Utah Windriders Association

Has anyone ever kited on Utah Lake when it is frozen or does the ice not get thick enough to trust?

I went out on ULSSB about a week ago. The river inlet was still liquid, but the ice was really solid up the beach a ways. I haven't been back down there since the big melt on Saturday, but I would imagine that it would only take a few days of inversion for the ice to set back up.

One thing about Utah Lake that you need to be careful with is some of the springs within the lake. They're not hot springs, but warm springs that keep the ice thin. Rumor has it that a snowmobiler went out and went through the ice where the spring made it thin.

What Weston writes is true.

One of our iceboating friends, whose name I can't recall (Steve?), went through the ice by American Fork about 3-4 years ago, after sailing around for a while on what he deemed was good ice. He was pretty knowledgeable, so this entirely open spot took him completely by surprise. He was very lucky and was able to quickly clamber along the frame of his boat and mast and somehow get to ice that would support him, even as his boat sank to the bottom, with the 15-foot mast tip disappearing out of sight. (think about that image the next time you think Utah Lake is shallow)

He was luckily able to go out when the ice cleared and find it, but the important thing was that he didn't drown when it happened. Since that time I think 1 or 2 other persons have died in Utah Lake when going through the ice. One guy I think died even though he was wading back through breakable ice that wasn't over his head.

If you go -- consider getting some ice spikes, which are short hand grips with a spike on them that you can wear on you. They're used to pull yourself out of the ice once you've fallen through (think about how difficult it might be otherwise). We always have these with us when we go ice sailing (we used to make our own), although we always went when there wasn't snow and you'll probably go when there's lots of snow, which might help (or not!).
Cabela's web site has them: http://www.cabelas.com/prod-1/0016930190554a.shtml Cheap insurance.

Good kiting!

that a good idea to carry a Ice spike.

thanks Dimitri

I didn't realize Utah Lake was spring fed. Thanks for the warning.

One more reason, there are much better places to kite. Utah Lake snowkiting is mediocre at best. I don't recall anyone ever getting a great powder session there.

Good reasons... thanks for the input. So what about Deer Creek? Same reasons I don't hear about anyone kiting out there?

Deercreek is okay, DC Jim could probably tell you more. Not epic, so most people drive to Strawberry instead.

Pineview has about 16 inches of solid ice and about a foot a fresh on it right now. I was there yesterday.

Many years DC doesn't freeze until quite late in the winter; some years it never freezes completely. This year the ice appears to be quite solid - lots of fishermen. As Kenny suggests, however, the problem with DC as a snowkiting venue is that adequate wind is such a rarity in the winter. And when it does blow (usually when a front is approaching) it tends to be at least as gusty/shifty as in the summer. Mike Hill, by the way, has by far the most DC snowkiting experience of anyone.