Are sledders getting dumber?

[Bull]

this topic started to get discussed in the colorado ride section.......

just thought i would open up to a bit bigger group. during the last two years i have noticed a troubling trend......less than intelligent sledders. have to many stories to share, but today was a great example. a group of us were riding over at rabbit ears pass. fairly heavy snow and very low vis all day. all of us very experienced in the area. we decided to leave later in the day as it really began to dump. when about 3 miles from the truck, we get "excitedly" stopped by two riders. they are lost (no biggie, happens to all of us). they said they had launched from buffalo creek parking area(@20+ miles from where we were when speaking with them) only two riders. refused extra gas. no cell phone. no map (gave them mine). no shovels, no packs, no extras of any kind. i was going to offer to have them follow us to our parking area, then drive them to their truck. but they were not very interested in an advice we gave them. including how quickly and badly the area can sock in, even if you know the area well. it was beginning to get to that point. his final quote "man, we're f*cked...but we'll be ok." i have had more and more of these types of events riding. i always try to be very helpful, but more guys seem to have this "i got it covered" attitude when they don't have a clue. i made the guy take the map, so i could at least sleep tonight if they turned up missing..... what does everyone feel about these kind of situations??

 

[AKSNOWRIDER]

I have a trapping cabin 50 miles from the hiway in eureka alaska, I run into these kind of riders more and more, a few years ago my buddy and I were packing up to go home on a sunday morning..we were about 5 minutes away from leaving..when I notice a sled coming up the valley toward us...sure enough 3 big guys on a little 6oo yamaha sled...went for a "nite ride" from the lodge at the hiway..6 guys on 6 sleds...rode and played for a few miles and got lost..slowly during the night one by one the sleds ran out of gas(about this time hear comes another sled with their other 3 buddies on it)spent all night outside with no spare fuel, no map,compass,survival gear,nothing..so after feeding them and gasing them, we let 2 of them ride our tow sleds as we backtracked their trail and recovered their machines and took them to the road and safety..if we would have left 5 minutes earleir..they might have perished..they were headed exactly the wrong way from safety and help..they would have ridden at least 100 miles to have found any help if they wouldnt have rode across our cabin....

 

[MARV1]

Should have slapped him upside the head to knock some sense into him, I know I would have. Plenty of new riders out there just learning, and I really don't like taking along newbies that have to learn how to ride the deeper powder and learn the new area to them. I've brought along several friends and I'm getting tired of digging them out of the snow where I broke a trail through for them to make it through if they can't make it on their own.
Some guys know the flatland, and know how to haul the mail at times, but don't know chit when it comes to mtn/hill range riding. I've learned alot from my dad and my cousin about riding and the area we ride in, but there's places I am exploring on my own which I'm still learning. And I've learned alot on my own and from some other friends that I went along with. Now I teach some friends what I learned throughout the years, but I am the point that I don't want to teach a couple new tagalongs just because they want to go too.
I believe I've done my part until I bring my boys out on the long rides with me where they are riding on their own sled instead of with me on mine. They are learning lots on how to ride with their 120 that can go through a couple gallons of fuel/day on weekends.

 

[AkHockey10]

about the same as you do!

i know of people who buy $10K trailers and spend money on winter rec toys but, refuse to buy beacon because, there expensive and "I dont do that type of riding" HELLO!!! $300 compared to $9,000 ????? Its not the fact that you may not do the steep and deep, but, maybe, YOU can help find someone who is trapped in an avy!

Pretty much everyone in our group has the right equipment and are prepared.

If you dont have a beacon, im not trying to be a butthead here, but, i would highly advise getting one, and know how to use it, please.

 

[AkHockey10]

lol thats cool, first 3 posts are from AKn's!


I do too, see people going into some places where they do not have packs and/or extra gas or even the right type of gear. Its frustrating to hear people say that they are prepared but, in reality;y they really aren't.

 

[AKSNOWRIDER]

lol thats cool, first 3 posts are from AKn's!


I do too, see people going into some places where they do not have packs and/or extra gas or even the right type of gear. Its frustrating to hear people say that they are prepared but, in reality;y they really aren't.

evidently our fellow riders don't all agree on what prepared is....lol.. even now with just taking my kids to local spots to allow them to practice I am amazed at how unprepared guys are...no spare sparkplugs, no shovel, not even extra pair of gloves....

 

[supercoolguy]

stupid hurts

obviously the ride dictates the gear, but if you are going more than a few miles for any length of time. I aways have at least gear to stay out overnight, and get back without the sled if need be(knock on wood). A tool kit that can actually do alittle work on your sled is nice too.

How about the turned around guys that just started riding, have no gear, can't stay unstuck. and "my buddies told me to get an 800 and grow into it!!"