Anyone want to join me at the Lake Point Ponds?

[Kenny]

The LPP's are disgusting there is no getting around it, but on the other hand probably the best place I have ever flown a kite (on the water, snow rules IMHO). Let me explain why.

1. Wind - top quality, smooth wind. The wind is right off the lake and due to the nearby Oquirrh Mountains, there is a wind wrap that accelerates the wind several miles per hour more than what you get at the Salt Ponds or Burmester. Both times I was there the wind was in the 13 - 16 mph range with accelerations to around 17-18 and decelerations to 10 - 12. Notice I didn't say gusts or lulls. The wind is smooth like what you get at ULSSB on a light day.
2. Flat water - there is a railroad dyke upwind that provides a better wind shadow than I-80 does for the salt ponds. Most of the water is pure glass or has minor ripples.
3. There is a 15 foot wide berm between the ponds that you have to walk over to go upwind, but it is a blast to jump going downwind.
4. It blows there almost every day.
5. It is 25 minutes closer to SLC than Rush.

The cons
1. Stinky, gooey mud when you first hop in.
2. You have to stay upwind because who wants to walk upwind in the goop.
3. You have to keep your kite in the air which is easy to do since the wind is so smooth, but I can't recommend this spot for a beginning or intermediate rider which is frankly too bad since the wind is so rock steady. I would be concerned about relaunching due to the wind shadow and there are some weeds and moss in the water.
3. Brown algae on the surface in the southern portion of one pond.
4. You need a good-sized kite and board. Probably a 20M and a big board if you weigh 180 LBS. A rider Billy or Spencer's size could probably ride a 16 and be able to boost. I was lit on my SilverArrow and powered enough to jump and go upwind on my 15M foil and the glide.

I am absolutely amped about the place, even though it is a freaking swamp. Maybe I spent too much time at Rush. Is my skin starting to turn green? Are my ears turning into small trumpets? I hope my wife will still love me if I turn into Shrek...

I am going there again today with my video camera. Call or text me if you are interested.

Kenny 580-8901

[RickHeninger]

Kenny,

You're awesome man! I love the fact that you are actually trying to scout out new sites... This is how Rush was developed into a sailing site... At first people were like, huh? That cowpie pond?!?!? The rest is history!

PS... This is random, but, yesterday I scuba dived East Canyon reservoir and between my brother and I harvested about 120 crawfish for an awesome crawfish boil with potatoes and corn etc. last night! Anybody else really into scuba diving around here? I'm thinking crawfish boil at Sulphur Campout!

[joshgubler]

You should come down to Sand Hollow. Warm, clear, plenty of fish, an interesting landscape.

[Kenny]

Rick,

Good point about Rush. The funny thing is that Rush is now much cleaner, no more cows, no more carp, fewer flies, less salt in the water.

Call me crazy, but I think the kiting in Utah is the best I have experienced and I have traveled to a lot of sweet kiting destinations. Sure, the water quality has much to be desired, but the flat water, lack of crowds, and plenty of wind (if you don't mind flying a big kite), world class snowkiting, and friendly local crew make Utah an awesome place to kite.

Josh,
I will have to try Sand Hollow one of these days, I just don't want to make the trip unless I know it will be windy. That is the great thing about the mesonet and our forecast guru, Craig Goudie - we know when to chase the wind. I haven't had a skunk yet this year. Once again, thank you Craig and thank you GSL. Nothing better than the thermal off the lake!!!

Kenny

[lesvierra]

Kenny, didnt you post some google earth images of this place. I though I saw them before but cant find them.

[joshgubler]

Oh...I was actually responding to Rick's random scuba post. I've gotten skunked a few times at Sand Hollow now.

[windzup]

Ok, I have to play the devils advocate for a second and ask if a couple things have changed at the Salt Ponds...?

The last time I rode there I decided to not come back... the wind was great, but what is under the feet is half the ride in kiteboarding. Back then there was trouble with legal parking as well, and there was some UHP issues with our access point. (seems like that issue is now resolved?)

So the pressing question.. is that salty surface still as sharp as it used to be.. I hate riding with booties and I went without on my first/last adventure to the Salt Ponds... my memory just remembers pain and cuts from walking on and breaking thru the surface. Maybe the course of floods and drought have changed that? Or are booties still mandatory?

Next was more my opinion, but I did not feel that the Salt Ponds were good for anything but cruising (on smooth wind for sure) but it is so shallow and the surface so sketch that I personally would not feel comfortable jumping or messing up a landing there. Again, maybe its deeper now, I have not been there since 2003. I also stopped riding Rush a month back for the same reason, so my logic is tainted... I like a little bit of agua underneath the board for jumping over water.

I hope my opinion needs changing... how were the surface conditions on the last ride there?

Windzup,
Brian Schenck

[Kenny]

Les,

I have not posted the google earth location.

Brian,

Hey, I agree with you that the Salt Ponds are not for everybody. I am just curious if there are one or two other riders that might appreciate them. I don't think they will ever be more than a small niche. The same thing is true of the Lake Point Ponds. I think you have confused the two locations. The Lake Point Ponds are a separate location. The Lake Point Ponds are located at the Tooele exit while the Salt Ponds are located about 7-8 miles west of the Tooele exit.

The Lake Point Ponds are different than the Salt Ponds in several ways:

1. The water is saline, but the salt content is more similar to Rush (15-20%), not 30-35% like the Salt Ponds.
2. The bottom is stinky pond mud, not hard salt. You could ride there without booties, but the mud stinks more than Rush mud and there are bird dropppings, so it is a personal preference.
3. The wind is stronger at LPPs than at the Salt Ponds, but not by much. It is still big kite riding. However, with big foils (15+ meters), it is not just cruising. I have enough power to boost 5 - 15 foot high jumps with loads of hangtime. However, on a smaller kite it would be boring. The wind is so smooth that I rarely miss a landing, but if I do it is not the blinding brine of the GSL or Salt Ponds. The wind is on-shore and there is a wind shadow over the water if you combine those factors with deep pond muck and kite line grabbing weeds, it is not a beginner/intermediate riding location.
4. The parking is off of Hardy Road. Hardy Road is the first road to your right immediately before the Chevron gas station. Hardy Road is an overpass over I-80. It dead ends almost immediately at a business called Salt Pointe with a gated entry. You can park off the side of the road and there is a barb-wire fence with a wooden/wire gate that you can open without climbing the fence. The walk is about 1/8 of a mile to the ponds.
5. The water is pancake flat, but like Rush there are weeds to eat kite lines (I have ridden there 3 times and I have not dropped my kite yet)and there is some scummy brown algae in the southern pond. I would never go swimming there. I always bring a can of water to rinse off the scum after riding there

Brian, you definitely could ride there, but would you enjoy it??? I am not sure. Each of us has a different perspective and what attracts one rider may dispel another. I think the LPPs are more attractive than the Salt Ponds, but I certainly prefer Rush or ULSSB. The pros of the LPPs are almost daily consistent wind, pancake-flat glassy water, close to SLC, beautiful views of the Oquirrh Mountains and Tooele Valley, bathrooms and food are close to the launch. Cons are super-stinky deep pond mud, birds and bird droppings, kiteline-sucking weeds and brown algae, light wind (12 - 16 mph range), 1/8 mile walk to launch.

Kenny

[lesvierra]

Sounds pretty shitty and stinky. If I could get out today, I think I'd go check it out. And know one would end up more in the stinky goop with crap on the lines that me. Of course I would pefer some of our other locations.

Kenny, I mistaked the google earth pic of the salt ponds post for this post.

[Kenny]

Les,

I headed there tomorrow afternoon. I received a Monster Door today and I am itching to try it out. I haven't come close to dropping the kite in the water at LPPs yet, but saying that it will probably happen on my next trip there.

Kenny

[jason morton]

Kenny-
What time of day is the best there? I would love to try that place out as it is close for me and I just want to KITE.

[Kenny]

Jason,

It depends on the day, usually afternoons from 1 or 2 until 6 to 8 PM. There are two wind meters for Lake Point if you check the NOAA Wasatch Front Observation Map. With my big kite/big board combo, I can start riding at 8 mph, but I usually don't go until the reading is around 12 mph or bettter. I just started going there, so I haven't dialed in the wind yet. However, I think during the summer months it blows there almost every afternoon, just like a summertime sea breeze at the ocean. The best days are when we get good inland heating after a cool period. This area also seems to get better wind when we have a weak south fighting the north or some jetstream supported north wind. I think due to the proximity of the lake it fires much more often than even Rush. The only difference is that the wind is lighter (and smoother).

I just want to KITE

I hear you brother! I feel the same way.

Kenny