Keho Lake / Boat Launch, Canada

Good launch for Northerly winds. Keho is most recommended during Southwest and Westerly winds. When there is a westerly flow, it is always windy close to the mountains earlier in the day, at Pincher Creek / Oldman Dam ... the wind spreads out over the prairies later (You can actually do a bit of work and then catch an afternoon or evening session at Keho). The rule of thumb is if it blowing 30k at Claresholm, turn and go to Keho ... if the wind at Claresholm is very light, keep on going to the Oldman. Claresholm is actually in the wind shadow of the Porcupine hills, so do not expect strong Westerly winds there ... usually if its 30km/h at Claresholm, it will be 60 km/h and up at Keho Lake! The lake is wide and has no hills or trees to break the wind, so the wind is generally steady and strong. In general warm Chinook winds blow through from the Southwest and West as early as March as spring rolls in. It breaks up the ice and keeners are out with warm air days possible. Chinooks very often get to 50 km/hr to 80 km/range, with some nice days at 100 km/h. It is comfortable in May and gets progressively warmer until July and then the wind is less strong. September it picks up again with strong colder Northwesterlies dominating, but still some great Chinook wind days from the West and Southwest roaring through. A very rough guess is on average that Chinooks come once a week for 3 days of solid 60 km/h plus winds for windsurf and kite and 2 days lighter kiting winds.

Season from March to November. Wetsuit needed all year. Frozen in winter.

If there is a North onshore wind try this site for a real treat of semi hollow big waves that can wrap around the long rock jetty.