Need some questions answered please

[4chevys4me]

Hello,
1st I'm moving to Northern Idaho from Mass. Flat lander for the most part. Our highest point is only 3400 ft. I have only owned short track sleds, 121.
2nd What should I look for in a used mountain sled? We get 8-9K miles out of ours out here. I know what to look for with the sleds here and it is easy to tell if they have been beaten bad. I do like Ski Doo for what I have now, but not to brand loyal if there is something better for this type of riding.
3rd When going off trail what do you bring with you? safety things?
4th hoping to meet up with some people to learn how this is done, I have seen the youtube videos and it looks amazing. Not easy I'm sure.
I have ridden for many years as well as MX background so I'm sure I'll pick it up quick. Any tips? What gets beat up on a mountain sled? Most of what I see on craigslist out there has about 2K for mileage. Is that about when people sell them? I would like to get one well before winter and just not sure what I'll be looking at. Any and all help would be great.
Thanks in advance
Paul.

 

[AZ800]

Lots of your questions can be answered by reading up on here. Search for threads about what you put in you pack or survival gear.
Regading the longevity of mtn sleds of course it comes down to how well it was maintained and how hard it was rode, but in general I think mtn sleds get 2-3x as much wear and tear as trail sleds.
If ridden by someone who rides hard, 3-4k miles and the sled is pretty well beat. Again depends on maint but think of it this way. Trail riding you get about 100mi per tank of gas. Powder riding gets you about 50 mi per tank. They are running twice as hard.

 

[mtsummitx]

Well I'll give ya my 2cents. Not an expert by any means, but have been riding in the mountains since a kid. First off as far as a sled, I would say 144 or longer. Can you ride a shorty in the mountains....yes. Is it as much fun....no. Far as what to look for, well mountain sleds get rode pretty hard most the time. Lots of WOT and extended peak RPM', so I would try to stay below a couple thousand miles unless top end has been done recently. Also check out tunnel, bulkhead, structural areas for any sign of being bent as mountain riders tend to hit trees, stumps, rocks, and the occasional unsuspecting cross country skier .

As far as safety gear, shovel, probes, avalanche beacon (and know how to use them.) You will also want a small fold up saw, if you get stuck on a small tree, you can cut it off. Also, may need to cut fire wood should you be stranded in the mountains over night. You should also pack overnight survival items such as cigarette lighters or water proof matches, solar blanket, I carry extra gloves so I can change into dry ones if needed. You should also care basic first aid supplies should somone get injured. Snacks and lottsa hydrating liquids also.

You will also want to make sure you have basic spare parts for the sled, belts, plugs, extra gas, etc. Never know in the mountains when something stupid can disable your sled, and you might get back in somewhere that you don't see anyone else to help you all day. Make sure you have at least one tow rope with your group, and snow bunjies also come in handy. Be sure you have maps with you of the areas you are riding.

Most of this you probably already know, and I'm sure I am forgetting things but this should get you started.

Also not a bad idea to take an avalanche and basic first aid course.

 

[Jeff C]

Riding back east is waaay harder on suspension components than it is riding in the mountains.

Most sleds that you look at out west will have good suspension parts. Although you want to pay attention and rebuild shocks etc. So that part of the driveline, generally you dont have to worry about. Clutches are harder to evaluate, and most of the time you cannot evaluate very well in someones garage. Plan on freshening up bushings etc on the clutch, no matter whos sled you buy.

Here is how I would handle evaluating the motor. I would bring a compression tester, warm the sled up for at least 5 minutes and do a compression check. Compression testers are cheap, and you should do this when buying any sled. I also look at the plugs. Do they look like they have been replaced in the last century?

Hood and windshield: If the windshield has zip ties stitching it together or the hood for that matter, walk away. If the owner cannot afford to replace a $50 windshield, chances are maintenance has been lacking.

I always look at the lugs on the track, the hifax, and carbides for wear. If these components are in great shape, that might indicate that the person has an attention to detail and might maintain the sled. I always ask "What type of regular maintenance do you do each year?"

Also, you can sort of tell the general condition of a sled buy sizing up who is selling it to you. If it is some 16 year old kid and the sled has monster stickers all over it, or a few slednecks stickers on it (Although, it is said that these stickers give you at least 10 more hp), it probably was rode harder and had less maintenance than a guy whos house you pulled up to that was 40+, has a nice vehicle in the driveway.

As far as track length goes, I would say this. If you are a 150 pound guy, you will be more likely to find that a 144"-153" length will do just fine. If your a 250 pound guy, a longer track length will generally favor your girth better and give you a bit more flotation.

Items to bring along: First of all, get yourself a giood back pack that is designed to hold a shovel and probe. Items that go into that backpack are at least: First aid kit, waterproof matches, vaseline soaked tissue paper in a ziplock bag to aid as a fire starter, whistle, compass, leatherman, zip ties, and some duct tape, one of those thin space blankets etc.

Get yourself a good beacon and make sure everyone that you ride with gets a beacon, and learns and practices on how to use it. I have a good frs radio and so do most of my riding buddies. Way easier to locate someone who got separated if you have those.

Bring lots of water when you ride and plenty of snacks and a nice sandwich with you.

One thing you did not ask about, but is very important. CLOTHING

Don't go cheap. Get good stuff. Get layered style goretex. There is nothing worse than going cheap, and getting wet in the first hour of riding and paying the price for the rest of the day. It sux being wet and getting cold......

Go riding with people who are better than you and are patient. If you dont have anybody, there are lots and lots of people on here that would be very happy to take you along, and you will likely get to be good friends with them in the process.

Have fun, welcome to western riding....... You will have a blast! Once you get a taste for it, you cannot stop.

Oh, one other thing, take classes on avalanche awareness. Learn how to avoid triggering one, and how to evaluate avalanche conditions....

Again, welcome!

 

[av8er]

Recommend a minimum of 153 prefer 162

longer the track the better flotation you have, i want a 174 but have a 162x3"
How much do you want to spend?

a 2009 and up M series is hard to beat, lots of bang for your buck,
what is your size? height and weight

 

[4chevys4me]

6'1" and 230lbs. I am loosing some weight though. I broke my femur in 12 places and wasn't able to walk for over a year. Ice cream seemed like a good source of calcium for a while and I gained 40 lbs. Back to walking and riding so hoping the weight will come back off. Not so easy at the young age of 45. Time will tell. Thanks so much for the advice given so far. Avalanche class HUH, we don't have those here out East.

 

[Srogers]

Weldome to the Mountains

1st--congrats on the move to N. Idaho Beautiful place and close to some REALLY DEEP stuff. They are trying to close off some of the Hoodoo area so keep an eye on that.
2nd--I will catch *&^% on this but each of the Polaris, Cat, and Doo mountain sleds are capable and good shops abound in the area.
3rd--absolutely agree with previous replies on avalanche class, and what to bring---don't forget to have a GPS in one of your group--white outs are horrible you are stuck unless you can back track
4th--I've got a 2012 M8 listed on here if you are interested.

 

[Timberview01]

What part of North Idaho? I am near Kellogg and would be more than happy to show you what I have for a sled and what I put in my pack. I moved here from Pennsylvania in 2007, and lots of great people have helped me get out there and enjoy the sport - the least I can do is return the favor. PM me if you are interested.

Dan

 

[Jeff C]

.................Avalanche class HUH, we don't have those here out East.

YES!

Please, please take a class! It will likely save your life......

At the very least, these classes will make you more able to assess avalanche terrain and likely avalanche conditions, and how those conditions change with storms and time of year..........

Back in the late 80's, I started going out west without a care in the world in terms of avalanche danger. I just did not understand the potential for disaster. Luckily though, we got LUCKY back then and only triggered minor slides here and there....

Avalanche training gives you the tools to (More likely) stay out of an avalanche in the first place......

Do what you want, but avalanches kill many snowmobilers every year, and with awareness training you are much much less likely to trigger one yourself...

 

[M7CatGirl]

Great advice from everyone. If you plan to ride the mountains the avalanche class and gear are a must. We are in Coeur d'Alene so if you are coming this way we are more than happy to show our gear too just let us know.

 

[4chevys4me]

Where would a class like this be held? Local snowmobile club? I certainly don't want to kill anyone else or myself. Sounds like I need to learn a lot of new things out there. I can't wait. My home went on the market yesterday. Hoping for a quick sale. I would really like to get out there this summer and explore. We have ATV and dirt bikes as well. Thank you for all the help, I hope everyone out there is as friendly as this group.
Paul

 

[Environmentalist]

Where would a class like this be held? Local snowmobile club? I certainly don't want to kill anyone else or myself. Sounds like I need to learn a lot of new things out there. I can't wait. My home went on the market yesterday. Hoping for a quick sale. I would really like to get out there this summer and explore. We have ATV and dirt bikes as well. Thank you for all the help, I hope everyone out there is as friendly as this group.
Paul

Parks and Rec and Specialty Recreation (Ski-doo shop) offer Avy classes in CDA in the late Fall. Both are free.