Snowkiting in Laax (Switzerland)

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After my exams I packed my stuff and went straight to Laax in Switzerland where I wanted to stay for at least 1-2 weeks for snowboarding. Fortunately I received the Warriors from Flysurfer before and wanted to visit Silvaplana for some kitesnowboarding, but I knew from the Livecam that there was nearly no snow on the frozen lake. After having returned and some heavy snowfalls the last week, the lake looks much better now.

Anyway, while snowboarding in Laax, I kept my eyes open for possible locations for kitesnowboarding. From home I already sent an email to the tourist office in Laax if snowkiting is allowed on the glacier Vorab and they replied that there is nothing to say against it, if I'd stay away from the normal slopes and do not endanger the other guests.

I knew that there is basically always wind on the 3000m high glacier. For nearly one week there was wind from the wrong direction and the wind was blocked by the mountains around the Vorab, so I couldn't launch a kite there, because then it is way too gusty.

You can see the T-Bar lift on the left and the mountains that block the wind.
The World-class Monsterpipe and terrain park. On the right side is huge empty space, but there are possibly some common glacier dangers like holes, so you shouldn't stay too far away from the official slopes.

The view of the empty space to the other side, shot looking downhill.

The view to the Vorab glacier from another point the ski resort. On the left you can see
the mountains that block the wind when the wind direction isn't right.
The glacier ist behind these mountains marked by the red arrow.

The first day I didn't take my kites with me, I saw two kiters on the Vorab and the wind direction changed to SW with wind from 10-20 knots and it was a pain in the ass to see the two skikiters having fun up there. They even went on the slopes of the uncrowded glacier what I still can't understand, because this could cause a ban of snowkiting if anything happens, but their kite handling skills looked professional. There is a huge area with no slopes right of the Vorab, so we should stay there in the future - off the slopes.

I realized that this place would work probably from SE-SW winds and NW winds.

No obstacles for the wind to come from southern directions.

I did not want to take all three warriors all the time with me, so I decided after having a look in the Laax information channel with Live pictures from the Vorab to take the Warrior 12.5 with me the next day. I was wrong again. The wind was way too strong with 20 knots up there and I didn't want to take the risk and try that kite for the first time in these conditions. I looked for alternatives and I descended a bit down where the wind was only around 8 knots and I decided to have a go. A perfect sunny day and I had fun with the kite. I realized that snowkiting in the mountains and not in the flat is something really different. You loose the feeling for the wind direction and where everything is. I sometimes jumped unintentionally when boarding downhill just from the board speed and steering the kite wrong. Scary! For me this is a new challenge in kiting. It is totally different. You feel like a beginner, because of the non-flat terrain.

The second week was even better, I used the Warrior 7 a lot in winds from 12-20 knots on the Vorab then and went nearly the half way up the mountain instead of taking the T-bar lift. It is unbelievable, everyone stops and looks like they have seen an alien when you snowkite.

Kitesnowboarding makes you feel tired after a short time, especially if you also kite the
mountains upwards (your legs are really going to burn). I took brakes while
laying back and playing with the kite.

Going downhill with a kite is such a blast it is unbelievable. Pulled sideways by the kite you get so much speed and you built so much aparent wind for the kite that the lines are singing.

I had so much fun and tried jumping, but I somehow nearly missed every landing, because of the orientation thing of the non flat and sometimes hit the snow with the head and you should use a helmet for snowkiting.

The great Flysurfer kitebag didn't effect my riding on the slopes when I did normal snowboarding, I just took a bit more care when jumping, because I didn't want to feel the bar or harness hook in my back when bailing a jump.

I also didn't adjust my board for duck stance (I ride +10 / 0 for the binding position) and the Burton Custom I ride has the stance pretty much in the back of the board, but if you are a good switch stance rider this isn't anything that I felt to do. I prefer snowboarding and doing a 1 hour kite-session when there is wind. So I will keep it that way to get the best for the combination of the two. A good high back of the binding supports the pressure you need to make on the edge of the snowboard. Don't save money there. Get a good binding!

Another experience was that the harness is a problem, because of the jacket you wear and it rode up most of the time (DaKine Pyro waist harness).

The Warrior fully filled my expectations. I never preinflated the kites and just launched them directly downwind and they behaved easily and filled in seconds. Then I dropped the bar and the kite landed in the position for relaunch so I could get in the snowboard binding and launched the kite again. There is nearly no pull when you launch the kite downwind. The bridle is very easy and even Mr.-Knot-in-the-lines-maker-Robin didn't have any trouble with it. Fast setup time and you are ready to go.

After having returned home, there was snow the next day here and I went for some snowkiting in the storm we had with winds from 15-30 knots and the Warrior 7 behaved great. The range of the kite is huge! Unbelievable!