How to get unstuck by yourself.

[geo]

I posted on a thread that I don't worry about getting stuck 'cause I know how to get myself out. Happens all the time LOL. If I don't get stuck a time or two a day, it just hasn't been one of the "funner" days.

So, a guy PM'ed me and asked for some tips or how I do it. I like to help but thought to myself " Oh boy that's a question and a half". It could be a 5 min. answer or a small novel LOL.

Remember the first few years. Only way out was to wait for friends to yank on the skis. Helmet and jacket off and sweat pouring LOL, and now your in deeper. Darn, sleds are heavy when they're stuck, eh!.

IMO getting unstuck should be one of the first things to learn when riding in the mountians. It's gonna happen and we've all been out with the dreaded "rookey rider" LOL. So many different ways to get stuck. Verticle fluffy snow stuck (easiest to get "unstuck") to the flat meadow, bottomless heavy snow stuck (hardest to get out). Let's leave out the "dropping into a crevasse" stuck, or "tow rope because the motor blew" stuck, or the modern day "glad you got a Sat phone to call the chopper" stucks LOL. Just stuff you can get out yourself.

I'll start by saying experience teaches you when a stuck is coming. This knowledge is really the difference. If you know when it's coming you look for your escape route and back off the throttle just at the right time to pop the sled up ( you need to practise bunny hopping in deep snow). Then the stuck is usually just a ski pull or pack a trail stuck. Easy Peasy LOL.

I just hate wading down into a hole to help a full throttle 162 in. stuck. I feel like leaving them there (you should have started with a short track!!!). But, you can't LOL.

So let the education begin and maybe someone will write that short novel. I'll buy 25 copies to hand out as required reading before you can come out with me LOL.

 

[IDA rather b sledding]

It's a short book. Hijacker snowmobile jack. As a Yamaha guy, RX-1, I had to find something so I could enjoy the sport again. This is it. I go where I want with no worries. I don't even have to carry large amounts of beer so the buddies come to help.

 

[WyoBoy1000]

I can usually get out before anyone can get to me and its like you said, know when to turn out or let off, on the hill its easy, roll it or pull the ski around. When its bad, pack down the snow or get a shovel out and dig a barbecue pit to set the sled on. take your pick theres lots of ways.

The bad ones are getting stuck in between trees up hill or up the bottom of creek. I just lift the front and endo it back down, but not everyone can do that kind of thing so make sure your friends know where you are and help each other.

 

[Dmill]

plain and simple, every situation, one way or another, no matter the circumstances to come.. roll it over.. never fails..

if the tunnel is buried and you cant roll it over by your self.. start the engine, giver her hell and rip on one board until your spinning track eats the snow away.. then roll it over

if in a tree.. cut it down, then roll it over just cuz!

 

[m8sandman]

shovel and time

 

[Dartos]

Roll it over.
Snobunje - Don't leave home with out it.

If I would learn how to ride I could avoid 1/2 the sticks I get into.

 

[Dartos]

shovel and time

You're a good man to start a bridge for your buddies to cross!!

 

[Matte Murder]

Dartos do you use a snobunje with the rope ratchet thing they sell if you are by yourself? Any other way to use it with no one there to ride the sled?

 

[ModZZilla]

Really stuck bad by yourself? Your sitting on the worlds best winch. Tie a rope from spindle to other spindle. In the middle of this rope you have tied a small loop or steel ring. Now run a long rope through the eye of the ring and attach to track windows. Run the other end to a tree or anchor and throttle out.

 

[Matte Murder]

Modzzilla so the rope just wraps around the track and you unwrap it after you get un stuck?

 

[m8magicandmystery]

small hole in throttle and fish line with washer..you can be alone and pull on your ski and give it throttle...like having a second person

 

[Bagger]

Get the front end at least level with the track, better yet, little lower. Pack snow down under the front of the sled so the track will catch it. Walk a path in the direction of travel and pack it, walk a path down both sides of the track and make sure it's sitting on the pack. 'Speriance will tell you whether to mount and ride it out, or stay off - feather the throttle and push to help her.
Have your chit together so that when you get her going you don't have to stop again, and your not winded and whipped.

Also, I quit packing my sno bungie and replaced it with an old dog leash with the snap hook cut off. It rolls up and stores in my jacket pocket. Hook the hand loop over the BACK of the ski, that way when you get the sled moving it can keep going and when it passes you, the leash slips off the back of the ski without the sled operator having to stop. Plus, if your in a really bad spot, you and a buddy can slip the leash under the track and then when you lift, your lifting the skid, not letting the suspension sag back down in the hole.

I agree, nothing worse than having to keep helping someone that doesn't understand getting off the throttle quick.

And take good care of your friends out there, one day, you'll really need 'em.

Bag

 

[sdsnocop]

A person should not be in a position to have to get unstuck by themselves. However sometime we find ourselves without help from others. I spend up to half of my time patroling alone and found myself buried. A good shovel, plenty of rope, snobunje, and the snobunje rachet rope has gotten me out of several by my stucks. I also try not to get into stuck situations when I am alone and if I do I make sure I let off the throttle in time to allow me an easier chance of getting out on my own. I seem to spend more of my time helping others get unstuck. Many have no idea what they are doing and usually have augered down to the dirt. I usually take control of their sled and make them pull on the bunje. After pulling on the same sled a dozen times and only going 10 feet, I have learned the process goes much quicker if I have control of the throttle. A portable folding saw is also very helpful.

 

[High Velocity]

My friends and I like to ride in some awfully thick treed areas. Usually very fun but occasionally comes with ugly "stucks". I planted my sled in the bottom of a 20 ft deep creek gully once and it involved about an hour of digging and walking out a trail. When and where I ride, my avy shovel is my best friend.


Sent from my iPhone when I should be working.

 

[christopher]

Best thing you can do, carry a High-Jacker Snowmobile Jack.
http://www.snowestonline.com/forum/showthread.php?t=245042

 

[Blk88GT]

I've had a few interesting ones. If you can, roll the sled and let it go!

 

[AKSNOWRIDER]

on flat ground one of the best ways I have found is stomp the snow down on one side of the sled from ski to snow flap, grab the sled and roll it up on its side where you just stomped the snow down, then stomp the untouched snow from the otherside into the crater left by the sled, then roll the sled back over where it was..should be sitting up on a packed island with no snow around it and should take right off...everywhere else I pretty much just roll the sled over till its pointed where I want to go....

 

[Dartos]

Dartos do you use a snobunje with the rope ratchet thing they sell if you are by yourself? Any other way to use it with no one there to ride the sled?

I do have the rope and ratchet. i have had to use it a couple of times and it actually works pretty well.

Anchor it to a tree higher than what the sled is sitting at. Hook on to the sled and stretch the Snobunje out and use the tension to lift or slide the sled where you want it to go the re stretch the Snobunje. One thing that helps is to put your shovel under the ski to help the ski stay up on the snow when moving it yourself.

Once I had to climb a tree to hoist the front end up and then spin the sled around and go back down the hill.

 

[LAMBOFGOD]

personally i think the most over looked thing when getting unstuck is either the a-arms or the running boards bottoming out, few times last year i went to help a couple strangers, they wanted me to pull on the ski and i could clearly see the running boards were hanging up. dug out the on running board to the point where you could see the bottom of the track floating in the air. the lights went on in there heads, couple stomps and away they go...
that is definitly the biggest thing to watch for when stuck on the flat, however, on a hill, just grab the mtn. bar and start pulling, kick out a notch for the back of the track to roll out of the hole. i always stay on the low side so i can stop it when its rolling......sometimes i get it to the point where u just grab the bars and push it over from the high side as well......

 

[Bagger]

Once I had to climb a tree to hoist the front end up and then spin the sled around and go back down the hill.

And no one had a camera going ???? That's a total shame !!!


Bag