Snow Kiting and Biking in Avalanche Terrain
Contributed by Debra McGhan
Sean Wisner, Fire Chief for Alyeska Pipeline Service Company in Valdez, decided to give snow kiting a try. He’s spent a considerable amount of time in the mountains and prides himself on leading by example. In addition to his career in fire safety, he’s a world-class triathlete, big mountain alpine skier, and served as the snow safety director for big mountain events like the World Extreme Skiing Championships and Tailgate Alaska. He also served as President of the Alaska Avalanche Information Center for many years. This man knows a lot about safety protocols and avalanche danger.
He started by kite boarding in the warm waters of the Baja years ago and perfected his skills kiting in Prince William Sound and Anchorage’s Turnagain Arm.
“I’m pretty comfortable and good at kite boarding so when I heard about snow kiting I thought, I want to try that.”
At the beginning he played with the kite in a large, wide open area in Thompson Pass. He likened it to riding on flat ocean waters. “I was only lifting a few feet off the snow when I started,” he said.
But then one day he found himself having a ‘panic attack’ when the wind lifted him up in the air so high he was suddenly skiing uphill and watching the snow get further and further away.
“In just seconds I was way the heck up in avalanche terrain with no guide, no gear and no plan,” said Wisner. “And no one knew where I was or what I was doing. I was so focused on riding the wind higher and further than ever before that I lost sight of the real situation until I thought, wait! I have kiteboarding gear but no avalanche gear.
“I knew if I got in trouble on this mountain and triggered a slide, I would likely die.”
To his fortune, he maneuvered the kite back to a safe landing but walked away angry at himself.
“I should have recognized the potential risk and been more prepared. I realized if this could happen to me, it would likely happen to other people. I just want to share my experience and maybe warn someone else before they get into serious trouble.”
Snow kiting is far from the only sport or recreational equipment exposing people to potential hazards. Wisner, who rides snowmachines and a snowboard, is also an avid biker. In the winter, you’ll often find him on the trails riding a ‘fat tire’ bike, another winter activity that continues growing in popularity.
“These bikes are simple for anyone who rides,” said Wisner. “You can ride on the frozen trails left by snowmachiners where you could easily find yourself crossing avalanche run out zones, exposed to overflow or thin ice or confronting a moose vying for trail rights.”
And then there are Timbersleds or ‘snow bikes.’ “Timbersled users are doubling every year, with approximately four-thousand in use today,” reported Sarah Carter, with the Alaska Avalanche Information Center, in her International Snow Science Workshop White Paper - Snow Kiting and Biking in Avalanche Terrain.
Carter, a nationally recognized avalanche instructor for the American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education, presented research showing a mix of people who decide to try snow biking. They range from the curious to long time snowmobile riders looking for something different to dirt bikers who have never ridden on snow but buy the snow bike and head for the mountains in winter for the first time.
“With all these new user groups heading for the mountains, there is a real need to raise awareness about what you should know, carry and do in avalanche terrain,” advised Wisner. “I tell people, ‘here’s what I like to do and where I screwed up so they might avoid getting in the same situation and ending up with a tragic outcome.
Kiting and Biking could easily put unsuspecting riders in avalanche terrain. If you plan to give one of these exciting new recreational activities a try, you would be wise to increase your backcountry awareness and avalanche skills before heading into the backcountry.
Wearing an avalanche transceiver and carrying a pack with probe and shovel inside should be added to your ‘essential gear list’ when kiting and biking in the mountains. After all, you never know where adventure will come or the wind might blow.
“Alaska is one of those places that will jump up and bite you if you’re not careful,” warned Wisner. “You need to make sure you not only take the right gear but get educated and practice so you’ll be prepared.”
Learn more at www.alaskasnow.org or www.alaskasaferiders.com
