Getting "primed" for winter

[kcowyo]

The snow has started and the throttle thumb is getting twitchy. How do you get some relief?

Sledporn baby! (totally safe for work badass 2 min. video, with sound)

Following a trip to Death Valley later this month, the camper comes off the truck for the winter and the trailer gets hooked up. I'll be riding my customized Polaris 800cc with a Genesis motor, PSI big bore kit, M10 suspension with Ohlin shocks, blah, blah, blah....

Any other sledheads on here?

[Ursidae69]

I've never ridden one before, they look fun.

[articulate]

Hmm! I could be convinced to give this a shot.

[bigreen505]

Not really, just use 'em to haul ski stuff around, but that just means we need a lot of power and traction. That sounds like a super cool machine you've got there!

Awesome video!

[kcowyo]

Oh Dave, my two-board riding, thread swerving good man..... I assure you I am not offended by you granola eating, hippy backcountry skiing types at all!

Before, and after we were married the Mrs. used to feel the same way about snowmobiles. She quickly changed her tune when I threw her and her tele's on the back and ran her to the top of the mountain so she could ski on her knee all the way back down. She didn't take up sleds, but she got a lot more bang for her buck skiing when I could shuttle her to the top.

Skiers vs. snowmobilers is a hot topic in Wyoming, especially in Yellowstone. We are fortunate in this county and the next one over to have two world class Nordic trail systems, completely seperate from the snowmobile trails. The US Olympic X country team actually trains over the mountain in Pinedale. We were not so fortunate to have that in Lake City, CO. But for the most part it was rare to see a X country skier more than a couple of miles from the parking lot, leaving gobs of San Juan high country for the sledheads to ride.

I don't snowmobile in Yellowstone, and won't, but I have issues with skiers attempting to limit how many snowmobiles can enter the park because the skiers don't like the noise and smell. Their protests are crippling the winter economy of towns like Cody and West Yellowstone, just so skiers can have the right to enjoy OUR national park, the way they want and to hell with everyone else. Hey, it's my park too ya know?

Oh, and after two years of reduced numbers of sleds allowed in the park, (by a federal judge in DC who probably couldn't find Wyoming on a map, nor has ever likely been to Yellowstone) there is no conclusive proof that the air quality is any better than when an unlimited numbers of sleds were allowed in the park. And only government mandated 4 stroke "clean machines" have been allowed in the park the last 2 seasons, not the 2 stroke stink bombs like I ride. So who's zooming who?

If skiers brought in 1/2 of the revenue to West Yellowstone that snowmobiles do, that would be one thing. But they don't. They come down from Bozeman or over from Idaho Falls in their Subarus with their Polartec on, munching on granola and power bars they brought from home, ski for a couple of hours and go home. The arrogance of one group trying to dictate the "proper use" of a national park to another group is offensive at best, laughable at worst.

But like you said Dave, "I'm sure my outlook is limited by the negative experiences I've had."

Hope I didn't offend.... Peace!

[pskhaat]

munching on...power bars

Do you have any idea how difficult it is to eat a power bar outside in the winter? or much worse when skiing? Those from Montana are so out of touch!

It's like the anti-smoking law here in AZ now. I theoretically don't agree with banning smoking in private establishments, but it suits my needs and desires so well to not have the Kool cougher giving my and my family an atmosphere of L.A. when eating.

I'm both pinhead by nature and alpinist by nurture, no flat nordy here, so I don't have any particular complaints against them in Yellowstone. I can't figure out why I can't bring my dog to a National Park as to disrupt wildlife but I could bring in a sled?

[devinsixtyseven]

How many people do you (collective you) know who do both (ski/ride/snowmobile)? being from alaska, i would get early and late season tracks at altitude, with highway-like trails groomed by the tracks of many a snowmachine.

I am proficient with both skate and classical xc ski techniques to a level most people only see on television, and is usually only used by people wearing numbers (I used to)...so frankly, I really appreciate a good, solid groomer where I can get a long glide and consistent stability throughout a kick. Snowmobile/track-only access roads are a boon to xc skiers with a strong urge to drop the hammer...it's impossible to skate in powder, and waxing classical skis for powder or active precipitation can be anywhere from useless to a nightmare, and it's still a slogfest--better to use snowshoes, since you'll only be "walking on skis" anyway, not skiing.

In my opinion it comes down to respect for nature and another guy's lifestyle. While a snowmobile will never run as clean and quiet as a pair of skis, they can run clean-er and quiet-er than you might believe from the antics I've seen and heard from the naysayers over the years--snowmobiles are frequently used on xc ski trails for maintenance, emergencies, and race support, and I've never heard anyone at an established xc ski area complain about "those darn snowmobilers". Frankly imho snowmobiles make a lot less noise and pollution than the mouths of some of their detractors over the years!

It's not an "issue" that's limited to winter use...mountain bikes are subject to the same "lifestyle" prejudice. When on a multi-use trail, I know who to watch out for when I'm on the bike, sorry to say but the stereotypes are often correct...and now and then I hear quiet muttered remarks like "bikes aren't supposed to be here" when I'm on an established multi-use corridor. Well, frankly, hikers with a bad attitude shouldn't be there either, or anyone else who fails to enjoy the beauty of the outdoors or intentionally bypasses an opportunity to share a friendly conversation with another human being, or worse yet, abuses their position either by crying "safety foul" at anything with wheels, or careening past hikers, horses, dogs and wildlife with no regard for their surroundings...or even something as simple as walking, sitting, snowshoeing or sledding (seen it many times) on set classical xc tracks, not cleaning up after dogs, standing around in the middle of the trail when others (regardless of "motivation") are trying to get by...share the frickin' trail, regardless your mode of transportation. Frankly what really galls me are people who drive their car to the trail, tell everyone with an engine to keep off, then expect someone with an engine to deliver food, water, supplies, warm bedding, emergency support, or directions when they're out in the middle of nowhere on a pair of skis.

I really think the perceived impact of bicycles and vehicles is more dependent on the amount of respect one person has for another's lifestyle or interests. I wish more people within the overall outdoor sport/adventure/touring community had the same attitude I've seen here at the Portal.

On a completely different but slightly related note, I can't wait for Breck and Devil's Thumb to open their trails...two of my favorite xc ski areas, outside of Lillehammer and Anchorage. Anyone who would like to cruise around on skinny skis, or learn how (not hard to learn!), is welcome to join me .

-Sean

[bigreen505]

Do you have any idea how difficult it is to eat a power bar outside in the winter? or much worse when skiing?

Quite easy. Before you leave, cut the bar into 1/4" squares and put them in a ziplock bag in your pocket. Periodically put a couple in your mouth and eat them like a starburst. Or if you have a stale one, just throw it against the wall and put the pieces in a bag.

PowerBar -- Recommended by nine out of ten dentists for backcountry tooth removal.

[Mlachica]

wow, that was intense...I LIKE IT

I went on a guided snowmobile guided tour in Mammoth a few years ago and I had a BLAST. The guide knew I was looking for an adrenaline rush so we ended up playing cat and mouse. I've been dying to go back eversince...

[Ursidae69]

I love when KC's threads go downhill! J/k. Since it is getting a little political, here is my 2 cents. I think we all can coexist, but the snowmobilers aught to not be in designated wilderness areas. I assume that is already the case? Around here the wilderness areas restrict motorized access, foot and horse only. I appreciate that.

The Yellowstone thing always amused me, during the winter when many of the critters have migrated out or are hibernating, we restrict snowmobiles, yet during the summer there are so many RVs that it is one big parking lot.

Where is Roseann, this is turning into a land-use issue we can discuss!

Any of the CO folks ever take the snowmobile trip across Independence Pass in the winter? I have always wanted to do that.