Carrying a shovel.

[neverenoughsnow]

shovel/ safety gear

i dont understand the people who dont carry backpacks. what if you get seperated from your sled, god forbid. oh, my sled has all kinds of storage, my friends kept laughing at me for a backpack full of stuff, till they spent the night on the mountain, no moonlight, and no gear, no water or food. if the weather would have been bad they could have died, hard to make a shelter without gear, hard to get spotted in a rescue, wont last long without warmth,food,or water. so go ahead pack all you want on your sled, my gear is attached to my back for the survival of my friends and myself, need be. i also keep a rscue kit in the trailer now for sled rescue- ropes, pulleys,come-a-long, and a few others.

 

[ndmtnsledder]

I agree with others only place for avi gear including the shovel is on your back. If you don't want to wear a pack I've seen a few guys somehow run a strap using the 2 holes in the blade and somewere on the handle to make a sling of sorts to wear it on there back. More freedom of movement and less weight is why they liked it that way.

 

[PCDOC]

Shovel (metal blade), probe, + all survival goodies in my backpack. I bet it weighs 15lbs, but I don't even notice that it's there.

 

[Flakey]

Yes....

You just want a shovel to dig yourself out......?

Ah, yeah.


On a day like yesterday, me and my riding buddy were both stuck in a meadow and couldn't even see eachother. So we were forced to dig our selfs out. With no help. It's alot harder digging out a sled by yourself than when your buddy's right there.

So yes, a shovel would have been VERY handy to dig myself out...


I'm not talking avy rescue here, just stucks.

 

[Bull Elk]

voile makes a cool shovel with a saw inside the handle. bought mine from snowbigdeal. good stuff!

 

[modsledr]

Ah, yeah.


On a day like yesterday, me and my riding buddy were both stuck in a meadow and couldn't even see eachother. So we were forced to dig our selfs out. With no help. It's alot harder digging out a sled by yourself than when your buddy's right there.

So yes, a shovel would have been VERY handy to dig myself out...


I'm not talking avy rescue here, just stucks.

You just described the best reason to carry a pack...what if you and your buddy are riding together and trigger an avy...both sleds burried, and so is your buddy. What then? Your buddy dies because you dont want to ride with 20 lbs on your back?

I know you were asking about getting unstuck, but several others have posted about how they will not wear a pack. Hope they never need em when it counts.

modsledr

 

[yamaguy]

Keep it with you (In a Pack) it's useless if it's burried with the sled.

 

[Icedog]

Keep it with you (In a Pack) it's useless if it's burried with the sled.

Yep. I've also seen a guy end up upsidedown in a treewell, with his shovel stored nicely away under his pipe. Kind hard to get at your shovel in that situation.

 

[khaddon2110]

On my rev, I keep the shovel in the spare belt holder. I don't think it would work if you have the stock exhaust though.


I also had to put a small bend in the scoop to get the hood to close all the way. I carry the spare belt in my pack.

 

[Flakey]

You just described the best reason to carry a pack...what if you and your buddy are riding together and trigger an avy...both sleds burried, and so is your buddy. What then? Your buddy dies because you dont want to ride with 20 lbs on your back?

I know you were asking about getting unstuck, but several others have posted about how they will not wear a pack. Hope they never need em when it counts.

modsledr

I agree that having avy gear is a good idea. Not arguing that. But when is the last time you saw an avalanche in a meadow????

If there is moderate to high avy danger, I dont ride where there is avy danger. I always try to eliminate the chance. That may mean giving up some stellar riding but thats ok with me.

 

[mac900rmk]

I have one shovel in my backpack for avy situations and one shovel on my sled for digging out sleds. I have an 05 900 with the shovel clip/holder on the back of the tunnel. If I'm digging out my sled or a buddies sled it's nice to be able to reach over unclip the shovel and start digging. That shovel is plastic and the one in the pack is metal. Ortovox makes a nice little shovel (Grizzly) where the handle folds down into the blade. Very compact and very light as well.
Our avy instructor gave us a tip. Keep all of your survival/avy gear in your backpack and nothing else. You never have to worry or find something is missing when you need it. If you always repack for every ride you may forget something.

 

[Wheel House Motorsports]

I just keep mine under the seat, along with a snobunjie, extra tools, lunch and the battery, Ken.

that is the sweetest setup i have seen yet.

but, wear a pack. i dont care how cool you are, when you get your sled stuck and cant open a side panel, or the hood(trees can get in your way) or other stuff, heres one that comes to mind.

it sucks when all of your stuff is in your sled and you cant find it when its in an avy. a guy lost his last week near me, and i think he is still out with a metal detector looking for it.

my bag has a nice outer compartment of the shovel head and side pouch for the handle, it cant puncture the bladder as there is a thick layer between them, and they dont snag on stuff. moral of the story, get a backpack, its really smart.

 

[Wheel House Motorsports]

I agree that having avy gear is a good idea. Not arguing that. But when is the last time you saw an avalanche in a meadow????

If there is moderate to high avy danger, I dont ride where there is avy danger. I always try to eliminate the chance. That may mean giving up some stellar riding but thats ok with me.

just noticed this post. again incident last year near me, people just riding the trail along some treed slopes and a lake, the hill on the other side of the 20+ acre lake slid, all of the ice go pushed over onto them, they were over 100 yards from anything even dangerous and died. freak accidents happen, ride smart, ride prepared. you cant know when things are safe, so be prepared. I do my fair share of stupid chit but, im prepared for the worst.

 

[gunslinger770]

Well, after riding yesterday in waist deep snow, I now realize I need a shovel.

Where is a good place to carry one besides of a backpack? I realize a avy pack is a good thing to have and also the best place to carry a shovel.

But, if one were to ride WITHOUT a pack, where would one store ones shovel?

I've always carried one under the hood of my older sleds but on the new ones that can somtimes be an issue. I've seen then bungied to the tunnel racks on sleds and on the side of the tunnels with clips.

Though with my 900 RMK I use the backpack, which I got from my daughter......with a small breakdown shovel I picked up at Wal-Mart for a dollar on the clearance rack. I hardly know it's back there in my pack and I can carry my camera back there as well without it getting snow filled unless I fall off..........which I do from time to time.............LOL! I wouldn't discount the small day pack after using one, time and time again. It's kinda like wearing contact lenses..........after a while you don't even know it's there. But in the end, to each his own.

 

[khaddon2110]

just noticed this post. again incident last year near me, people just riding the trail along some treed slopes and a lake, the hill on the other side of the 20+ acre lake slid, all of the ice go pushed over onto them, they were over 100 yards from anything even dangerous and died. freak accidents happen, ride smart, ride prepared. you cant know when things are safe, so be prepared. I do my fair share of stupid chit but, im prepared for the worst.

Chances are, no matter where they were carrying a shovel, that scenario ends up bad.

 

[Slick]

On my rev, I keep the shovel in the spare belt holder. I don't think it would work if you have the stock exhaust though.


I also had to put a small bend in the scoop to get the hood to close all the way. I carry the spare belt in my pack.

well sorry to disagree with your methodology, but that there is one of the dumbest things I've heard in ages. Why in the world would you go totally backwards like that. If you're ever in an avalanche or sled gone over a bank or in a river or in tree well upside down, good luck digging yourself or, more importantly, one of your buddies out with your extra belt.

 

[khaddon2110]

Well thanks for your input 'Slick'. You disagreeing with my methodology, and the pile of crap my dog just laid in the dogrun have about the same value in my book!

I've been in every scenario you listed there hoss except for the avy, and had no problems getting to my shovel. I avoid avy zones and pay attention to the reports, so not too concerned about that scenario either.

 

[WFO or go home]

I run with one on the sled and one in my pack.

I have been in a few avy's and the sled is usually buried

 

[BackCountryBob]

Avys are not the only dangers to deal with---meadow riding out west can be an extremely dangerous place. In white out conditions you can easily find a hot spring/creek that can become a nightmare if you crash in--many times damaging your hood making it impossible to retrieve you shovel. We even have had small avys come accross a groomed trail.

But for those that don't wear a BP, do you keep your probe on your sled as well? Without a probe, you beacon is almost worthless.

There are snowboard BPs available that can house your shovel and removable handle and probe completey inside the pack--no shovel handle protruding--and with a well padded back that won't jab you---less than $40.

 

[BankBuster]

to answer the original questions as posted,,,
I carry my shovel bungeed to the tunnel, lot's of room on the 162" and easy to get to when stuck,,, don't have to try an open as panel, etc, as that would be trouble in most cases.

As for the back pack suggestions,,, good points on both sides,,, but I feel I'm more at risk at getting a back or neck injury with a shovel in my back pack right behind my ol' neck,,, rather than the chance that I am in an avalanche such that my shovel/sled is buried beyond getting to the tunnel, but yet I'm still healthy and able to search for another rider who is buried but still able to be rescued alive,,, adding up all the "what ifs", I decided to forego the shovel in the backpack,,, but that's just my choice, considering my leg and back strength, etc,,,each to their own,,,

As another suggestion; remember no more than one rider on a hill at a time,,, and watch from a safe area that is not in the path of the snow runnout,,,

Edit, see my avatar, I do a lot of unplanned dismounts,,,