First time sledding in the mountains, any tips?

[BoonDoX]

Thanks alot everyone, I appreciate all your advice!

I will be in Valemount late afternoon on the 11th, Ill be the big goon on the blue polaris stuck in the snowbank! hahahahahaaaa Please stop and lend me a hand!

 

[Wyoming T/A]

come out and visit==i can give you about 8 weeks worth of advise--serious, stay away from the big hills they get first timers every year and some veterans--think of your family and ride safe

 

[FEZ]

How to prepare yourself for Snowmobiling



1. Go to your local snowmobile repair shop, smile and give the first guy you see $200.

This will get you used to spending money there on a regular basis.



2. Fill a 50-gallon barrel with sand. Lower it into a hole. Now lift it out. If you can, add water to the sand and try it again. Do this 5 times per day.
This will get your back in shape for those deep snow stucks.



3. Tie a rope to a heavy-duty spring. Pull the rope repeatedly with each arm until the pain in your shoulders meets somewhere in middle of your back.
This will get you in shape for starting your bud's sled, which he conveniently forgot was out of gas and didn't tell you. It's best to do this exercise while
someone is spraying starting fluid into your nose and eyes.



4. Drink four ounces of cod liver oil mixed with a strong laxative.
Dress with long underwear, wool pants, snowmobile bibs, insulated boots and heavy coat. Walk far into the woods without any paper products and wait
for a personal emergency.
This get you prepare for the "Bad Beer" sh&%s that come out of nowhere, and at the wrong time.



5. Put the carburetor from your lawn mower in the bottom of your deep freeze. Place your hands in a bucket of ice water for 20 minutes.
Now climb in the deep freeze, shut the lid and overhaul it while holding a pen light in your mouth.
This gets you prepared to work on your sled in the freezing cold and black of night.
* Advanced riders do this with a leatherman tool. *



7. Dress up in your new $350 snowmobile bibs. Pour 2 stroke oil down the right leg, gasoline down the other and Peppermint Schnapps and Beer all over
the front. Fill your boots with ice cubes and ask your wife or girlfriend to dance. This will prepare her for the stops at the local bar after a ride.



8. Put on a Balaclava and a full-face helmet. Attempt to drink hot chocolate through the opening.
* Advanced riders attempt this while riding a lawn tractor over in the nearest farmers' field. *



9. Find a place where you can pay $10.50 a gallon for regular gas, $19.99 per quart of oil, $16 for a hamburger and frozen French fries, $3 for a coke and
$160 to sleep in a cold cabin on a bed with springs sticking through the mattress. Stay for two nights, minimum. This will prepare you on the high cost
of your future winter trips.



10. Practice explaining to your banker why you need another loan for a $60,000 truck to pull the four $10,000 toys, in your $19,000 trailer that you still
owe $60,000 on.



Now, you are 50% ready, and somewhat conditioned to head for the trails and to ride your sled!!

 

[SnowSnob]

#1 recommendation for 1st time mountain rider....TAKE AN AVY CLASS.
You expect your friends to save you if you get caught and vice versa.

Oh yeah and don't forget to "counter steer".

 

[xrated]

#1 recommendation for 1st time mountain rider....TAKE AN AVY CLASS.
You expect your friends to save you if you get caught and vice versa.

Oh yeah and don't forget to "counter steer".

taking my course on the 10th!

 

[zr600]

I remeber my first trip now. I never thought i could have so much fun riding and working so hard at the same time. One min. i was hating it the next loving it. Make sure the guys you ride with understand that if you aren't comforable going some where that they need to get you some more practice in the less extreme stuff. If they are giving you a bad time about getting stuck just ask them what there first trip was like, people tend to forget about this. I went out with some guys we had two new bes to the mountains one had never been on a sled a girl, the other had been out to the mtns once. Well the rest of the group had a few years of experience, i had the most out of the group. So i took the threw of us to some good areas to practice. We get back and every body made fun of me, well the guys that are going to make fun of you dont have any self confidence in them selfs is what i think. I wanted to make sure these two would come out again, and new if they rode with the rest they wouldn't have come out again. In fact they can usually out ride the guys that were making fun of them and i because we wouldn't go were they did. Now they can go places they can't lol, they will never here the end of it.

 

[woodpecker]

Your seat is not to sit on it's to kneel on. (lay on when waiting for your friends to find you!!).HAVE FUN!! do EXACTLY what your seasoned buddy does. If he kneels you kneel. If he stands on one side you stand on one side. If he hits a tree, laugh first, then help him.HAVE FUN!! stop pointed down hill (or he'll be the one laughing). Don't think you won't sink when stepping off your sled ( It has better flotation than you) HAVE FUN!! don't be surprised when you fall asleep in the truck on the drive out. Take pain killers so you can get up the next day!!. Be prepared to spend a lot of $$$ next year to come back!!

 

[oonighttrain]

heres my tip:
its like crack.. once you try it, your hooked!! i still dont have a clue how its done, im no good, just love to try!!

listen to what these guys are saying and have fun!!

its also nice to have buds that will help you dig out when you dont have a clue what your doin..
thanks guys!!!

oh, might want to bring an oxygen tank.. whoever said walk 10 feet uphill and just about die was dead on!!!

 

[Weekday Warrior]

I have good luck taking pain pills a few hours BEFORE the ride, and don't go on a huge drinking binge the night before.

 

[boostjunky]

Just remember THROTTLE IS YOU'RE FRIEND

 

[tundra twin track]

Consider Avy Pack

If you have the chance to buy or borrow a Airbag Backpack take it , had very positive results in a 2.5 avy last spring wearing one.Story is in the Avalanche Awareness Forum.

Have a safe winter.

 

[Ex-Member]

Just remember THROTTLE IS YOU'RE FRIEND

YOUR.

You're = "You Are".
Your = possessive pronoun.

 

[76FOMOCO]

YOUR.

You're = "You Are".
Your = possessive pronoun.

You do not have to be the backside of the mule.

 

[rockdog2112]

bring extra panties, you're gonna need them! lol

It's true.

 

[xrated]

heres my tip:
its like crack.. once you try it, your hooked!! i still dont have a clue how its done, im no good, just love to try!!

listen to what these guys are saying and have fun!!

its also nice to have buds that will help you dig out when you dont have a clue what your doin..
thanks guys!!!

oh, might want to bring an oxygen tank.. whoever said walk 10 feet uphill and just about die was dead on!!!

dude you live at about 3 feet of elevation....you probably think the MN air is thin

 

[MT rydn]

Have your friends teach you how to turn in deep powder, especially sharp turns (when you need to get yourself out of a bad spot quick and not much room to do it!) You need good countersteering and weight transfer skills...and of course you will leave your short track at home and get a long track sled for the trip! Practice sidehilling on deep powder on sides of ditches. Get this down good before going someplace and getting stuck so bad your friends hate you! And be sure you are avalanche aware!!! Watch the guys around you - someone other than you can set one off!

I was a flat lander years ago. This is totally different riding - much more fun !!