Tug Hill Snowkite Festival, 2011

[Ted B]

hey Guys what are the roads looking like.. We are thinking of driving up from Va. on thursday.. Thanks Ted B

[Shoe]

They are a little messy east of the Tug, but I am sure they will be clear by then. It's been my experience that if it is going to be bad, it will be between Syracuse and Watertown. They do a good job of keeping the thruway clear... Drive safe!

[tikayak]

Also remember all the forcast are for the watertown airport and the tug is around 1600' higher .Jan

[alden]

Bob Alooei, I notice there is a Duflo Airport kiting location. Usually kites and airports don't mix. Is this an abandoned airport that we have permission at? Do you buggy here when there is no snow, so is the permission year round?

[bobalooie57]

Actually, I've never snowkited at Duflo's(it's a privately owned airfield,btw) The owner runs a spray chemical business.(crop duster) I do buggy there when the wind is right. The owner has a standing rule to anyone landing there to circle the field at least once to be sure there are no deer or livestock on the runway, so if I see a plane circling, I clear off the runway. If he is doing instruction, or is expecting to be busy, he just asks me to come back some other time. I think the field might be snowkitable, I just never have tried there.

[Ted B]

any more road reports would be great.. Its a little over 11 hours from here. I am used to driving in the snow.. But Icy roads suck... thanks guys

[ragden]

Ted-
It has been my experience that they do a really good job keeping the roads clear. I've driving up in the middle of a blizzard, and the only stretch that was bad was between Syracuse and Watertown. Everything else was clear and driveable at full, or nearly full, speed. Hope to see you up there this weekend...

[skyhighkite]

I've been banging the keys all week watching the weather at the tug, as we have been getting blasted by 40knot winds on the island, but only a few inches of wet snow.... Always the debate, is it worth the drive to get it?...one never knows until you go... If the forecast looks solid, you go and get skunked, if it looks light you go and get lucky....

The text forecasts so far leave little optimism, but the 925mb wind models show promise...
What I see now in the cards is the following:
Friday: light to moderate WNW 10 -13 mph
Saturday: SW 10-15 mph, turning Southerly and building 15-20 mph
Sunday: WNW 10-15, potential for 15-20mph dependent on the timing of the system moving thru the region

This is an optimistic forecast of the winds aloft are everchanging and may or may not touch down to the surface, you never know until you get there, but maybe this will help us get in gear and out to tug hill...

[Shoe]

If any of you travelers want to crash on my couch this weekend, your more than welcome. I live a little more than two hours NE of Tug. I don't have a ton of space, but it's warm, dry and free! Perhaps we can carpool down and save on gas? Give me a call if your interested, or drop me an email: 518.524.4731 jrshoe80@gmail.com

Cheers!

Joe

[snobdr]

Wish i was looking at the same forcast as you SKY.
IM looking at NOAA forcast for Rodman,NY which is central to Honeyville and porterdale spots. Sat looks like building to 15 from the south. Dont know how the new porterdale location works in a south. We always seemed to end up at Hannos on a south and was marginal and bumpy but rideable. And Sunday 15 dropping to 8 by noon from the west. Better direction but.......
Lets hope these are only forcasts and the wind will be much better.
Any up to date snow conditions? Worth webcam showing just under 2 feet.