The feel of the place
The essentials before the detail
When to come
May to Sep
The spot here is in season then
Filled months: the season the spot here names.
Windiest modelled month
July · 11% of days · Squamish Spit
The month the wind model rates highest; the season above is when riders and schools go.
days with three hours in a row at 12 kt or more, between 06:00 and 19:00 local, in July at Squamish Spit, the strongest month any spot here models
The model never reaches 15% of days in any month at a place riders name a season for. The figure is drawn rather than dropped, and the months riders name are the ones to plan on.
What it costs
mid-range
Hostel dorm bed ~CAD $30/night
Schools
5
in the directory
Permits & rules
1 spot
with a rule of its own for permits, zoning or the bathing season, on the conditions below
Good to know before you go 2
1 spot · Squamish Spit
5 in the directory
Squamish Windsports Society
Doesboat support
RidesSquamish Spit
squamishwindsports.com
Squamish Watersports (Aerial Kiteboarding)
Doeslessons · rental · shop · camp · wing · foil
RidesSquamish Spit
squamishwatersports.com
Sea to Sky Kiteboarding
IKO
Doeslessons
RidesSquamish Spit
seatoskykiteboarding.com
InFlow Adventure Co
ASA
Doeswing
RidesSquamish Spit
inflowadventure.com
West Coast Wind Sports
Doeswing · shop
RidesSquamish Spit
westcoastwindsports.com
2 shops · As of 2026
ShopRepairRentalSecond-handSchool
The only dedicated kiteboarding shop in Squamish, selling and repairing kites, boards, harnesses and wetsuits and running lessons and rentals out of the same shopfront, open daily in the May-September season.
37813 Second Avenue, Squamish, BC
ShopOnline shopSecond-hand
North Vancouver ski-and-board shop that has carried kiteboarding gear since the sport's early days, with a large multi-brand kite line and a used-kite section alongside its snow and paddle sports stock.
1625 Lonsdale Avenue, North Vancouver, BC
Type the carrier you are flying: what it charges for a kite bag, and the year of the policy that says so.
Checked so far for Canada:Air CanadaWestJet
Every carrier, with limits and what riders report at the counter →
11 recurring claims
The tag says how far the riders who mention it agree; the figure is how many mention it.
Around 2020-2021 the kiteboarding/windsurfing community had to organize a petition campaign to stop local authorities from removing Spit access over salmon-estuary concerns
strong3 riders
Kiteboarding was permanently banned from the town's Watersports Beach after a rider died there on 1 July 2024, while wingfoiling and windsurfing were allowed to stay - the stated reason was long lines crossing ground where bystanders walk, not wind or water conditions.
consensus3 riders
The water is cold all summer because the river drains straight off the mountains, and riders who packed a shorty for a July trip regret it - the normal kit is a 4/3 or 5/4 with gloves and booties.
consensus3 riders
The wind is a clock, not a lottery - it comes in late morning, builds through the afternoon and can hold until evening, so mornings are for something else and there is no point sitting at the launch at 8am.
consensus3 riders
Squamish is regarded by riders as the best/most consistent windsports spot in North America
strong1 rider
Since 2024 you cannot walk or drive to the launch any more - the Spit is an island and the only way on and off is a shuttle boat with a fixed last pickup, so a session has a hard end time whether or not the wind is still good.
majority2 riders
The launch area is small relative to how many people use it on a good summer weekend, which is why there are written launch-etiquette rules - riders who rig slowly are the ones who feel the pressure.
majority2 riders
Nobody complains about the fee. The going figures are about $20 a day or $180 for a season pass, roughly $95 with a student card, and riders treat it as the price of the rescue boats rather than a gate.
majority2 riders
Squamish wind is thermal and correlates with sunny conditions inland at Pemberton
mixed1 rider
Whether this is a beginner-friendly spot is the one thing riders genuinely disagree about: the day fee buys a rescue jetski, which makes it sound safe, but the people who ride it most say you need to already hold upwind, get your own board back and self-rescue before you turn up alone.
contested4 riders
The Spit's $20 day-fee/jetski rescue setup makes it good for beginners
contested2 riders
r/Kiteboarding
Squamish has multiple dedicated threads, including a 2020-2021 petition campaign that drew significant engagement
r/Squamish
local community sub, covered the Spit access controversy from a town/environmental angle
Squamish Windsports Society
runs the Spit launch site, day/season passes, and organized the community response to the 2020-2021 closure threat
Kite Clash (Canadian Kiteboarding Freestyle Championships)
competitionJul-Augprorecurring
Canada's largest kiteboarding competition, held at the Squamish Spit; Big Air and Freestyle Championships, free for spectators. Reported as currently on hold/postponed; exact last edition year not confirmed.
Squamish Spit Season Sendoff Big Air Throw Down
club raceamateurrecurring
Local amateur big-air event run by the Squamish Windsports Society marking the end of the kiteboarding season at the Spit; exact month/edition not confirmed from source.
When is the best time to kite Squamish?
Kite season, driven by thermal winds, runs May through September; the Spit itself is only operated mid-May to mid-September.
Are there rules or restrictions at the Spit?
Yes - it's a members-only site run by a non-profit society, not a walk-up public beach launch.
Do I need a car in Squamish?
Yes, effectively - a car is the practical way in and lets you reach trailheads, climbing areas and Whistler; shuttles and buses are limited.
What hazards should I know about?
The water is cold even in summer, so wetsuit, gloves and booties are effectively mandatory; underdressing is a common newcomer mistake.
Where should I base myself?
Downtown Squamish is walkable to a brewery, farmers market and shops; Britannia Beach, south of town, offers quieter, more scenic lodging en route from Vancouver.
Scores out of 10, compared with other places. The data figure under each label is how much of this record that score had to work from, so a high score on thin data is a thin score.
A paler bar was scored from less than half of the record.
Nothing here carries a figure for a long stay and wind reliability, so every line above is built without them.
Things we could not verify. If you have ridden here, you can help.
Last updated: 2 September 2026
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