Snowkite spot · United States
Lucky Peak Reservoir Barclybay
Riders have kited it in E.
- Works in
- E
- Nearest airport
- BOIBoise Air Terminal/Gowen Field, 15 km
Forecast and webcams
Before you go
Forecasts often disagree. When Windguru, ALADIN and Windy agree, it is worth going.
Webcams nearby
Live images from cameras within 25 km of the spot. Click to open the camera on Windy.com.
Webcams: Windy.com
Under the snow
Surface and skis
Riders have not described the ground under the snow. Early in the season and after a thaw, expect things to stick out.
Rule of thumb: the smoother the ground, the less snow you need. On a mown meadow riders usually start from about 20 to 30 cm; on stubble, ploughed fields or dwarf pine you need much more.
Bring rock skis
For your first sessions, early in the season and anywhere the snow is thin, use old skis (“rock skis”) or an old snowboard. A stone hidden just under the snow can cut the base of new skis on the very first run.
Tips for this spot
- On hills the wind is stronger and gustier than the forecast says. Behind a forest it breaks and swirls, so launch well away from trees.
- Wind and frost add up: at −5 °C and 20 knots (10 m/s) it feels like about −14 °C. Goggles, a balaclava and spare gloves.
- Frozen snow is hard: a helmet and back protector are worth it even on a flat plateau.
On site
Wind and riding area
worksno reports
Direction the wind blows from. Based on riders' experience, not a forecast.
Pparking
From riders
What you need to know
Watch out for
- Swirling wind at the launch, little room for error, pier. Never leave the kite at 12 o'clock; the wind can shift and drop it.community map
Where to launch
- Tricky launch with swirling wind and minimal room for error; riders usually bodydrag past the pier into cleaner wind.community map
Parking
- Car park about 100 m from the spot.OpenStreetMap
Conditions
- Purely a morning thermal that forecasts miss. 4-5 rideable days a week in summer, 20-25 days a month on a foil.community map
Riders' tips
- Locals check the sensor at 5 AM. Works when E wind is forecast for Boise Airport, after a cool night and on a sunny day.community map
In riders' own words
- „look at Boise airport sensor and if its forecasted for any kind of easterly“
- „This spot is not for the faint of heart as its not a friendly beginner launch“
- „not a friendly beginner launch there is all kinds of swirling winds and very little room for error. Typically people will body drag out past the dock“
- „OpenStreetMap way/1388136875“
- „OpenStreetMap way/1334870765“
- „all kinds of swirling winds and very little room for error... Never ever leave your kite at noon here as the swirling winds could shift and drop it“
- „its a pure morning thermal... During the summer months you can average 4~5 rideable days a week. With Foiling that increases to 20~25 days a month.“
- „locals check the sensor at 5am... look at Boise airport sensor and if its forecasted for any kind of easterly... cold with a sunny day coming up“
Photos from the area
Tamanoeconomico, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Serotoninboi, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Wind by month
When it blows
Average wind speed 10 m above ground from NASA POWER (MERRA-2, 2001–2025). The model works on a grid of roughly 50 km; on hills and by the water the wind is often stronger and gustier.
windiest monthsaverage wind in knots, NASA POWER; below the month in m/s
Values by month
| January | 6.1 knots · 3.1 m/s |
|---|---|
| February | 6.6 knots · 3.4 m/s |
| March | 6.9 knots · 3.5 m/s |
| April | 7.0 knots · 3.6 m/s |
| May | 6.5 knots · 3.3 m/s |
| June | 6.5 knots · 3.3 m/s |
| July | 6.1 knots · 3.1 m/s |
| August | 5.9 knots · 3.0 m/s |
| September | 5.8 knots · 3.0 m/s |
| October | 6.1 knots · 3.1 m/s |
| November | 6.4 knots · 3.3 m/s |
| December | 6.5 knots · 3.3 m/s |
Nearby
More spots within 60 km
Been there?
Add what you know
Parking changed, a new ban, a new obstacle in the water? Tell us, we will check it and update the page.
Sources: Community map “USA NW Kite Spots” (Google My Maps). Wind NASA POWER, airports OurAirports, photos Wikimedia Commons (author and licence with each photo). As of 17 October 2026. These are riders' reports; local rules change, so look around before you ride and follow local signs.
A week on the water
Kite safari in the Red Sea
8 days on a yacht from Hurghada to the islands of the northern Red Sea. Next departure 7-14 November 2026, the 2027 dates are coming soon.
See the safariThe safari is organised by Mohamed of Paradise Kitesurf Red Sea. I've known him for years and we work together.