Skyline parking lot almost ready for winter

[windzup]

The forest service has been hard at work the last couple months putting in a new parking lot for snowkiters and snowmobilers at the top of Skyline. Right at mile marker 14 on top of the ridge where we normally park and ride there are now two new parking areas, one on each side of the road. There is also a permanent restroom on the 'Bosco' side of the road, which the ladies will greatly appreciate, no more driving miles down the road for relief.

It is approximately 5 acres plowed out, with 2 on the north side and 3 acres on the south side.

The bonus is a dedicated parking lot that is off the highway, the downside is we have a slightly smaller launching and teaching area, so we will have to work together as locals to keep the environment safe and open for kiters and slednecks.

Windzup is working with the forest service as kiteboarding ambassadors to ensure access for kiters is adequate and to keep an open relation between snowkiters and land management. So far I can say that the forest service here has been the friendliest people to work with and they are excited to see the growth of wind powered sports here at Skyline. They even mentioned that the new parking lots are largely due to the increased winter use in the past couple years, including both Snowkiters and Snowmobilers. They have had only positive reports from events like the US Open Snowkite Masters, and every Sanpete County resident is excited to see Snowkiting grow in their backyard.

In addition to the parking area, the forest service is planning an information Kiosk to further help promote safe kiting in the area. They have also extended Windzup's Snowkite concession from an annual permit to a permanent guide permit, guaranteeing Snowkite access and instruction opportunities for years to come. If anyone has any requests or ideas for the future of Snowkiting at Skyline, please send any comments to info@windzup.com so we can incorporate them into a winter plan that the Forest Service will support. Together we can all make a difference, one mountain at a time.

More to follow....

Windzup,
Brian Schenck

[Kenny]

Brian,

Thank you for the update! I am glad to hear that you are keeping relations with the Forest Service positive and upbeat.

I have taught lessons at Skyline and frankly it is not the best spot for the first couple of lessons, cause if you go downwind you end up in a wind shadow. The high altitude also takes its toll on a struggling beginner. I like to take people to a frozen reservior first and then to Skyline once they can stay upwind.

We may have to put together an organized launching/landing scheme on the busy days.

Kenny

[MikE mAy]

i think it would be beneficial one day to (with the forest service's permission of course) to post some landing and launching "regulations" and mark out a launch area like kenny mentioned. there were a few crowded days where i felt like i couldn't land my kite becuase there were all sorts of people around and i didn't want to land on top of someone. i was thinking we could mark out an area with "dots" on very short sticks like they use on resort ridgetops when the fog and wind picks up. people would use this as a staging area and anyone caught lounging in this area would be undoubtedly in the way or woudl be responsible for helping launch or land. just to take away some of the confusion for who is going to help or who should help land someones kite and to keep the launch/land clutter free. perhaps this area could be extended to a section along the side of the road since i always see people's gear and kites set up along this section when it's busy.

just my $0.02 a suggestion for down the road if it gets too crazy.