Worst Riding Situation

[nuggetau]

There is one riding situation that makes my sack pucker up every time, how do you master this situation?

You are on a high mountain top ridge, the slope is at least 60 degrees or more, below you is a cliff or canyon you have no hope of climbing out of, and you have to sidehill downhill for a long ways(hundreds of yards), for numerous reasons you can't have any real ground speed and the snow is setup or windswept or there is little snow and you will need to avoid several trees/rocks/etc and to top if off the terrain is undulating which constantly tries to throw you flat.

I have never seen anyone do this situation with ease or grace, but I've never ridden with world class riders either. Oddly enough, you never see the world class riders riding this situation on camera. Much easier to look stylin mashing the sidehill uphill in deep snow. I want to see them all pull off the situation above, I'm sure they would do it a hundred times better, which is why I want to see them do it.

 

[columbus]

60 degrees is much much steeper then you think

 

[Beeline]

lEAVE IT TO THE HIGHLY SKILLED. TURN AROUND AND GO BACK THE WAY YOU CAME IN.

 

[Himark]

60 is to much and I will assume it is normally a managable incline but even with that if its hard pack and you must side hill it...it just aint going to happen my friend. Better find another way or you will be making a lasting impression on your sled from a tree.

 

[OuraySledder]

Stay on the ridge until you are at a place where you have a straight shot with run out room?

Turn around, go out the way you came in?

I just dont take chances like that. If there is such a high chance of wrecking, change plans.

 

[Gros Chien]

60 degrees is much much steeper then you think

X2, 60 degrees is that kind of drop that you can only do when the snow is totally stable(march or april) and I don't think it's doable on anything else than skis or snowboard. I've skied a run call ''the run of the century'' near the french glacier in the selkirks, witch is 55 degrees, and even being a good rider, I would never have been able to carve or sidehill that kind of slope on a sled. It pushes toooooooooo! much!

 

[TEAMCAMORRA]

There is one riding situation that makes my sack pucker up every time, how do you master this situation?

You are on a high mountain top ridge, the slope is at least 60 degrees or more, below you is a cliff or canyon you have no hope of climbing out of, and you have to sidehill downhill for a long ways(hundreds of yards), for numerous reasons you can't have any real ground speed and the snow is setup or windswept or there is little snow and you will need to avoid several trees/rocks/etc and to top if off the terrain is undulating which constantly tries to throw you flat.

I have never seen anyone do this situation with ease or grace, but I've never ridden with world class riders either. Oddly enough, you never see the world class riders riding this situation on camera. Much easier to look stylin mashing the sidehill uphill in deep snow. I want to see them all pull off the situation above, I'm sure they would do it a hundred times better, which is why I want to see them do it.

I and a buddy did what you are talking about and it was pretty easy I just jumped off and over the cliff my cat went and when I turned around here came a polaris with my buddy standing in the snow waving not sure if he was saying so long to the sled or trying to get me to move out of the way but it was a close one.

 

[Mtn-Track]

This slope senario sounds like something Chris Burandt would do.... if he hasn't already.

 

[sledsrock]

This slope senario sounds like something Chris Burandt would do.... if he hasn't already.

Yep - but UPHILL!

 

[nuggetau]

OK, the 60 degree slope thing seems to be throwing you guys off, just insert REALLY steep.

Sidehilling downhill isn't too bad if you got enough snow to dig, it's the hard snow or shallow snow, or intermittent soft drifts then hard snow that always seem to throw me flat and then it's that scary ride down into who knows what.

 

[LS1NOVA]

In the movie Schooled, Burandt or Rasmussen does a similiar sidehill going down with about a 100 cliff below. The hill was clear but losing the sled in that situation would have totalled it for sure. Its neat to see someone with the balls or skill to do it.

 

[anchorman]

Well, lets see here. First off you have to pick your line before hand and hopefully that eliminates the problem. However, that being said, I have put myself into those kinds of situations even though I knew better.

1. Take her really slow and steady. Hang everything but your toes and your fingertips off the side and take her S-L-O-W.

2. If you had enough snow, which you said you didn't, walk/dig yourself a small path to lodge the uphill ski into so that you've got some bite to help hold the angle. If you have a buddy who's willing, have him/her grab the uphill ski and just keep walking you across the slope.

3. Outside of letting her find her own way to the bottom and calling your insurance agent, this is the least desireable option. Tie a long rope to her and start hoisting her straight up the mountain until you can find a ledge or some other location to get going under your own power again.

Finally, this is the very reason I hate riding with only one other person. I also hate riding with more than 2 or 3, but you gotta have help sometimes. I also strongly believe that it's important to help a fellow sledder out who has found his way into just such a mess. I'll help you once, but if you drive right back into the mess.... Let's just say your sled better have packed its' pajamas. I'll give you a ride back to your truck, but I'm done pulling on your heavy sled!

 

[mtnpull]

Most avalanches happen on slopes 30-45 degrees. Slopes steeper than this usually don't avalanche because the snow is continually sluffing off. This gives you an idea of how steep the original post is referring to is.

 

[winter brew]

Reverse and ski chains.....and maybe not quite that steep.

 

[ruffryder]

I would just dig a road in. I am a wuss though. Snowmobiling is expensive enough and I should have totaled my sled about 4 good times so far.

 

[sledcaddie]

In the movie Schooled, Burandt or Rasmussen does a similiar sidehill going down with about a 100 cliff below. The hill was clear but losing the sled in that situation would have totalled it for sure. Its neat to see someone with the balls or skill to do it.

In Schooled, he refered to it as a "controlled descent." But the snow he was in was not hard pack. Those guys have lots of experience. By the way, that is an excellent video. Everyone could learn something from it.

 

[89sandman]

I and a buddy did what you are talking about and it was pretty easy I just jumped off and over the cliff my cat went and when I turned around here came a polaris with my buddy standing in the snow waving not sure if he was saying so long to the sled or trying to get me to move out of the way but it was a close one.

waving goodbye to his sled, lmfao!!!!!! i guess thats one way to do it

 

[spudnut]

Kiss your arse goodby

Side hilling on a 60 degree slope that is windswept (also known as wind loaded) you will be setting off a big slide. Numerous sledders have tried and died on slopes with less steepness then the one you are talking about. As you side hill along you are cutting a fault line in the slope that has removed any tensil strength the snow on that hill had, The cornice and everything else above you will be letting go. I don't want to throw the cold water on your senario, but it is a killer.

 

[DooMoore]

Guess i am getting old but that does not seem to be very smart in my opinion don't put yourself in that position!! lots of good riding in the trees ditches things that are not that extreme!! it's not impressive if you trash your sled trying or even worse? not see your family again? even if you did or can do it if you think about it nobody even see you do it!! or cares! but your family cares if things go bad. For What?

 

[nuggetau]

Spud

Not to get all dictionary on you, but........

sweep definition
sweep (swēp)
transitive verb swept, sweeping sweep′·ing

1. to clear or clean (a surface, room, etc.) as by brushing with a broom
2. to remove or clear away (dirt, debris, etc.) as with a broom or brushing movement

Windswept means the wind has scoured most of the snow away, the wind loaded side is the opposite side of the ridge where all the snow deposits.

As for "choosing" this situation, I'm not that brave, stupid, or thrill seeking, yet circumstances have choosen it for me a few times.