Kite Skiing on Lake Superior

An Upper Peninsula resident kite skiis on the frozen shores of Lake Superior in Marquette, MI, March 17, 2014. (Photo by Ron Caspi)

Marquette, MI – March 25, 2014 –  This year’s winter of record breaking frigid cold has brought the Great Lakes ice cover to reach 91 percent, a level not seen since 1973.  Here an Upper Peninsula resident takes advantage of the frozen waters by kite skiing on Lake Superior.

You could say kite skiing is a combination of sailing, skiing, and kite flying.  It can also be done with snowboards instead of skis.  The best places for this extreme winter sport? Small frozen lakes if you’re in the midwest and even better somewhere around the arctic circle mid-year when the sun shines for 16 hours a day, the average temperature is 14F, and you have consistent winds around 30mph.

Kite skiing was first pioneered in the states in the 1980’s using ordinary downhill skis and square parachutes.  From there it was brought across the Atlantic to Europe where it really took hold and has become a recognized sport.  In fact, these days there is a competition circuit and world champions.  Maybe we’ll even see it added into the Olympic games over the next four years.

by marquette_magazine