A Mother of a Day - Kiting in the Beartooths

noah · Since 19 Oct 2006 173 Posts Bozeman, Montana Stoked

Saturday, 9 May, we made our way through Yellowstone Park to the Beartooths. Enroute we saw loads of fur – bear, moose, pronghorn, elk, bison, bighorns… We ate at the Miner’s Saloon in Cooke City and then drove on to the wilds of Wyoming. We parked at the Chain of Lakes, just past the Top of the World store. Since Saturday was a no wind day we built a kicker and Theo practiced his spins. Mike had driven out from Minnesota and together we told lies, enjoyed the sunshine and quaffed cold brews.

Sunday, Mother’s Day, started out slow but increasing clouds brought in a breeze. We spent a couple hours kiting on the flats on spring corn snow over a firm base. After a quick lunch I took off with the snowmobile and headed up to the switchbacks below Beartooth Pass.

It only took me a few minutes to get up there and before I knew it I was parking the sled and launching my 12m Manta2. Strong, steady winds and colder, wind-blown powder surrounded me. The kiting conditions were superb. For me, kiting up and down through the switchbacks and on the top of the 11,000 foot Beartooth Pass will never get old. Since the plow crews had not touched this section, I was able to drop lines where normally there are guard rails and roadway. It’s an amazing spot and worth every bit of effort to get there to kite.

If you have the time and the interest, make the drive to the Beartooths and see for yourself why this is one of America’s premier spots to kite.

See ya out there,

Noah

FlyDunes · Since 09 Oct 2007 1034 Posts Aloha XTreme Poster

Wow, great travelogue. I'll bet you got a little push from that dumping cummie in the pic "9 Unplowed Hwy 212 at the Pass.jpg" Smile

pdxmonkeyboy · Mon May 11, 09 1:26 pm

nice yo! that sounds like a great trip.