Alaska snowkite event delivers world-class riding

I returned recently from attending the Thompson Pass Snowkite Festival (www.tpskf.akevent.net) in Valdez, Alaska. We had ridden at this amazing spot for the previous two years as part of the Ozone Basecamp Tour. Returning to my birthplace as a snowkiter reaffirms my memories of how lucky I am to have grown up in such a magnificent place.

At Thompson Pass, there is terrain for every skill level but the draw of this place for me is definitely the advanced terrain that provides limitless challenges. To keep the stoke going and get more people involved, avid local Alaska snowkite pioneers, Tom Fredericks, Obadiah Jenkins, Eric Newbury and many enthusiastic volunteers put on the first official snowkiting event at the pass. Locals from around Alaska showed up and a few of us traveled from around the Lower 48 to get in on the action.

The new Manta and Flow kites were available to demo at the Ozone/Mt. Hardwear tent and a thorough clinic was given on kite maintenance. Beginners were able to take lessons while intermediates and experts explored the surrounding hills and steep mountainous terrain. Personally, I was stoked to ride a set of three natural half-pipes that funneled down from a steep slope and cliffs above. I was perfectly powered on a 12m Manta II. You could glide down from as high up as you dared or surf the continuous waves formed by wind lips and vertical cornices along each gully. Being void of trees made it a snowkiters playground with plenty of room to loop your kite. It was pure heaven for advanced riders and a definite eye-opener for beginners and intermediates. My brother Jeff was giving trainer kite lessons to a family and was asked “when would they be doing that?” as they ignored his instructions to watch the advanced riders taking advantage of the sick terrain. That’s the head turning action that I love to see at an event!

Other activities included a showing of the snowkite film, Dimensions, at the Magpie Bakery and a local band played at the Pipeline bar down in the town of Valdez. A base camp for the event was set up in the parking lot across the road from ABA helicopter tours.
Thanks go out to Nadia and ABA for letting us use their Wi-Fi to check the weather forecasts, and congrats on their 20th year in business! A fun party was organized for Saturday night, with beer from Midnight Sun brewery, an impressive amount of swag and a fantastic fireworks show. It is a unique experience to swap stories and push your limits with a bunch of Alaskan locals. They are a hearty group with a zest for adventure—and snowkiting is a perfect sport. As with all good snowkite locations, Alaska has amazing potential and we are only just starting to discover what is commonly known as The Last Frontier.

Keep your eyes peeled for an upcoming full-feature story including side trips to Paxson, Hatcher’s Pass and Portage Glacier at www.driftsnowkitemag.com.

James Brown

Editor-Drift Snowkite Magazine