Snowkiting resources for beginners

How and where to learn this winter sport

Snowkiting—harnessing the power of the wind to propel you on skis or a snowboard—is easier and more accessible than kiteboarding. Why not try it this winter? First, you’ll need some lessons:

Snowkiting schools

Ontario

PB Kiteboarding
416-462-3791; pbkiteboarding.com

This Toronto kiting school teaches introductory classes north of the city on Lake Simcoe near Keswick. Courses include both lessons and theory on snow.

Kiteloft
705-888-0627; kiteloft.ca

This school is located in Barrie, one hour north of Toronto. They teach beginner snowkiting on Kempenfelt Bay and Cook’s Bay. They also specialize in equipment repair.

Outside Ontario

New Brunswick

Club Wind & Kite
1-888-318-3330; clubwindandkite.com (French)
English: www.clubwindandkite.com/?lang=en

Weekend to week long learn to snow kite packages are this Acadian school’s specialty, while the wide open sea ice of Baie des Chaleurs, one of the best kiting locations in Canada, is their classroom.

Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia Kiteboarding
902-483-4929; novascotiakiteboarding.com

Located in Lawrencetown, Nova Scotia, this maritime kiteboarding school also offers snowkiting in the winter. They teach using the International Kiteboarding Organization’s (IKO) lesson plan, and after each lesson students will receive an IKO Kiteboarder card indicating the skill level they’ve achieved to date.

Alberta

Muller Windsports
403-932-6760; mullerwindsports.com

Muller windsports is one of Canada’s oldest wind sport schools, located on Cochrane Hill, just east of the Rocky Mountain foothills. They team up with the University of Calgary to provide one day introductory courses.

British Columbia

Kootenay Kitesports
250-509-1344; kitesports.ca

Snowkiting in the Kootenays not only allows you to move across snow on frozen lakes, but even up mountainsides. Kootenay Kitesports specializes in kiteboarding, snowkiting and kitesailing instruction. They also sell a variety of gear to get you started.

Other snowkiting resources: