Our First Tomcat Summit Session this Season (Eastern Idaho)

[knewschool]

Tomcat Summit is on! Look for a clear high pressure system, because you want that stellar Snake River Plain down slope wind under your sail. Wayne, Chaz, Pascal and I all busted there Friday morning when we saw the 2nd day of the high pressure sitting strong over head. It’s hard to drive by Ririe since it’s going off on the same kind of days. We strategically hit Tomcat Summit with the kataFATabatic NE wind which you can see on the gauge in the parking lot usually between 9 and 15 steady.

At the base it was 9 gusting to 12, and once we were up there it was on with a steady 20mph for longer than we could hang in our harnesses. The NE wind happens to blow up the wind loaded slopes from the SW storms. It’s a thing of beauty. Bring your skills though, there’s some inconveniently placed barbwire fences at both launches at the bottom and some rocky ridges to maneuver around. For the experienced kiter I’m saying a 5 star experience, especially if you like to glide. You’ll freak when you see Waynes pics, until then here’s my good ones. Cheers!

[Noahpz]

I can't wait to hit that Cat! Nice photos, thanks for posting Will.

[knewschool]

Yep, that's the place Noah. Sure wish I was there today, blue sky and steady NE wind. If the visibility is good I'd bet tomorrow will go too.

[waynepjh]

here are some more from tomcat!

[lewmt]

Just incredible. Hard to believe terrain that wide open is that well covered on virtually all aspects. Do bilers hit it hard too? I really want to get down that way but this is 25 miles from my house.

[knewschool]

Those spots look awesome. Tomcat isn't really covered on every aspect. It's the W or SW storms blowing snow onto the NE faces. When it blows Katabatic it blows on the NE slopes and is steady and lighter barely breaching 20mph at the most so the snow doesn't blow away. The other sweet thing is that the NE facing slopes are protected from the sun preserving the snow as well. When we were just there the SW facing slopes were blown right off, but so what...that's in wind shadow anyway. We haven't seen sleds there yet (that didn't belong to a kiters).

I'm watching Friday for now, I have to be at Wayne's for Dinner at 6 with the lady. So if I can pull it off I'd love some sunny day gliding if anyone else can hit that up in the morning it should be fresh snow and good flying wind.