Eye On Weather: What Is Snowkiting?
LITTLETON, N.H. (CBS) - Remember that feeling of excitement you got flying a kite as a kid?
Now imagine the thrill of flying a kite about 15 times as big, in the middle of a frozen lake, and slap on some skis while you're at it.
It's called snowkiting. It's like sailing, skiing and flying a kite at the same time.
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"Snowkiting is just like sailing. You can tack, you can go upwind, downwind," snowkiting expert Chris Krug told WBZ-TV.
Krug is the owner of Hardwater Kiting.
He took us a quarter-mile out onto the frozen Moore Reservoir in Littleton, New Hampshire recently for a lesson.
"All the lakes that we use for teaching, we scout 'em well in advance, and then we monitor them, over time, to see what's going on," Krug said.
Weather, of course, plays a huge role.
"Just things like a shadow from a cloud bank coming by, changing the temperature of the air mass that you're flying in is enough to make a considerable difference," he explained.
So what if there's no wind?
No problem. Kite technology has come a long way.
"Five years ago it would be unheard of to be powered in a wind like this," Krug said.
You start by securing your ice anchor and lines, then it's time to get your harness on and fly on your skis.
On this day, we did a so-called "hot launch," which is directly downwind.
"In light winds like this it's your best bet for getting a kite in the air," Krug explained.
There were some challenges getting the kite off the ground, but in the end, the reward was quite worth it.
Anyone who knows how to ski or snowboard can try this.
Hardwater Kiting provides all the gear, you just have to bring your skis.
The ideal weather conditions for beginners and intermediates are a 10-to-12 knot wind with solid ice and a little bit of snow on top.
Follow Danielle on Twitter @DanielleWBZ4
