Aussie Looking for Snowkiters

[Dropbear]

Guten tag!

(I'm really sorry that I've now exhausted my German abilities. Hopefully I can pick up some more of the language soon. Will you forgive me for continuting in English?)

I'm an Aussie kiter who's going to be spending the winter in gorgeous Switzerland. I'm hoping to meet some kiters and spend some time snowkiting wherever and whenever I can

The kiting I've done has mostly been in buggies, but I have snowkited a couple of times so far in Australia and have loved it.

I'm arriving in Zurich on the 30th of November and have until the 10th of December to travel and kite, if the snows allow. On the 10th I'm starting work at Kandersteg, just north of Brig, and I'll be there for 3 months. Hopefully at that stage I can go kiting when I've got a day off and the wind is blowing.

I've heard the Simplon Pass would be a good spot to go to, but I don't know too much about the kiting scene in Switzerland so whatever info and advice will be much appreciated

Good snows and winds to you all

Pete

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Bugger - somehow I mistakenly put this in the buggy forum. Perhaps this can be moved to the snowkite section?

[burt]

(moved to snowkite forum)

Hi Pete

For spotinfos check out http://www.unhooked.ch (currently there is still the summer map on it, but you will find a link "hier gehts zum winterspotguide" below the map). They have done a great job collecting a lot of snowkite spots.
the spot descriptions could be an additional incentive to learn german

One idea to find others for a snowkiting trip is to post something in the sessionplaner forum here.

cheers
burt

[Thomas Schweizer]

Gemmipass/Daubensee is the nearest SnowkiteSpot from Kandersteg.
http://www.snowkiting.ch/index.php?seite...=1&lang=de
http://www.unhooked.ch/2008/spotguide/daubensee/

[Dropbear]

G'day Burt

Thanks for that. I had been looking at unhooked.ch but hadn't seen the winter spotguide. Now I have seen it I can see it's a great resource.

I noticed the Daubensee spot, like the Simplon Pass, is fairly close to Kandersteg. Fun times ahead...

Though from reading up on the weather conditions in these two spots (using google translate and trying to remember some new German words) - with issues such as frozen lakes and avalanches - it's clear to me that I could certainly use some local expertise to get into these places safely! In the Australian "Alps" there isn't too much avalanche danger in most kiting spots, and the couple of lakes up high that do freeze over aren't to be trusted with walking or kiting upon.

I'll take your advice and head over to the sessionplanner forum

Cheers!

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Hi Thomas,

I noticed that in that first link you posted was:

"Der Daubensee befindet sich im Zentralwestlichen Alpenmassiv der Schweiz zwischen dem Kurort Leukerbad und Kandersteg. Im Winter ist das Erreichen des Daubensees via Gondelbahn von Kandersteg auch sehr einfach."

I didn't know there was a gondola from Kandersteg up to the Daubensee - that's awesome! I never expected a kite spot to be so close or accessable.

Thanks for that!

[Dennis]

you can find the winterspotguide here

http://www.unhooked.ch/2008/spotguide/winter/

Cheers

[Dropbear]

Hey thanks Dennis

I've been told that the Simplon is likely (but not certain) to have kiteable snow for the beginning of December. I don't know where I'll stay yet - I'm not sure I can go to Kandersteg too early while they're still finishing the autumn season - but hopefully I can find a spot somewhere around there and... go nuts I suppose!

I don't know if lakes like the Daubensee or the lake at St Moritz will be reliably frozen by then? For that sort of thing I'll certainly be looking to the locals

I'd like to see that big eagle statue at Simplon. That thing looks awesome!

[Thomas Schweizer]

The deepest tide from lake Daubensee is only 0.5-1.0 meters...There is ice early.
Aerial Calbleway Kandersteg-Sunnbuehl (direction Daubensee/Gemmipass) is viewing here by the link http://www.sunnbuel.ch/

[Dropbear]

Thanks for that link Thomas. But I've looked through it and I'm still unsure about the layout of the lifts and mountain. It looks to me that to get to the kiting spot you have to catch the gondola and then XC ski up to the Gemmipass - is that right? And is the Gemmipass itself kiteable, or do you have to drop down the other side to the Daubensee for that?

The place looks beautiful in the pictures I've seen so far!

And G'day Windjana, are you a snowkiter too? Have you been in Switerland for some time now?

[michaelkaspar.ch]

(14.11.2011 04:11)Dropbear schrieb:  The place looks beautiful in the pictures I've seen so far!

if you need more Pics there was a race : http://www.snowkitetour.ch
on it you can see good Pics from the Daubensee.

And if you want to talk with the local guy from the Daubensee check that page: http://www.beaufort3.ch//default.asp?katno=37
youl see on it Alains Adress and Phone. Tell him that you where talking to me as he will invite you.

[Dropbear]

Thanks Michael, I've gotten in touch with Alain

Now I've seen a topographic map of the area (from the Swiss Alpine Club website) I've got a much better idea about the layout of the valley from Kandersteg to the Gemmipass. From that I can see why it'd be a good spot.

[Dropbear]

I was chatting with an Interlaken paraglider pilot today and he said that the Frutigen airport is a good kiting spot. Can anyone confirm/deny?

Could the wind be clean enough in the valley?