SW Colorado - Antsies in my pantsies...

[MI1M600EFI]

Last year I only rode four days, all in the Snowy's. After doing some exploring in the San Juan's this summer, I'm hoping to do better!!
I'd like to ride Mancos, Silverton, and perhaps take a trek over to Wolf Creek and Chama if I can find some peeps to ride with!! Open to other suggestions as well.

I have an '09 M8 and I'm a decent rider. Like open/tree riding and exploring more than high marking or hillclimbing.
Willing to blow off work and ride a week day if the riding will be good!!

I know there are a few of us down here, so let's make this a great riding winter!!

Post up your frustrations, trip ideas, pictures of your sled, or whatever... I'm signing up for the San Juan club, and the Silverton Club too!!

 

[DOOin it]

We ride wolf creek area almost every weekend and some weekdays too. We're always open to hanging out with new people and showing them around. Ever think about joining the trail blazer sled club here in pagosa springs?

 

[POLZIN]

I live in Farmington as well. There's lots of good riding not far from here for sure. WC area is worth the drive! Mancos can be amazing on the right day. Beaver Meadows is also a great place and about the same distance.

 

[MI1M600EFI]

WC = West Chama? (Edit: Oh, Wolf Creek. Oops...)

Wife and I explored the West Mancos rd area this weekend, including a hike up toward Sharkstooth. Aside from having to ride 10 miles from where they gate the road to where it looks like the riding would be really good, I think I'd have a blast up there!! Have to see if we can get reservations at the fire tower next summer too!!

Looking for a sled for my wife at the moment... Something light and small-ish. And preferably under $1500. Found a Z440 sno-pro in Breckenridge that might work (after I long track it...) and there's a 570 mountain cat somewhere up by Delta that would be awesome, but they're asking a bit too much. If anyone has a deal, or knows of one, pass it along in a PM!! (Wife is 5'4" and 115lbs, so I'd prefer something fan cooled just to keep the weight down. She's not exactly an aggressive rider...)
Thanks!
Chris

 

[POLZIN]

hers a pic of the West Mancos area last spring everything beyond the intersection to jersey Jim /windy gap was waist deep and untouched.

 

[CO Powder]

I understand that maybe you are trying to get into sledding cheap but I think a fan cooled anything on the mountains is a HUGE mistake. You are talking about riding at 10,000 ft plus on a sled that has 50-60hp tops at sea level and 30-40 at altitude. My wife is the same size as yours and not aggressive, she rides an 800 mountain sled.


Minimum in my book is a 600 liquid or she will probably end up hating you and sledding...


If you are serious though, my buddy has a 2005 550 fan Polaris he bought new for his wife that never gets ridden. Low miles and low price, in Ridgway. I will ask him on the price if you are interested.

 

[POLZIN]

I'd have to agree with that ^^^ my kids are 10 and 13 and they ride 800s always nice to have the power When you need it .

 

[MI1M600EFI]

Thanks for the input guys.

I'm basing my desire off past ownership of an '03 570 Mountain Cat. (70hp) It was a GREAT sled for the kind of poking around that I did at the time, which is pretty much what my wife does.

The 440 SnoPro I found is 65HP, and it probably isn't going to make any high marks worth bragging about, but my wife isn't going to do that even on a turbo'd M1000. My little 570 went everywhere, and if it did get stuck, which wasn't often, it was REALLY easy to get out by myself. I'm sticking to my guns (fans?) for now... I want something light and small for her until she asks for something bigger. She rides my old 600 EFI Mountian Cat when we go out now, which I borrow from the friend I sold it to. She does OK on it, but always complains that it makes her hurt everywhere just fighting to steer and control the thing.

What I really wanted to find for her was a Freestyle 550 Backcountry... Evidently they are rarer than hens teeth, so if you see one, snatch it up and ask a ridiculous amount of money for it...

Do we really have to wait another month for enough snow to ride??

 

[CO Powder]

You could try the guy that runs sled tours up on Molas pass. I am pretty sure they run those 550 Doo's. Try Red Mtn lodges and campground in Silverton. I am pretty sure Jim Loki still runs the whole thing. Nice guy!


If I was trying to find something light and easy to ride for my wife I would find a nice Cat M7. Get her a sled that actually rides well then turn her loose in a field of powder on a sunny day. I have never really seen anybody resist that temptation. Bump up the fun factor!


This also provides you with a fun back up sled/loaner, and a sled with most parts in common with what you ride already. It is genius man, trust me.

 

[Texasnowman]

There is always plenty of riders for deep fresh powder on WC (wolf creek)
Just be at the rainbow gas/conv store at 8am plenty friendly riders and best riding in southern co.

 

[Dobber1]

Just be at the rainbow gas/conv store at 8am

If you follow this guy, take plenty of fuel.

 

[houlster]

I'll be spending 5 days in Pagosa Springs over Christmas this year with family for skiing, snoboarding, etc. I'd really like to get a day of snowmobiling in. I don't get many chances, the last couple years especially have been crap.

Anybody know a place there that rents modern (ish) mountain sleds (probably 2 of us)? Googling I found a couple "tour" type places, but no strictly sled rentals. Not what I'm looking for.

thx
--Dan

 

[MI1M600EFI]

If I was trying to find something light and easy to ride for my wife I would find a nice Cat M7. ...<clip>... It is genius man, trust me.

I ride an '09 M8 SnoPro. I don't consider it light, and it's lighter than the M5/6/7/8 that preceded it. Not that I'd pass one up for $1500, but that's where the fun envelope is currently stuffed to, and the money tree I planted hasn't bloomed yet... She just doesn't ride enough to justify spending more at this point.

Sounds like we just need snow to get in some pretty good riding!!! Looking forward to checking out the WC area, as well as Mancos. Bring on the snow!!

 

[DOOin it]

I'll be spending 5 days in Pagosa Springs over Christmas this year with family for skiing, snoboarding, etc. I'd really like to get a day of snowmobiling in. I don't get many chances, the last couple years especially have been crap.

Anybody know a place there that rents modern (ish) mountain sleds (probably 2 of us)? Googling I found a couple "tour" type places, but no strictly sled rentals. Not what I'm looking for.

thx
--Dan

Twin pines in south fork rents some kitty cats. I'm one of the guides for third generation outfitters or snow country adventures. We take people out on a guided back country tour on skidoo 600s and teach the basics on how to improve there skills.

 

[DDECKER]

I ride an '09 M8 SnoPro. I don't consider it light, and it's lighter than the M5/6/7/8 that preceded it. Not that I'd pass one up for $1500, but that's where the fun envelope is currently stuffed to, and the money tree I planted hasn't bloomed yet... She just doesn't ride enough to justify spending more at this point.

Sounds like we just need snow to get in some pretty good riding!!! Looking forward to checking out the WC area, as well as Mancos. Bring on the snow!!

What about a 2000 $ m7

 

[MI1M600EFI]

What about a 2000 $ m7

I might have to search my soul deeply if it was new enough to have reverse... But I haven't found one in decent condition for less than $3k yet, and that was w/o reverse.

The little Sno Pro I found is only $600. It needs a few inexpensive things, and a bit of work, and it doesn't have reverse... But it probably weighs 100lbs less than an M7, it's sized appropriately for a not very aggressive 5'4"/115lb rider, and it has racing numbers.

PLUS I'm looking forward to bombing around on it occasionally and screaming "121 FAN, Baby!!!" as I rip past my stuck friends on the little monster like my hair is on fire!

Ok, I may be slightly delusional, but they're from MI, and they get stuck a LOT when they come out west...

 

[Wowmom]

I'll be spending 5 days in Pagosa Springs over Christmas this year with family for skiing, snoboarding, etc. I'd really like to get a day of snowmobiling in. I don't get many chances, the last couple years especially have been crap.

Anybody know a place there that rents modern (ish) mountain sleds (probably 2 of us)? Googling I found a couple "tour" type places, but no strictly sled rentals. Not what I'm looking for.

thx
--Dan

Twin Pines Motorsports in South Fork has rental mountain sleds & trail sleds. We traded two nice Doo's (a 153 & 174) and a clean 700 RMK in that will be in his rental fleet this season. Give Curtis a shout, delivery to trailhead is available.

 

[houlster]

Thanks for the suggestions..

--Dan

 

[chevyrac66]

I've got an 05 m7 162 and the wife has an 05 rev 159, live in Durango and would love to ride! We're new to the area as well. I also get lots of pto so I can take some days during the week off! Let me know if you wanna ride!

 

[MI1M600EFI]

Made a run to Breckenridge Friday and back Saturday to get the wife's new $500 sled...





Had an nice offer to buy an older Polaris for the same money from someone here on SW, but I don't know crap about Poo's, and I know this chassis Cat inside and out, so I decided the enemy I know is better than the one I don't.

Though the PO cleaned the carbs just a few months ago, they are yucked up from sitting again, and so it would only run for about 60 seconds a time. No worries, compression seems good, and I've cleaned a carb or two in my time. He also gave me a second set of Fox shocks for the front, new 4" carbides, two carbs that aren't the same as the ones on it, a pretty nice cover, and two spare fuel pumps. Oh, and a BRAND NEW 7/8" track.

It was formerly an ice racer, so the track on it has about a million studs in it. I'll probably sell both tracks, since It really needs a 1.5" track.

Cleaned it up when I got back Saturday, then spent today wheeling all the stickers off the hood and turning the rest of it into this:



Straightened some bent aluminum, and got a game plan going for what's going to happen...

Small/easy stuff to do:
Clean carbs. Remove sway bar. Get it a new windshield. Recover torn front part of seat cover with 2" more foam for a little added height. Put on '09 M8 handlebars and 4.5" riser. Install/wire up heated grips and thumbwarmer.

Not so easy but also coming soon...
-Check crank seal on PTO side, replace if they don't look newer.
-Swap free track on it?
OR...
-133 x 1.5" track??? Found on E-pay for a good price. Was planning to leave it a 121, but I need a taller lug anyway, and I haven't found a good 136" track... Then again, I can't seem to find a 6" rail extension either, so I may try a 4" kit and slide the skid back 2" or so to make it work... We'll see.

Eventually, I'd also like to swap front arms and skis from a Mountain Cat to narrow it up a bit, but for now I'll just use these at full narrow.


There were several trailers on the east side of WC Saturday, and a few at the top too. Snow looks pretty thin, but a thin day of riding is better than no riding at all, right?
Looking forward to a good winter!! Making reservations for Alpine between Christmas and NY... Doing a snow dance every night!!!

Oh what fun...