SNOWKITE TO ACCESS FREERIDE LINES | HOW TO XV

Accessing freeride lines is a bit of an obsession for me, anything to make it easier or faster and where possible making the up as exciting as the down!
In this episode of How To XV I learn to snow kite with Jerome Josserand in La Grave. Jerome teaches me how to use the kite to access freeride lines, from the launch and safety measures required through to using the kite most efficiently from the "8 Method" through to the "Loop".
Kiting on snow is really easy and you find yourself quickly in the high alpine, so you need to make sure you have the relevant skill set to deal with the conditions.
I can't wait to explore with my kite this winter and learning more about what is possible.
Please leave any questions or suggestions in the comments below, or any tips about kiting on snow I would be stoked to learn more.
Have fun out there.
Xavier
Edit: Tim Burgess
Kite Instructor: Jerome Josserand
Filmer: Antoine Frioux
Thanks to: Swatch, Rossignol, Smith and Crosscall for making the edit possible.

[@TimoSaare]

This is incredibly awesome! A goal has been set for me

[@stevevanpelt4475]

Love it! Kiting is such a fun sport, on snow or water. Harnessing the power of nature is such an addicting feeling. I would however 100% recommend anyone considering taking up this sport please take a lesson, don't just buy gear and head out. You can easily hurt or kill yourself or others. I've been launched pretty hard on the water, and can only imagine how much worse that would feel on a hard surface! You are harnessing yourself to a massive amount of power, which directed wrong, can be be deadly. Just take a look at kiteboarding fails to get an idea. All that said, thanks for spreading the knowledge! Super fun video. I would encourage anyone to head out with an instructor or a friend who kites and give it a try!

[@madsteeez]

Exactly what I was thinking!

[@wup6738]

I dont even know, how You decided to do it on your own without proper training... taking lessons with a professional is mandatory in this sport!!

[@PhilippKlein]

Let’s just say I’m blown away by the possibilities of this! 😂

[@HOWTOXV]

Oh I see what you did there... ha ha XV

[@CLZ12345]

@@HOWTOXV do you know the brand of kite you used?

[@HOWTOXV]

@@CLZ12345 I used the Shaman kIte from Gin Kites and it worked great - www.ginkites.com/shop/shaman-3/?location=Chemin%20des%20Rosays%2011,%201934%20Bagnes,%20Switzerland&radius=25

[@VatoKhavtasi]

XV you rock, always enjoy your videos, especially this "how to" series. Keep it up!!! :) :)

[@HOWTOXV]

thanks vat!

[@Abdelx2]

Planning to learn SnowKite this winter!

[@csread]

As a kitesurfer and snowboarder, this was great to watch, thanks!

[@HOWTOXV]

thanks

[@SeekingSnow]

Mind expanding!

[@troysapara4120]

So sick!

[@pixelloopy]

so epic!

[@liptovlodge1187]

Love this! Time to start practising on the kites in summer.

[@HOWTOXV]

yeah get on it!

[@ormjo940]

Great vid

[@Jacob_Bill]

Wow!

[@darrendix5163]

Like? We LOVE XV!! You're rad, dude! I started learning paragliding because of XV, and his tandem launches with Ralph Backstrom. NOW--- I've got my splitboard mounted horizontally sticking off the back of my Honda XR650L dualsport so I can ride to backcountry lines in the Eastern Sierra with my board and gear, and then the ride never ends until you get home! Learned that one from good old Dave McCoy, the godfather of Mammoth mountain, of course! STILL kicking, that one at 104!!

[@HOWTOXV]

Oh yeah - sounds like good adventures out there in Mammoth - great image of you cruising around on your Honda!!

[@johnnykhawand]

Awesome!

[@HOWTOXV]

thanks

[@EdovandenBerg]

WoW💪🏻💪🏻 On the to-do- uhhh try - bucket-list :-)

[@HOWTOXV]

definitely should!

[@ABESuperKiteDay]

Welcome to snowkiting ! 🎄❤

[@HOWTOXV]

Oh yes - good times ahead!! Xv

[@deylanengel7251]

This was so sick

[@HOWTOXV]

thanks

[@esnyder77]

Everyone is so pumped to run right out to their new free chair lift.😂 Not as easy as it looks. Wind only blows one direction, hopefully it’s the way you want to go. Also it’s not always windy, or it’s too windy. Good luck, be safe

[@lillswanne]

Edmund Snyder well, the span is kinda large still with a kite, you don’t have to go with the wind! But yeah, it takes a bit more planing 🙂

[@esnyder77]

Robin Swahn I’m not knocking it. It’s just way more complicated trying to line up these type of conditions than this video Is letting on.

[@lillswanne]

Edmund Snyder well, maybe, a little. I havent kited THAT much, but i feel quiet comfortable in the mountains here around Sweden. I took a one day course, bought a used kite for 300 dollars and it was on! For me personaly and with the people i have around me it actually felt that easy, and i think its good that they make it feel so accessible. Cuz I really feel that it is!! Do a one day course, learn about the wind span and all the very important security measures and you’re on! 🙂

[@lillswanne]

Edmund Snyder I feel like I totally missed your point there, it wasn’t on purpose! It’s not as mindless as taking a chairlift, but with a little common sense and planing it actually is very easy 🙂

[@esnyder77]

Robin Swahn I’ve been obsessed with kiting since 2005, I seen the good, bad, and ugly. As long as you take the proper precautions it’s great! I was just making the point of it’s not as easy as this video makes it look. When people enthusiastically rush towards power kiting they can sometimes get a rude awakening, with either unusable frustrating conditions or danger. This video is great, I loved it. But my original comment was just to try to throw a little caution out there as this video makes it look as simple as a free chairlift.

[@upwindstockholm961]

Tried out snowkite for the first time this year, im totaly sold! :)

[@HOWTOXV]

Awesome, so fun!

[@Marionetax]

Awesome!!!! Can’t believe that’s your first time kite surfing... isn’t it? I need to try it!!!

[@HOWTOXV]

i did a bit on water so that helped a ton

[@davidtrost82]

So nice!!! Love watching your clips! Where exactly have you been to i this one?

[@HOWTOXV]

This one was in La Grave - which is renowned for snow kiting - there is also good snow kiting in Valais in the Simplon pass.

[@Harley831]

Definitely would love to try a split board one day. Looks like a while different world could be accessed

[@HOWTOXV]

it will change your vision of the mountains!

[@carlosgarcia2371]

Great video! Where was the mountain? Somewhere in Valais in Switzerland?

[@HOWTOXV]

This was Col du Lautaret - near La Grave, an amazing spot for learning to kite.

[@C_Haberstoked]

This is really cool. Idk if I'd really do it unless I had a guide tho

[@HOWTOXV]

Depends where you are, but there are a few schools around, so you could always go and have a lesson for a couple of hours to try it out. I know there is one in La Thuile in Italy for example. Xv

[@Marcus_Aurelius.]

@@HOWTOXV thanks! i'm learning kitesurf and i live in la thuile but i dont known that!

[@melt8408]

I must say, if you are new to skis or any kind of wind sport, kiting is a sport with a very steep Learning curve. But super awesome when you Get the hang of it!

[@HOWTOXV]

Thanks - I have not done as much as I wanted to, but being in the right place with the right conditions helped me so much, rather than struggling somewhere less than optimal! Xv

[@matthieumonnier7336]

Awesome!! Have you tried speedriding with a snowboard? I saw that it was not intuitive handling but possible.

[@HOWTOXV]

Hey - never tried actually tried it - I tried a really like parapente on my snowboard and it felt pretty "twisted", so it gave a bad input on the wing. But yes, apparently it is quite sketchy. Xv

[@adamwebb2600]

Do you always snowboard with ice ax in hand?

[@jonathanvalle6846]

Genial, cuando estés por el Pirineo llámame y no hacemos una sesión

[@HOWTOXV]

gracias tio. un saludo!

[@aldricb7133]

Salut mec j'adore tes vidéos. This video is awesome but you forgot one really dangerous think in snowkite, the pendulum effect in case you want to go downhill with the kite. If you do a mistake a that moment you may finish with a big gap potentially lethal if you have the bad reflexe. Please keep with your video the content is amazingly helpful... 🤙

[@aldricb7133]

Ps I recommend you the snowkite week in pallas northern Finland each year on week 7 👌👌👌

[@HOWTOXV]

Hey Aldric, ah cool thank you for drawing attention to that, as I am just learning snow kiting it is great to have your feedback. Xv

[@aldricb7133]

@@HOWTOXV Merci a toi pour tes super vidéos 🤙 I use them as a cool check list-reminder before heading in to the Gnar... If you have time this year I really recommend that snowkite week... You will improve snowkite technique and dive into Finnish culture... Literally DIVE! They have a ice hole in a frozen lake and a traditional sauna 🤙 Joyeux Noël et bonne année à toi et tes proches surtout à ton ptit escargot

[@ThePowderskier9]

Just wanted to know, would this type of Kite only work on the climb, or could you use this for speed riding as well!? Incredible videos, thanks for sharing and inspiring the freeride community XV.

[@HOWTOXV]

Speed riding is a big word… hahah. You can go down a bit with them, some guys do mega flights but I havent tried on my side... but they are definitely not a "true" speed flying wing. Xv.

[@joel.fuchs_]

What brand and model could you recomend? Looks amazing

[@HOWTOXV]

I have been using the Shaman 2 from Gin Kites and it has been great. Hope that helps. Xv

[@rushthezeppelin]

Looks so freaking cool, too bad it probably isn't useful in Colorado as we have to usually start tours below treeline and usually don't go that far above it in a tour (especially considering we often have high avy risk above treeline).

[@HOWTOXV]

Doesn't sound like an ideal spot... but I am no expert in it... yet!

[@mikeoclimberMTB]

Also, no need to pack up the kite, park it low at the edge of the window for the downhill and get laps in. Would never kite uphill with skins, for steeper terrain zig zag your way up instead of going straight uphill if the wind is light.

[@HOWTOXV]

thanks for those!

[@nikakiofficial8721]

How do you go here for kiting? There are some groups or society there?

[@demourguesmarius]

Be Careful at 1:20 !! You mentioned something about pulling the frontlines to launch the kite but when inflating such a foil kite you have to pull the bar, thus it is the backlines that you are pulling :)

[@HOWTOXV]

Ah thank you, very helpful... definitely want to make sure people are pulling the right lines!

[@mihaildmilev]

what kind of harness do you recomend ?

[@HOWTOXV]

Hi Mihail - I used my mountaineering harness and that worked really well. Xv

[@fjcolladosify]

Can you explain how to find the right conditions? High wind normally = bad / dangerous snow... or rephrasing it, difficult to combine kiting with loose pow and low avalanche risk. Please advise!

[@fredodofre]

Yes it's the most difficult part of snowkiting. You need some wind, more than 10km/h, but avoid high wind, so less than 60km/h for snow quality and not freezing. Wind has to be uphill, so given a wind direction, only a limited itineraries will work. Avalanche risk is usually low in slopes facing the wind, so no big issue with it. Wind takes a couple of hours to transform the powder, so you can ride powder in strong wind if you go just after or during the snowfall when wind starts blowing. Spring season can be easier with thermal low uphill wind and soft spring snow... but in spring you'll climb better with a paraglider

[@HOWTOXV]

Hi - Thanks @fredodofre, as I am still relatively new to this I appreciate your input and Francisco I would follow Fred's advise on this. Xv

[@fjcolladosify]

Thanks!

[@gretareuen2720]

Is this possible with cross country ski¿?

[@gretareuen2720]

@silie_peter00

[@michaelparkin4160]

Hi dude, ware do I buy da kite from please, peace do it like a dude mikey

[@HOWTOXV]

Hey Michael, I think you can buy direct form GIN - or any brand: www.ginkites.com/shop/ Alternatively you could take a look on second hand sites like eBay... perhaps there are some there... Cheers Xv

[@Rom-lo7zs]

Hey What are those skis about?

[@HOWTOXV]

Hey, think it is my splitboard you are referring to... So was just easier at times to put my board into split mode whilst kiting to give myself a bit more manoeuvrability. Xv

[@YAOZYVIDEO]

I want to use this to go up Mt Everest.

[@thesoapful]

Yeah sure.

[@HOWTOXV]

Good luck!

[@sergeifursov7620]

Where do you guys ride?

[@HOWTOXV]

Hey Sergei - there are a few spots, but I filmed this in Col du Lautaret which is renown for kiting. Cheers Xv.

[@sergeifursov7620]

@@HOWTOXV, thank you, good luck with your everything, you cool guys💪

[@samcarr7354]

How big should my first kite be? What's the best size for riding most days in the alps? What's the best wind speeds to have fun, get up the hill fast but stay safe? How big was your kite and how fast were the winds in the video?

[@fredodofre]

I am 70kg tekemarker and in southern Alps I use 80% of time 10m sq. and 20% of time 6m. So I'll say between 8m sq if you are a skinny skier and 12m sq if you are a fat snowboarder. Wind range with 2 kites is 10-60 km/h. Under kite is difficult to fly and you go faster skinning up, over 60 kmh it's scary and freezing. With one kite range is 10-40kmh

[@HOWTOXV]

Hey Sam - Fred is the man in the know on this topic, I am still working it out myself, so I think his advice sounds perfect. Thanks Fred! The day we filmed I was riding a 9M kite and the winds (I think) was 10 to 15 knots - but I am a big guy! Hope that helps. Xv

[@gulbisfan]

@@fredodofre What brands and models other than gin shaman 2 would you say could work for this kind of activity? Peak 4? Chrono? Others?

[@fredodofre]

@@gulbisfan first you have to choose if you want a single skin or classic foil kite. Single skin packs very small and lightweight, can be noisy when flapping, have almost no lift (good for security, bad if you like flying or jumping), and a more on/off feeling. Foil kites: the contrary. High aspect ratio kites like Chrono (excepted maybe chrono 1) can be very difficult to handle in the kind of wind you'll find on the mountains, and the gain of upwind capability is not very useful in my opinion. Personally I have a mid aspect ratio for low wind and a low aspect ratio for strong wind. Both foil kites but I must admit than single skin would be better in a lot of cases when I have to skin 500m+ for accessing the open field area

[@cristianmartinibanez2554]

Hi, what's the name of the song starting min 4:56 please?

[@HOWTOXV]

sorry no idea

[@fpvflyriding]

But does it work in pow'?

[@HOWTOXV]

I haven't tried it yet, but yes it shouldn't be a problem at all, Jerome was pulling the filmer up behind him when making the edit, so plenty of power to go through the pow pow! Xv

[@tobiasmarmet1801]

Just think about it: You need wind to fly the kite. But pow will fly too when it's windy. So it would work but after the kite session there's no more pow...:-)

[@mikeoclimberMTB]

Yes

[@alround5339]

Isnt bad that your "skis"(talking about splits) dont have realease from your feet as normal skis have?One wrong move and you can get a bad injury for nothing.

[@HOWTOXV]

Felt ok while I was doing it, but I can lock my bindings into "ski mode" - although with no release as you say, but when the winds got stronger I felt more comfortable in Snowboard mode and so reverted to that...

[@alround5339]

@@HOWTOXV What about going downwind?

[@DarkRRider]

he's talking shit about "you have to lern about dangerous situations" and then this: @5:15 .....that's how to die on a Mountain

[@HOWTOXV]

come on...

[@HOWTOXV]

haha... there are many ways indeed

[@peterenis8447]

Hey... That's cheating!

[@lillswanne]

peter Enis why walk when you can have fun both up and down the mountain? Saving time is just a plus 🙂

[@HOWTOXV]

i see it more a s a different way to see the mountains which teaches you new elements about the mountains ( winds and the way they work). also it widens your range of motion and that without an engine or tons of people around you

[@m43l91]

'' Snowkiting is easy to learn '' let me laugh. First you have to master the ride and the sail. Then the life will tell you.

[@ulsig95]

well its easier to learn than kitesurfing :D

[@m43l91]

@@ulsig95 Yes maybe but from there to climb a mountagne... In any case it's easier to learn!

[@HOWTOXV]

if you are o the right spot you 'll be amazed at how easy it is

[@HOWTOXV]

definitely

[@drsnowboard]

Meh, I'd be interested to know the audience for this who will actually benefit. Cool vid but limited practicality I think

[@gavwa08]

Anyone who actually hikes a bit. Getting further out in a short time means more terrain is available to choose from. I've been looking at buying a kite for this very reason since last season.

[@HOWTOXV]

Ah - think you would be surprised - honestly it opens a world of opportunities out there!

[@lillswanne]

It doesnt take much to get into actually 🙂