Un-sticking stuck sled
- Thread starter loneski
- Start date
Give the op a break, not everyone thrashes meadows with a grain shovel. Get out of the meadows and in the trees, scout some cliffs and serious side hills. You may find a use for ropes and winches.
Now you know how and where I ride because I posted a picture of my shovel? Come on down, I have plenty of time and gas money right now. School me, I would love to see that...
Tone down the preaching says the pot to the kettle...
You have no idea where he rides or why he may need ropes and winches when scouting ski terrain. Your assuming he has an old beater and no skill? Not everyone is from CO and has the time and money to buy a new sled and 'learn how to ride'.
Snowbunje says to use the device by tensioning it with the pulling sled (or the rope rachet pictured above), stop/lock brake on pulling sled, and then drive the stuck sled out. I used it that way with a rope rachet once to get myself out. Other than that, I have never seen the Cobra used per instructions-- EVERYBODY does it like in the video.
I have seen two break, using the jerk method. Everybody involved needs to have their helmet on, and bystanders need to be out of the bend of the puller-- well off to the side.
I have seen two break, using the jerk method. Everybody involved needs to have their helmet on, and bystanders need to be out of the bend of the puller-- well off to the side.
I originally bought sleds to access ski terrain and needed extraction equipment my entire first season due to limited skills for the terrain we were in.
My MX, moto trial and other motorized experience did not prepare me for the steep terrain learning curve for sleds.
The top of the list if I were doing it again, sled skills and more sled skills (do a clinic or get tips from experienced riders and practice). As most experienced riders will tell you, you can ride out of 99% of the stucks after
Stomping, pulling, rolling or repositioning the sled. In most cases we don't even get our shovels out. Being able to sidehill on either side in steep terrain is really important for getting out of many situations.
A word of warning, after learning to ride steep terrain in deep powder you will not be as excited to ski it as you will to ride. Even my wife who hates the noise, the smell, the carbon foot print etc. has on many occasions said: we are not skiing today...the riding is too good to waste time skiing!
This comes from a lifetime backcountry skier who still does his/her hut trips and etc. We Love To Ride deep Powder on our sleds!
My MX, moto trial and other motorized experience did not prepare me for the steep terrain learning curve for sleds.
The top of the list if I were doing it again, sled skills and more sled skills (do a clinic or get tips from experienced riders and practice). As most experienced riders will tell you, you can ride out of 99% of the stucks after
Stomping, pulling, rolling or repositioning the sled. In most cases we don't even get our shovels out. Being able to sidehill on either side in steep terrain is really important for getting out of many situations.
A word of warning, after learning to ride steep terrain in deep powder you will not be as excited to ski it as you will to ride. Even my wife who hates the noise, the smell, the carbon foot print etc. has on many occasions said: we are not skiing today...the riding is too good to waste time skiing!
This comes from a lifetime backcountry skier who still does his/her hut trips and etc. We Love To Ride deep Powder on our sleds!
This is so very true, I was riding double last evening with a female friend of mine and it reminded me how a the bag of little tricks we build over time riding make it 10000x easier to get unstuck and avoid it in the first place.
Just poking around in relatively firm snow around some tree wells and drifts it made me appreciate what a little sled control can do to avoid BIG obnoxious stucks. Taking days to just go out and learn the sled and play with getting it on edge and balancing. I had to sneak between an open creek and a tree. for a novice rider, they would either try and gas things as sneak by or most likey end up rolled into the creek and stuck. A little throttle blip, wrong foot forward and riding on one ski and I went by with ease. Where as it could have turned into an hour of shoveling and a cold wet mess.
Its easy to just go out and goof around and have a blast, but the lessons you can gain, by even watching the shcooled videos and going out for a few days just as sort of skill honing days are golden. It makes a lot more sense to avoid getting stuck then it does to pack around 100# of tools to get out. Not saying you won't. It is inevitable. But it just makes your life a lot easier
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Well stated!
If you haven't already - watching YouTube videos has been a huge help for me. I know me and my boyfriend are good at avoiding "getting stuck" (youtube videos), and when we do get stuck, we are pretty quick at assessing the best possible way of getting un-stuck (thanks to watching many youtube videos).
Since most members already gave a shout-out on tools to use, figured I would give you advice that helped me learn the best methods, so you don't have to use the tools as much! Good luck, and have fun!
Since most members already gave a shout-out on tools to use, figured I would give you advice that helped me learn the best methods, so you don't have to use the tools as much! Good luck, and have fun!
R
rmscustom
Well-known member
Getting unstuck takes as much skill and practice as becoming a good mountain rider. Years ago I relied on shovels, bunjes and help. I rarely use any of that anymore and a bunje hasn't been on my sled for 3 years.
Wheel House Motorsports has the best advice here and I cant really add anything other than get out there and do it.
A word of caution though. Be careful sled skiing because soon you might find yourself leaving the skis at home
Wheel House Motorsports has the best advice here and I cant really add anything other than get out there and do it.
A word of caution though. Be careful sled skiing because soon you might find yourself leaving the skis at home
skiing the steep and deep...the closest thing to free-fall besides surfing Maverick, and with fewer consequences.
Thanks fellas...all good stuff.
I ski much better than I snowmobile, but I'm learning.
Planning on learning some more tomorrow, in fact.
Thanks fellas...all good stuff.
I ski much better than I snowmobile, but I'm learning.
Planning on learning some more tomorrow, in fact.
Check out the videos by sledshot on Youtube. There is some really good info on tricks to get unstuck, as well as riding tips, tandem riding, and sled skiing tips.
Should be right up your alley and worth the hour of your time.
Should be right up your alley and worth the hour of your time.
Because I often sled alone and at my age I find a sled jack and a big shovel useful.
<a href="http://s55.photobucket.com/user/terry_todoruk/media/17steep.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g155/terry_todoruk/17steep.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 17steep.jpg"/></a>
<a href="http://s55.photobucket.com/user/terry_todoruk/media/17steep.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g155/terry_todoruk/17steep.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 17steep.jpg"/></a>
If you are not getting stuck you are not trying hard enough!
90% of the time we just roll them over. The last time I got stuck was in a creek bed and the only way out was up. We have a 20' nylon sling. I attached it to the front bumper and the four of us pulled that sled up like nothing. Popped right out like a cork in a champagne bottle.
90% of the time we just roll them over. The last time I got stuck was in a creek bed and the only way out was up. We have a 20' nylon sling. I attached it to the front bumper and the four of us pulled that sled up like nothing. Popped right out like a cork in a champagne bottle.
True. So true.
S
snengineer
Well-known member
Flat ground: should never happen.
Hillside: roll it out.
Hillside: roll it out.
B
BikerPepe`
Well-known member
I was wondering if anyone was going to bring this up. For beginners and infrequent sledders like myself... these always sounded like a real good idea.
I don't have one... but seriously considered getting one: http://highliftjack.com/
I realize prevention is best and experienced methods are truly the way to go but for those of us who can't live on the sled... this seemed like a great alternative to me.
oh yea... before ya'll start crackin' on me about not learning how to ride or wasting time and money, etc.
I'm a 45 yr. old amputee (LBK) who weighs in around 175 lbs. at 5'6".... my sled is 11 ft. long and 500 lbs., dry.
I can still muscle it around... but it makes a good, long day a little shorter with each "stuck".
I also hate relying on others... even though I don't go out in the hills alone.
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I was wondering if anyone was going to bring this up. For beginners and infrequent sledders like myself... these always sounded like a real good idea.
I don't have one... but seriously considered getting one: http://highliftjack.com/
I realize prevention is best and experienced methods are truly the way to go but for those of us who can't live on the sled... this seemed like a great alternative to me.
oh yea... before ya'll start crackin' on me about not learning how to ride or wasting time and money, etc.
I'm a 45 yr. old amputee (LBK) who weighs in around 175 lbs. at 5'6".... my sled is 11 ft. long and 500 lbs., dry.
I can still muscle it around... but it makes a good, long day a little shorter with each "stuck".
I also hate relying on others... even though I don't go out in the hills alone.
My buddy rode with one for a while. He is about your height but a good 30 lbs lighter and ten years older, with a messed up hip from an old car accident. He lost it a few years ago and hasn't seen the need to replace it. Shovel, hand bungee is nice, saw and a riding buddy is all we ever need.
Tone down the preaching says the pot to the kettle...
Kind of ironic how the advice in this thread has evolved into exactly that... learning the skills needed to travel backcountry on a sled and learning how to extricate it when you mess up, without needing to carry a bunch of tools.
I didn't say to buy a new sled, though the newer the better as they impr ove all the time. Do not expect to go out on an Edge sled, or anything with trailing arm front suspension, and think you are going to ride it like Burandt in the trees.
The point is, learning to ride means you should not have to carry ropes and winches. It is safer to learn how to ride than it is to figure out what to bring because you didn't take some time to learn to ride.
One of my first mtn rides was with the realtor that sold me my first CO house. Turns out, he didn't know how to ride. I could ride well enough but had no experience getting sleds unstuck, not where he got himself stuck anyway. We were close enough to the truck that I hauled out multiple come a longs and plenty of rope. Six hours later as it was getting really dark and cold, the sled was still way down in the ravine. I called the guy with the groomer and by 9pm we were finally all safely out.
Today I wouldn't think twice about riding the same place, I can now ride up and down it one handed and one footed. If I was stuck where his sled was, I would roll it over, point it down the drainage and side hill it out. That would probably take 15 minutes and be successful, not take 10+ hours and require a rescue.
So while buy a decent sled and learn to ride might have seemed like an arrogant response, it was just the cliffs notes version. Buying a decent sled and learning to ride is, I think, the best advice going.
B
BikerPepe`
Well-known member
wasn't the point of the thread to get ways to help get unstuck... until someone is a good enough rider to not have to worry about it as much? The apparent answers given seem pretty damn obvious.
Seems to me... the arrogance perceived is dead on. Not everyone has ten thousand dollars laying around to just go out and buy and new sled, because it's a little better.
Not everyone has the ability to just run out and spend as much time as they please out learning to ride. Learning to ride doesn't just happen, it takes time, effort, money and snow... especially with the piss poor snow fall we're having in my neck of the woods this year.
I just think it's kinda sad that someone who's not a major sledder comes here to find the experienced riders and asks for a little advice about the best equipment and basically gets told that their sled is crap and/or they just don't know how to ride.
great way to help and encourage the noobs to the sport guys.
Seems to me... the arrogance perceived is dead on. Not everyone has ten thousand dollars laying around to just go out and buy and new sled, because it's a little better.
Not everyone has the ability to just run out and spend as much time as they please out learning to ride. Learning to ride doesn't just happen, it takes time, effort, money and snow... especially with the piss poor snow fall we're having in my neck of the woods this year.
I just think it's kinda sad that someone who's not a major sledder comes here to find the experienced riders and asks for a little advice about the best equipment and basically gets told that their sled is crap and/or they just don't know how to ride.
great way to help and encourage the noobs to the sport guys.
I sure did not perceive arrogance with the responses to this thread, mostly a bunch of us trying to help speed up the learning process and help someone gain the knowledge necessary to enjoy the backcountry SAFELY. It is dangerous for most of us who venture into big terrain (where most backcountry skiers want to be) before we have adequate sled handling skills. I for one would have appreciated every bit of advice this thread is providing. I exposed myself and my wife to life threatening situations because we bought sleds to backcountry ski and ventured into terrain before we had the skills to be there safely. I am sure the guy who started this thread appreciates all of the input whether useful or not.
