Le Connest

Sympa session au Connest ce lundi 29 décembre.

La première sur ce spot cette saison pour moi.

Vent un peu brutal.

Cliquez sur l'image du haut pour lire le compte-rendu et voir quelques fotos de plus.

:-)

Le Granon

Session sympa au Col du Granon pour ce vendredi 12 décembre.

Cliquez sur l'image ci-dessus pour lire de compte-rendu illustré.

:-)

Cervières

No-wind session in Cervières today.

That's snowkiting life.

Ciquez sur l'image ci-dessus pour lire le compte-rendu en français.

:-)

Snow is melting

Wednesday 03 december at Lautaret Pass.

This is at the moment the only one snowkiting spot available here in France as the snow is melting a very lot up to 2.300m lately.

So sad that all the nice fresh powder snow disappears so quickly due to the warm weather and south wind blowing.

Another bad point, is that the french army is organizing trainings in our mountains and it's forbidden to go to the Galibier area which is the best at the moment and would be great this week as the S/E wind was blowing quite every day.

That's life.

We only have the right to keep kiting near the Pass and here the snow is really poor at the moment.

Anyway, the session was good today although the sky was covered and the snow really hard.

Let's expect for the next snowshower which is due to friday and saturday.

:-)

We can see below the army car checking out every kiter and touring-skier to forbid them all for trying to go to the Galibier mountains.

:-)

27 nov, Les Trois Evêchés, Lautaret.

Super session at the Lautaret Pass today.

We managed to reach "Les Trois Evêchés" as the South/East wind was blowing properly about 10-20 knots.

Super cloudy sky with huge dark clouds rolling all the day long.

Often complete flat light.

But sometimes, the wonderful sunbeams came for a couple of minutes and that was really incredible (but true).

Here, Wareck and Gauthier having a short rest.

Once at the top of the area, we found a real fresh powder snow and that was amazing, awsome, stunning, to go cruising around on such snowpack.

We stopped the session about 4 PM and met the rain while leaving back home with the car.

It seems that the super S/E wind conditions are here for a few days more.

So, don't hesitate to join the spot, dudes.

:-)

25 nov, Lautaret with rain

Gauthier with the new HQ race prototype 20m

Super wet session today at the Lautaret.

The wind was remaining the same than the three past days, I mean too much South/West so it's blowing against the high mountains Galibier then goes down to La Grave and crossing along the Lautaret.

On the area "Jardin Alpin", it was super gusty, lot of rotors, On-Off, sketchy, scary, at the end not so super good actualy.

We tried to go towards "Trois Evêchés" but the wind was definitely blowing downhill back there.

The snow is melting super fast as you can see on the pictures, and very bad for skiing, we staid stucked on the snow even with perfect wax put to the skis yesterday evening.

This super dark cloud cover was not the best for the visibility on the snow. Super flat light so pretty dangerous to cruise too much fast as we couldn't see the holes or windlips and the risk to fall down into one of them was super high.

Quite nobody kiting on the spot, the real snowkiters are more clever than us, Gauthier and me.

We went rather early on the spot as the forecasts said rainy around noon and getting stronger and stronger to the night.

After one hour on the first spot, we went to the opposite side of the road, behind the five stars Hotel.

This area is often better during such conditions, the wind blowing more stable here.

That was the occasion to give a try to our HQ Race prototypes 10m, 14m and especialy to the new 20m arrived yesterday.

No hill-gliding with these Formula 1, but testing the rushes, the acceleration, the loops and other fast movements we have to do during a Race.

We had a very cool moment here and even we went right behind La Pyramide to explore the terrain.

But the rain came and didn't stop for about one full hour.

As the forecasts said it was due to get harder and harder, we packed the kites and stopped the session.

No worries, no problemo, that was a cool day and we'll come back sooner or later.

Lautaret is THE spot.

Here is the HQ Race prototype 14m.

:-)

"La Croix de Fer" southern area

Not so easy to reach the spot with lot of snow on the road to get up-there.

At the end, about 20-30cm on the road, I had to put the chains on the tires.

Well, we parked the cars very far from our usual place because of the snow.

But the wind was here, blowing properly to the southern area of "La Croix de Fer" snowkiting spot.

On the image above you can see my friend Jeff who's starting to go (the cars are right behind the rock).

Once on the spot, the wind is pretty difficult, super gusty, changing from 5knds to 25knds all the time.

I got scared a few time with the 14m HQ Montana M8 I started with, so I changed for the 8m.

The snow is really amazing, about 40-50cm super light and fresh powder.

So cool to cruise around with such high quality snow.

This southern area at "La Croix de Fer" is really huge, we can cruise super long runs, and there are two main spots for impressive hill-gliding sessions.

I didn't go for it as the wind was really too much difficult for me, but my friend Francis was flying quite all the day long.

Well, I stopped about 3PM but my 4 friends kept kiting a couple of hours more.

That was a really great session anyway.

Here, I'm using the 8m and you can see the snowpack on the spot.

Super fresh powder snow.

:-)

Mega session at "Les 3 Eveches"

The weather forecast websites were right for today.

S/E wind blowing in the morning and getting super strong in the afternoon with dark black clouds coming fast.

So we started the session from the Lautaret Pass about 8h and we had to wait at the first step called "L'antenne" as the wind was not yet going to the right direction. Big and hard gusts didn't allow us to go further ahead.

In this case, we have to wait for better conditions, and they were coming about 10h, and so we managed to reach the top of the mythical area "Les Trois Evêchés".

Six kiters went to the top and all other couldn't come as the wind conditions were really sketchy.

Near the summits, the deep fresh powder snow was incredible.

Not so often seen such great snow quality.

We had a very huuuge session, with steepy slopes runs, hill-gliding, freeride cruising.

At 1 PM, the sky was getting really dark and the wind increasing very hard.

That was time to stop.

Now, two days raining/snowing so let's hope for super conditions right after the snowshowers.

:-)

Light South wind Lautaret

No wind today due to the forecasts.

Actualy, an unespected gentle South wind blowing all the day long.

We went to the area "Jardin Alpin".

Fresh thin powder snow covering a hard snowpack, as it was raining here for the two last days.

Cool session with lot of kiters coming for the first blue sky window after three bad weather days.

On the picture below, Gauthier is testing the new racing prototype HQ Powerkites.

We are still thinking about the name for this really super kite.

Here, this is the 16m size.

Tomorrow, super strong S/E announced so we get ready for the session to "Les 3 E"

:-)

"HQ Powerkites" week in Norway + VIDEO

Click the image above to see the video

Cliquez l'image ci-dessus pour lire le compte-rendu en français.

Click the image above to read the report in english.

:-)

First 2015 "Les Trois Evêchés" session

Saturday 8th november.

Great session at the Lautaret Pass.

Ending with a run towards the mythical high mountain area "Les Trois Evêchés".

LISEZ LE COMPTE-RENDU ICI

READ THE REPORT HERE

:-)

Lautaret Pass Opening

First 2014/2015 session at the Lautaret Pass today 6th november.

Super fresh powder snow.

Wind not so easy, here blowing South 10knds.

Cool team mates on the spot.

Click the image below to read the (french speaking) report or see more pictures.

Many thanks to Marc Benoît for taking this photo.

:-)

Fall session : VIDEO

The video of the session, last week-end in Les 2 Alpes glacier 3.600m

Click the image above to see the movie

:-)

Last fall session glacier 3.600m

Cliquez l'image pour lire le compte-rendu sur Onekite

Last session during the fall opening week at Les 2 Alpes, France.

Only 7 days for the fall holidays here, and now it's closed until december for the winter season.

The snowkiting session was cool, 5-15 gentle South wind blowing.

Snowpack a little bit icy and hard because of the beautiful "indian summer" days lately.

I went with the perfect HQ M8 Montana 14m kite and the 180cm Rossignol Super 7 skis.

Now, let's wait for the further snowshower which is due for next tuesday.

Click the image above to read the report at Kiteforum

:-)

"Enjoy the Glacier" Les Deux Alpes 3.600m

"Enjoy the Glacier" 3.600m Les 2 Alpes, France.

Unforgettable North wind session.

Super snowpack up-there.

Stuning background and summits.

I met Johann, Hugues, Berty.

Kite HQ M8 Montana 14m.

Snowkiting way of life (y)

First 2014/2015 snowkiting session

First real snowshower on Europe during last wednesday.

So I went for the first snowkiting session here in the French Alps on thursday 23.

As usual in autumn, the fresh powder snow was directly on the ground with grass, stones, bush, rough, so not really easy for skiing.

Anyway, it was really cool to have the first runs and kiting uphill from the road we can see in the background of the photo 1.

The spot is called "La Croix de Fer" and it's the boarder between Isère and Savoie.

We start near the car parked, about 1.800m and after hiking 5mn, crossing a river on a wood bridge, we launch the kite and go for the session.

The wind was blowing super strong and gusty, about 5-30 knots which is really hard for snowkiting.

I used the 8m HQ Montana M8 and old skis as the snowpack was not so safe.

Well, the 2014/2015 snowkiting season is ON !!!

:-)

1st snowkiting session on the glacier

October 15th, first 2014/2015 snowkiting session on the glacier 3.600m

Always dangerous to go kiting on the glacier.

Lot of crevasses around and not easy to see as they are often covered of thin snow roof.

Anyway, it was great to have some cool runs in the fresh powder snow.

Wind was blowing South about 10 knds.

My photo camera got the battery flat immediately as I forgot to switch it Off in the evening when I prepared it for the session.

So here is the only one picture I can show unfortunately.

If the snow doesn't come to our mountains during the next autumn weeks, we'll have to go again snowikting on the glaciers in France or abroad.

Stay tuned.

:-)

Snowkiting the glacier

Hi all.

Summertime isn't the best snowkiting season actualy.

But some glaciers in the Alps are open for summercamps and international ski-racing training-weeks.

Of course the skipass is expansive and once again, this is not really into the core snowkiting spirit...

But this occasion serves for super cool snowkiting sessions with unbelievable landscapes.

All glacier ski-resorts in the Alps are about 3.500m and that's the case for the one near my place.

This one is called "Glacier du Jandri" near La Grave and Les 2 Alpes.

The snowkting spot is situated right between these two famous ski-resorts but this is a mountaineering playground so no rescue staff here and if you decide to get up-there for a session, you'll have to do it under your own risks.

No mobile phone connection here...

Lot of crevasses around and you do know that the more dangerous of them are not seen but covered by a thin slice of snow called roof and which will break when the snowkiter will cross the area.

So, even if we can see wonderful snowy endless slopes, never go there with your kite and keep safely on the top of the dome called "Col de la Girose" or "Dome de la Lauze". Check out the map and keep careful with that info.

Anyway, if you stay on the top of the glacier, where there is quite no crevasse risks, you'll go kiting surrounded by a stunning landscape.

Famous peak La Meije, or Le Râteau, and as well Pic de La Grave, seem so close than you feel like touching them with your hand.

The session will be very often above the clouds and we can think to be on the top of the world.

What amazing is the view here and especialy with a colored kite cruising in the air and the kiter drawing is own track on the snow.

During this july 5th, the snow was soft as the 0°c kept about 3.700m, but three days ago (I couldn't get up there) that was 30cm fresh powder snow and I guess snowkiting would be a real dream.

Don't think to cruise for so much long distance as the spot is pretty small.

Look at my Kitetracker file, this is not the best of the season...

But you can be sure that if you are lucky enough to have such cool session, you'll never forget it for all your life.

The wind during this session was N/W 5-10 knots so strong enough for cruising and not too much to get afraid.

But at this high elevation, we never know and the wind can increase super fast so always keep ready to pack and go skiing back to the resort quickly if the bad weather comes.

The snowpack was the best I saw during all these past years.

Lot of large areas with only rocks two or five years ago are now covered with perfect 50cm or 1m snow.

I went up-there with my loved Frenzy Ultralite 13m as the forecast was due to be super gentle wind.

OK, if you are motivated enough, I mean : my kind of snowkiting junky, don't hesitate to check out if there is any glacier near your place, get your snowkiting gear ready, find all the safety infos you can collect about your spot, and enjoy the best skiing sport ever : SNOWKITING !!!

Have great sessions mates.

Tschusssss.

:-)

Pascal

Pic de l'Etendard

Super two days in La Croix de Fer, 14 & 15 may.

Great snow conditions.

Good N/E wind.

Lot of clouds and fog but some very  nice moments with blue sky.

Here is the GPS track :

http://www.gpx-view.com/gpx.php?f=14MAI14.GPX

The red point shows the place I landed the kite.

Pic de l'Etendard 3.380m.

I went twice up-there today.

:-)

HQ Powerkites week in Norway

In Geilo and Hardangervidda for a week of photoshooting with the HQ Powerkites team mates.

New "White Kite Sessions" and video coming in october about these super days.

:-)

Winter Arctic Kite Camp

A super cool week in Lofoten islands, northern Norway, for the Winter edition of the Arctic Kite Camps organized by Kari Schibevaag and Marion Franzen.

You can have a look at lot of pictures while clicking the image above.

:-)

WKS #19 2014 Ozonesnowkitemasters

Read the latest WKS #19 issue about the 2014 Ozonesnowkitemasters in Bernina Pass and Silvaplana, Switzerland.

Click the image above to enter the game.

:-)

2014 Ozonesnowkitemasters, leaving day.

On sunday 02 march, the North wind was back and about 40cm of fresh powder snow from last night.

No competition as that was the leaving day.

But a great freeriding session for everybody.

Unfortunately, I didn't manage to have all the kiters on the pictures as they went all over the mountains.

But here is above a cool video showing what approximately was going on.

Click the photo to see the video.

:-)

2014 Ozonesnowkitemasters RACE in Silvaplana

The first competition, RACE, in Silvaplana, during the 2014 Ozonesnowkitemasters.

Click onto the photo to see the video.

:-)

2014 Ozonesnowkitemasters in Bernina Pass #3

A free-session in Bernina Pass one day before the first competition, RACE, in Silvaplana.

Click the photo above to see the video.

:-)

2014 Ozonesnowkitemasters #2

Preparing the OSKM.

Sticking the poster around.

Short session at Lake Sylvaplana.

Click the photo to see the video !!!

:-)

2014 OZONESNOWKITEMASTERS #1

Short movie about the Bernina Pass area before the competition.

:-)

Lautaret Not E-SE

Unfortunately, the warm weather went to our mountains around Grenoble, so we have to drive to the Lautaret Pass again for sessions with fresh powder snow.

Yesterday, the forecast was good from all websites for a perfect E-SE wind which is the best to reach the famous ridge Galibier and 3 Evêchés.

But once on the spot, the wind was really South and no way to get to the Galibier area.

We kept on the Lautaret spots with a strange and gusty wind but a super powder snow and even with cloud cover, a couple of nice blue sunbeams.

We first enjoyed the spot near Le Jardin Alpin with south wind.

Lot of kites as the E-SE wind days on the forecast are definitely not to be missed.

Here is Gauthier in the powder.

At the end of afternoon, we found this place behind the ****Hotel des Glaciers, with about 60cm light fresh powder and cool wind for a mega hill-gliding session.

Here is Francis flying around.

I stopped when I couldn't come on after 6 hours snowkiting.

Another super snowkiting day.

:-)