Why are we paying for lift tickets

Gravity is a constant, wind isn't. You can go to a ski area and have the experience you expect, you can go kiting and stand in a field waiting for a little wind to inflate your kite or get the bejeebus smashed out of you by a rogue wind gust, they aren't equivalent at all.

Lift tickets rock because:

1) I'm lazy.

2) I'm social.

3) I am reassured by the mountain prep and patrol.

4) I'm rich (enough).

5) I'm too old to learn (create?) a new discipline.

6) I really enjoy the traditional lift/resort experience.

With that said and my pass already paid for, kite skiing sounds like fun!

Eric

When you live at least 200 miles from a good ski area kite skiing and kite boarding look more attractive. We gladly pay for the lift tickets when we have chance to go to a real ski area, but, when you're stuck where we are with an empty, snow covered hayfield across the  road........ A lot of people have had accidents with sudden windgusts. Large, open areas out west for snow and shallow, protected bays for water sound like a better place to start and you're still dependent on fickle winds.  South Padre Island  has several good water kiting schools.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ActionSports 

With the recent popularity in Kiting and other forms of wind use formats it appears that the backwoods areas, lakes and fields have become a haven for skiers and snowboarders alike to take advantage of the wind as opposed to gravity...With the cost of lift tickets and the sometimes shortened seasons on the slopes has drawn individuals to consider wind as opposed to gravity.

Who here in this forum is a kiter that is taking more advantage of the wind than gravity

Either you have never kited, or you have never skied (gravity) because if you have you would know you cant compare the two at all.
 

Well, in these parts there isn't any snow in the flatlands so you can't kite ski.  The mountains are out of the question because of slopes, trees, cliffs, and what have you.  There IS a lot of kite boarding going on in the water around here, but most of it is in the summer.  In the winter those folks are in the mountains doing other things.

Looks like fun:

Because the snowy flatlands of Kansas are crisscrossed with barbed wire?

Quote:

Originally Posted by ActionSports 

With the recent popularity in Kiting and other forms of wind use formats it appears that the backwoods areas, lakes and fields have become a haven for skiers and snowboarders alike to take advantage of the wind as opposed to gravity...With the cost of lift tickets and the sometimes shortened seasons on the slopes has drawn individuals to consider wind as opposed to gravity.

Who here in this forum is a kiter that is taking more advantage of the wind than gravity

Why do I sense a vested interest?

Quote:

Originally Posted by volantaddict 

Why do I sense a vested interest?

 

 

Yes, indeed.. please don't tell us where to procure such wonderful toys without antie-ing up for the EpicSki insider status