It was 5am on a Friday morning in Mendoza city. We all met at the gas station to start our road trip towards the unknown adventure. All riders were really anxious and nervous at the same time, some of them having never experienced snowkiting before. They only knew this sport from watching videos. “Is it hard?” Some of them asked me – I told them: don’t be afraid, you will find out yourself very soon.
After 5 hours on the road and a customs check, we found ourselves at the border between Chile and Argentina. We arrived at a breathtaking spot full of snow. Right in front of us we spotted 4 domes surrounded by small water mirrors. Being at that place in the Spring, that view felt like kiting on Mars.
Emi and the crew from Real del Pehuenche gave us a warm welcome at the basecamp. Immediately, teamwork was on: we unloaded the gear from the van onto my father´s snowmobile, which was the perfect “Uber” for this task.
In the afternoon, the warm weather kicked in and a little breeze showed up. We set up our PEAKs and SOULs and then chop chop. We were even able to kite without a jacket. The vast age range made this group unique. Our youngest teammate, “Augustito”, was only 11 years old at the time. Girl skiers were learning for the first time how to kite. Some seniors mainly joined to live a unique adventure.
That day I had an epic sunset session with my teammate Wilson, riding up a steep slope while all the guys were cheering for us from the camp. We kited right up to the top, landed our PEAKs and skied down while the sun was setting.
The funniest part was when we had to cross a small river. Before riding back, we took off our boots, socks, and even our pants in anticipation of the crossing to avoid problems with wet clothes afterwards. There was no other opportunity to undress later to cross. Luckily it was windy enough that day and we were able to jump over the river and made it back to the camp.
After this crazy year, it felt like life was all good again. I could spot a smile on every happy face. In the evening, we sat by the campfire and the sky was full of stars. A breathtaking vibe. Everyone was talking about their session and had a couple of drinks, already looking forward to riding the next morning again until our legs are too tired.
There is no better feeling than watching my friends and family enjoying nature and creating memories together.
Thanks everyone for trusting me.
Ivo Pionetti
FLYSURFER Ambassador
Text:
Ivo Pionetti
Photo Credits:
Rocket Kite
Cinematography:
Andrés Sottano