Snowkiting for Beginners: Kite Power on Snow

On this page

1. What you need
2. How to learn
3. Where to go

Snowkiting uses a power kite to pull you across snow on skis or a snowboard — uphill as well as down. It’s like kitesurfing on snow, and it’s easier to learn than on water because you start on a stable surface.

What you need

• A foil or inflatable kite and harness (rent during lessons)
• Skis or snowboard (you should already be able to ride blue runs)
• Helmet, impact vest, warm windproof clothing

How to learn

1. Take a course with a certified kite school — kites are powerful and wind can change quickly.
2. Start with a small trainer kite on flat, open terrain to learn kite control.
3. Progress to riding with a larger kite.

Where to go

Large open plateaus and frozen lakes: Norway (Hardangervidda), Finland, the Alps (e.g. Simplon Pass, Reschenpass), the Pyrenees, and high plains in North America.