Alaska Kite Adventures

Alaska Kite Adventures is a snowkite outfit run by Tom Fredericks, who has lived in Alaska for about twelve years after starting out kite-skiing in Hood River, Oregon. It presents itself as behind the first kiteboarding school in Alaska, and teaches kiteboarding and snowkiting.

Its main event is the Alaska Snow Kite Festival, held every April at Thompson Pass, a half-hour drive from Valdez (parking lot at Milepost 26.5 of the Richardson Highway, near Odyssey Lake). Organized with AdrenaJen and Skydance Paragliding, it brings together snowkiters, paragliders and speedwingers from far afield; the 2026 edition ran from April 3 to 12.

During the festival, professionals run snowkite clinics (setting up and packing down kites, freestyle, avalanche awareness and choosing safe zones), as well as speedwing and para-ski clinics. Women's and men's clinics are open with no experience needed; everyone brings skis or a snowboard and a helmet. The program also includes snowkite races, a freestyle contest, a mobile sauna and an evening bonfire party. The site is remote, with no services for 25 miles: people stay in RVs, camp or book a hotel in Valdez.

Festival every year in April; the 2026 edition ran April 3 to 12. Snowkite clinics in the afternoons during the festival. Information by email or phone from Tom.