SNOWMOBILE BLOG

By the looks at what's happening in the neighboring farm fields, I would suspect that we're on our last leg of summer. That means it's likely too late for many of us to begin to get back in shape for hunting season.

Why is it that during the summer, when we’re the most active with yard work and family outings, we somehow become a six foot Twinkie—primed for puking up the gooey white filling on our first hike up a steep mountain trail.

But all is not lost. If we just start to get in shape for the elk hunt now, we should be able to climb a 20-foot incline without coughing up a lung the first time we step out of our trucks during the hunt. And at this pace, we just may be able to be in enough shape to load our sleds when that first flake o snow falls to touch off the winter season.

Although it’s not critical to be in perfect condition for the hunt, it’s imperative to be in shape the first time you hit the snow. After all, chances are like 1 in 8 that you shoot a deer or elk that will require you to drag it back to the truck. But your chances of getting stuck in four feet of fresh fluff are 100 percent.

And when you have a sure thing, life’s great.

SJ

Beating Summer

          Since the last newsletter, the SnoWest staff has been busy wrapping up summer and preparing for the upcoming winter season. Since winter left us last season in so much haste, it left a rather lengthy void that needed to be filled with warm weather activities.

            For some, golf can go a long ways in soaking up the sun until the start of a new winter season. For others, fishing hits the spot.

             But with the extend summer, we turned to ATVs and side-X-sides to beat the heat. Although this activity can in no way fulfill the need for snow, it's still an activity that involves speed, power and Mother Nature.

             The biggest drawback with wheeled toys, when compared to snowmobiles, is the lack of freedom. Although there are some great trails that expose you to some spectacular vistas and backcountry, it can never match the sensation of floating through snow and climbing to the tops of the tallest mountains. But on the other hand, when the snow is gone, the sleds must be parked.

             You may not have the freedom that snow offers, but you can still ride.

View the Complete SnoWest Newsletter – Sept. 7th 2012

            Summer is that awkward time between spring riding and winter; when we make the big choice whether we’re going to keep our sled for another season or trade it off for something new.

            The nice part about summer is that eventually it becomes fall. And that’s when some of those open houses occur at favorite snowmobile dealerships. One such is happening this weekend at Seeley Lake, MT.

            Kurt’s Polaris is pulling all stops to make its third annual “Snow Check Party” a huge event. To set up Saturday’s open house, Kurt’s Polaris is hosting a Round of Golf to promate the Montana Snowmobile Association.

            Well, since I find a great way to pass summer is by playing pasture pool, this provides a great excuse to head on up to Seeley Lake to spend some time with Curtis Friede, Levi  Lavallee, Chris Burandt, Dan Adams, Keith Curtis and a bunch of other notables in the snowmobile industry.

            The golfing is on Friday (Aug. 17). The open house is Saturday (Aug. 20). Hopefully I’ll see you there.

SJ

Last week Lane Lindstrom and myself asked Ryan Harris if he wanted to drive over to Pinedale, WY, with us. We told him we were taking some sleds back and knew he wanted to test his new Dodge diesel truck’s towing capacity.

            Ryan pulled into my place around 9:30 a.m. on Thursday and we hooked him up to our four-place enclosed trailer and hopped into his truck. As we drove down the highway, Ryan noted that he could feel the trailer a little more than what he thought he should.

            “For just a couple of sleds, it sure seems heavy,” he remarked as we headed up the road.

            When we pulled into Bucky’s Polaris and dropped the back door of the trailer, Ryan noticed that not only were there two snowmobiles that we were returning, but also two side-by-sides.

            “No wonder the trailer pulled heavy,” Ryan said. “Why did you put the side-by-sides in here?”

            “Two reasons,” I replied. “First, so you could see how well your new truck towed a heavy trailer. Second, because Lane and I aren’t riding back home with you.”

            And with that, Lane and I hoped into the side-by-sides and started on our two-day trek back from Pinedale through the mountains to Idaho Falls—about 230 miles on backcountry roads and trails.

            As for Ryan … well it likely was a quiet ride back to Idaho Falls. But hey, somebody needed to make the sacrifice. (You can read about our ride to Idaho Falls in the next issue of Dirt Toys Magazine.)

SJ

Oh Canada

            It had been over 25 years since I was last up to Canada snowmobiling. And back 25 years, most of the riding was limited to trails and a few open play areas where the slopes were gentle and the snow somewhat settled.

            This time, however, with new technology the snowmobiles go almost anywhere—actually, the will go where you have the guts to take them. The country near Revelstoke, BC is vast and endless. From any given mountain peak you can see unlimited riding possibilities.

            The main difference between Canada and many areas in the western United States is the size of the mountains. Sure, both areas feature elevations climbing around 10,000 feet. But in the United States, the climb usually start at about 6,000 feet (making mountains appear about 4,000 feet tall), in Canada the mountains start at about 2,000 feet (making them appear about 8,000 feet tall).

            Although there are those popular areas where snowmobilers tend to conglomerate, there are so many little drainages and play areas where you can go to find fresh untracked snow.

            As I reflect on the change in perspective over the past 25 years, the one though that keeps coming to my mind is “why did it take 25 years to go back?” All I know is that it certainly won’t take any time for me to start planning my next trip north.

SJ

Out Of Control

            When you ride in extreme conditions, you quickly learn the need to have total control of your snowmobile. Mistakes at elevation can be costly, if not disastrous.

            If you happen to lose control of your sled in steep technical terrain, even if it’s only for a second, the chances of gravity taking charge and depositing you into trees or rocks below is very real.

            The other day I was experimenting with a new ski design from a company that isn’t known for building skis. The skis had a unique look and feel to them … but the predictability and control were terrible. So what could have been a fun ride turning into a white-knuckle experience trying to keep my snowmobile in control.

            The result was a very timid riding experience where the easier line was always chosen and became more difficult than expected. What I learned for this is that skis make a real difference in your riding experience. Good skis allow you more freedom in the lines you choose. Bad skis can strip you of your confidence and keep you on the defensive for your entire ride.

            These skis did not bode well … and were removed from the sled immediately after the ride. My only regret for the ride, however, is that I had to pass up some great snow a time of year when our rides are numbered. I won’t make that mistake again.

SJ

            Times have changed. About a decade ago I was flagging races in West Yellowstone where even in the Women’s class there were a dozen or so racers on the track providing an exciting show for the 2,000-3,000 race fans in the snow bleachers.

            This year in the Pro class there were four racers stretched out around the track with about two dozen fans in the snow bleachers watching … about as exciting as watching a group of tourists ride rental sleds down the Two Top trail.

            I don’t want to disparage the quality or racers … it’s just that with quantity there is quality. And we ain’t got the quantity.

            Almost everyone in the industry may have an opinion as to what’s happened to snocross racing. But the bottom line is that across the board it stinks—here, in the East, in the Midwest. When the most competitive classes are with 120ccs, you know we have a problem. And when there aren’t competitive intermediate classes for the young racers to progress to the upper classes, it’s unlikely we can sustain the enthusiasm shown by those 6-year-olds (or rather their parents) as they progress in future years.

            And if the lack or race sleds don’t discourage them, the cost of the sport will.

            Now I don’t have the answers. But I am concerned that our industry is becoming so specialized (especially in mountain sleds) that we are losing a segment of our sport where people like to get out and go fast on an inexpensive, reliable sled.

SJ

            This is the time of year I have to keep reminding myself that my winter work isn’t yet complete. My problem is that I suffer from a warm weather disease called golf. And when the weather turns nice, I feel the need to pull out my clubs and beat the tar out of a little white ball.

            However, I still have some product testing and reviews to complete … and I need to be out on the snow to get those jobs done. So I have to remind myself that even though the good days are great for pasture pool … they are also good for product reviews.

            In fact, when it comes down to it, the only thing good days aren’t good for this time of year is being in the office; except on paydays.  (Hate missing out on paydays.)

            The trick is to convince myself that I have all summer to golf, but when the snow goes … it’s gone. This may sound easy to some, but it really is a challenge to convince your brain that your body wants to remain in deep freeze while the grass is starting to green up.

            It’s nice to know I have a few riding buddies who are willing to drag me off the course and up to the mountain. And I must admit, once on the mountain, then it’s easy to realize how right of a decision that was.

SJ

Good Rides, Bad Rides

            Last week I experienced different ends of the snowmobiling experience—good snow and bad snow. And this came from back-to-back rides from the same trailhead.

 
           The difference between the rides was simple: On Friday I head to the higher elevations. On Saturday I decided to explore the riding in the lower elevations. Friday’s ride was in deep fluffy powder. Saturday’s ride was in crusty baseless snow.

            Actually, Saturday’s ride wouldn’t have been so bad if Friday’s ride hadn’t been so good. It’s hard to top a 75 mile day of boondocking in fresh snow.

 
           Everything about Friday was perfect. The sun was out, the weather was calm. The snow was deep. I wasn’t sitting in an office pounding on a keyboard. My riding group included five very good riders on new machines. We kept moving and we kept together.

            As for Saturday, things started off bad when three miles before the trailhead we noticed vehicles turning back and/or parking on the side of the road. Then some guy said the road was drifted in and a bunch of trailers were all stuck in a drift.

            So we pulled over and unloaded, necessitating a three-mile ride along the edge of the road to the trailhead. (And for the record, there were no vehicles stuck on the road and the largest drift wasn’t big enough to slow a truck and trailer in even adequate tires.)

            Choosing a lower elevation ride in March can be risky. Since we had been riding all week in great snow, we carelessly assumed all snow would be good. But once we got into the trees and broke through the crust, the snow was all crystalized and provided no compaction for base.

            For those wondering, higher elevation means between 7,500-8,500 feet and lower elevation is between 6,000-7,000 feet in this particular riding area.

 
           However, I don’t want to leave anyone with the wrong impression—Saturday’s ride, by itself, would have been a great day because we were out snowmobiling. It just merely had the misfortune of following an epic day.

            After all, a bad day of riding is still better than a good day at work.

SJ

Snowmobiling: More than Riding

For as long as I can remember, winters have been marked by three things: The riding season, The World Snowmobile Expo, and the World Championship Hillclimbs at Jackson Hole.

A season has yet to pass where those three aspects of snowmobiling haven't culminated in what I call winter. You ride--deep snow, crusty snow, deep snow, packed snow, then spring snow. Around that time, you spend a weekend at the Expo, watching races from behind the orange snow fence with snow pants and a t-shirt, walking up the road through slush and puddles of water to the convention center where the sound of electric fans blend in with chatter from thousands of sledders talking about next year's new stuff. Then a couple weeks later, you show up in boots, jeans and a jacket to watch the craziest dudes on sleds climb Snow King at the Jackson hillclimb. Charilift rides to the wooden decks at the top of the mountain, walking down the steep slope in the trees while a drunk spectator tumbles head over heels past you, kicking out a 12-inch-by-12-inch square platform next to the snow fence to watch the Open Mod sleds come screaming by, diving for cover when one of those takes a b-line for the crowd, then sliding down the hill in wet, frozen jeans after the race is over.

It's those types of experiences that make snowmobiling so much more than a riding activity. And it gets underway with the World Snowmobile Expo in West Yellowstone, next weekend (March 16-18). I can't wait...

-RH