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Tips for A Novice Deep Powder Rider

one piece of advice for you...

when you go into the trees to take a pizz circle around the tree a few times, otherwise when you jump off your sled you end up chest high in snow sometimes...

This is especially important for us shorter guys,(i too am just 5'10).I learned that the hardway last year, and the worst part is no one is around to help ya out.
 
Deep Snow

Deep pow is the ultimate!!! You will learn to ride in it, the advice I will give you is to get "PEEPS" avalanche beacon. Pack with probe, shovel, etc. And take an avalanche class even if you think you know anything. Ride safe ride long.
 
learn to ride

just look for the new movie "learn to ride" from deviantsled.com, you will be able to see bret rasmussen and chris burandt teach guys like you and me how they handle their sleds. those two are the best I have seen! I have learned alot of how to move my body around by watching chris's segments on the sledneck videos. I ride cats so it helps me, if your on a poolaris of skipoo you might have to just learn from someone else!
 
ridgelinerunner said:
just look for the new movie "learn to ride" from deviantsled.com, you will be able to see bret rasmussen and chris burandt teach guys like you and me how they handle their sleds. those two are the best I have seen! I have learned alot of how to move my body around by watching chris's segments on the sledneck videos. I ride cats so it helps me, if your on a poolaris of skipoo you might have to just learn from someone else!
Click to expand...

the arctic cats and polaris ride pretty similar to me
yes you will have to learn from some strange alien form to learn how to ride the ski-doo
 
Good powder riding seems to come town to practice, practice, practice. I've been riding a long time, can get around, but it's not always pretty. The younger riders in our group watch and study the sledding videos. When we get to the powder they drill and drill on maneuvers. And it shows. When things get dicey, the can put their sleds where they want them. My son used to ride around and around in circles in the back yard for hours on his sno-sport. I thought he was out of his mind, but he builds his skills through repetition. Now, at only 125lbs, he throws around a sled notorious for it's weight and poor handling better than most big guys throw around their featherweight newer sleds. http://www.snowest.com/forum/showthread.php?t=151659 . You also can't be afraid of getting stuck. Before you master carving and downhill carves you will tip, bury and fall off the sled million times. Pushing your skills is not an efficient use of your energy.
 
Riding with guys who can handle themselves in obscured situations and trying to mimic their body position, throttle control, and momentum is going to be a big help. But be sure to thank whoever comes back to help you get out of the hole you’re stuck in.

Bulk up man! You may be able to lift your sled when its on dry ground, but once you burry it up to the bars and you’re in a creek bed with snow everywhere and water running into your boots... that 500 pound sled feels like a 10ton brick! I’m speaking from experience here buddy, after hunting season is done I will put on about 20 pounds of muscle. Still keep your wind, but being trim and fit isn’t as important as having the strength through the sled up on its side ALL DAY LONG and to get her unstuck. And that is going to happen after you leave the groomed trails and start challenging yourself.

Just make some tracks and get out there, and powder riding can be the best days you'll have on your sled. :beer;
 
tip of the day. stay in the medows and leave the good stuff to those of us that know what to do with it! really just get alot of ride time. everyday the conditions are diff. so you learn on every ride. most important . have fun!
 
Get in the meadows and learn to do really tight turns. You have to be able to do it on both sides. Getting a gold finger or other LH throttle helps in the hills too. It's awesome man.
 
I am stunned.

Lots of general tips here, but other than Mule, noone has posted or suggested any of the most important things of all for deep powder mountain riding.:(

YOUR Safety and ability to save your life and your riding partners.
  • Educate yourself on snow characteristics Good & Bad.
  • Buy an avalanche beacon LEARN HOW TO USE IT! (PRACTICE)
  • Buy a steel shovel and carry it with you
  • Buy avalanche probes and carry them with you
  • Get and always where a chest protector (Beewear or Tekvest)
  • Know when to say, "No I won't hit that hill"
I know you talking about having fun in deep powder and thats what its all about! :D But I also know, that with you living in Wyoming, if you are in an area where its deep, its also STEEP, and that means Avalanches. You can't and won't just ride in areas of deep powder that wont threaten you, your smack dab in the middle of it!

Educate yourself.
Outfit yourself.
HAVE FUN!!:cool:
 
Idaho Slim said:
Lots of general tips here, but other than Mule, noone has posted or suggested any of the most important things of all for deep powder mountain riding.:(

YOUR Safety and ability to save your life and your riding partners.
  • Educate yourself on snow characteristics Good & Bad.
  • Buy an avalanche beacon LEARN HOW TO USE IT! (PRACTICE)
  • Buy a steel shovel and carry it with you
  • Buy avalanche probes and carry them with you
  • Get and always where a chest protector (Beewear or Tekvest)
  • Know when to say, "No I won't hit that hill"
I know you talking about having fun in deep powder and thats what its all about! :D But I also know, that with you living in Wyoming, if you are in an area where its deep, its also STEEP, and that means Avalanches. You can't and won't just ride in areas of deep powder that wont threaten you, your smack dab in the middle of it!

Educate yourself.
Outfit yourself.
HAVE FUN!!:cool:
Click to expand...

Best advice yet. I finally broke down and bught a beacon last year. Actually bought two, that way now matter who I ride with, they will have one to find ME! It's a one time invest and is only the cost of a couple belts or about 2 weekends of fuel. Money well spent! I hope I never have to use them....other than to practice with.
 
Absolutely True

Idaho Slim said:
Lots of general tips here, but other than Mule, noone has posted or suggested any of the most important things of all for deep powder mountain riding.:(

YOUR Safety and ability to save your life and your riding partners.
  • Educate yourself on snow characteristics Good & Bad.
  • Buy an avalanche beacon LEARN HOW TO USE IT! (PRACTICE)
  • Buy a steel shovel and carry it with you
  • Buy avalanche probes and carry them with you
  • Get and always where a chest protector (Beewear or Tekvest)
  • Know when to say, "No I won't hit that hill"
I know you talking about having fun in deep powder and thats what its all about! :D But I also know, that with you living in Wyoming, if you are in an area where its deep, its also STEEP, and that means Avalanches. You can't and won't just ride in areas of deep powder that wont threaten you, your smack dab in the middle of it!

Educate yourself.
Outfit yourself.
HAVE FUN!!:cool:
Click to expand...

Idaho Slim-You are to be commended. The sleds of today put us in places where we could not go just a few years ago. It is just too easy to get into trouble, and not have an idea you are until it's too late. It's hard to get better at riding in deep pow if you are dead.
 
be smart and ride with buddies that know what to do incase of a bad sittuation. myself i dont have a beacon or shovel or probe which i will be saving money this summer for along w/ gas money.

also wear protective gear as mule said. i had a situation like was mules pic he posted looks like and was wearing a simple plastic mx chest protector that saved my chest along with ribs. this past season my dad bought me some thor force knee gaurds that im glad i got since im going to start trying cornise drops.

main thing is be smart, practice, protection, and everything idaho slim said.
 
I'm gonna say riding with people that push the limits is the quickest way to get better. When I ride with guys better than me I learn more in one day than I would riding all season with just the family. Also, on the safety side of things I would suggest a GPS, it can save your life
 
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