all rigged small kites...I was now very excited, cool sounds blasting on my ipod, I new what we were in for
John was up on his small Sabre, then me on a 7m Ozone Lite, the other guys soon followed....This was fun, but hardcore kiting on 10-20cm of crusty snow covering tussock, I must of hit 50km/hr ripping up & down hills, even boosting on the 7m was ok (takes a bit of wind that 7m) top gust for the day..61km/hr (official Snowfarm weather data) a hardcore first day of the season....

It rained during the night in Wanaka... was not that cold either, I didn't think the snow that was forecast had come, so we just mooched round till after lunch, then decided to head for the hill.

We could not have been more wrong......At least 10-20cm of freshies at Snowfarm, a cool 10-20 knot wind prevailed SW....talk about move quickly...I pumped the 7m, the wind dropped back though....got out my trusty lightwind landboarding weapon the 7.7 Twister...powered, kiting straight out of the carpark jumping & landing well below, then kited across to the setup hill & up to the top....the wind now gusted up, I was way overpowered...time to get the small kite, so headed back to the van, grabbed the 7m & my 11m Rev (just in case).
After a bit of fanging around on the 7m, I wan't more power....up goes the 11m, now we're talkin! :-p
Classic afternoon of great wind & fresh snow, nice big jumps with the odd double kiteloop- just cause your hanging there in the air.... It was dark by the time we returned to the van.

Sunday, we were up the hill nice & early....more fresh snow, light SW, so rigged big & waited with a bit of grovelling mixed in...soon it swung West, 10knots, then 15-20....later up to 45km/hr.....anyway, very windy for an 11m, but having way to much fun to go smaller as the others did...we found natural quarter pipes to rip through, some wind drifts up to waist deep....later I found some really fun things to jump off...yee harrr.....yes people we're talking the best snowkiting I've struck in the last seven years of going to the Snowfarm

It was a late trip getting home as we stayed their all day... Mary Lee who owns the land has now given clarity on protocol...here tis

Rock up to the main building, down the hall to get your 'trail pass', this will cost you $10 for the day
Sign in...they need to know who's out there
Get a 'trail map'...you need to know where you can & can't go

Pick a windy day & your guaranteed a fun time, any wind direction works.

Pics coming....

Tim 8)

sounds super sweet.

one day when i grow up i'd like to do some chasta style snowkiting.

for now i'll have to settle for the beach and grass.

pics up on www.kitesports.co.nz
Tim 8)