FastFarmer
Active VIP Member
Well said!
Chappelle creek found an 850
- Thread starter oilplantman
- Start date
Well said!
sledneck__11
Active VIP Member
Rode chappelle monday and pretty bottomless still never been stuck so many times in a day, made for a good sleep tho lol
Caper11
Active VIP Member
I have found this years snowpack weird. There is a base but its not acting very solid.
Lund
Active VIP Member
Back tracking to your track is a technique used by all experience backcountry rider's that ride beyond and if you don't doit and get stuck your partner's won't be impressed.
I'm surprised no one has mentioned how to walk a sled out, #1 technique used by all extreme experience backcountry rider's and one of the first thing that is taught.
Maybe some one can chime in on that for the one's that don't know. I would but was told to "F" off, so my advice isn't needed.
maxwell
Active VIP Member
TARRANT
Active member
can you please clarify where someone told you to "F" off. Im gonna assume it is in regard to my reply when all I was tryin to convey was an actual opinion based on being there that day.
I would also like to hear this advice as extra information from experienced riders is also appreciated
deaner
Active VIP Member
I believe this is the one where you get tired of your sled getting stuck so you carry it on your back and walk to the truck........ie. "walk it out". Ive done this 3 times so Id say Im moderately to extremely extreme. Basically what happens is your skills become SO advanced that they surpass your snow machines' abilities.
skegpro
Active VIP Member
Walk out = Death
TARRANT
Active member
I spit my coffee out reading this HAHAHAHAHA
sledneck__11
Active VIP Member
EXTREME!!
Lund
Active VIP Member
How to walk your sled out of a bind.
It doesn't matter if the snow is bottom less or 2ft deep or nipple deep, this technique works every time and a must know if you venture beyond the reach of your buddies, it also can be done in multiple different way's.
The first thing to know is about snow. Snow has certain characteristic that you can use to your advantage to help you and that is what you will be doing, creating an advantage.
How?
In fresh snow fall condition the snow ability to support is very poor, thus how avalanches occur when a load is introduced at times. This technique you will change the snow characteristic.....hahaha..WTF..right..LOL
Yes we are, how?
After an avalanche what happen's to the snow? With in the hour it turn's into hard stuff, almost concrete. That's the trick.
So your stuck in chest deep stuff by your self.
#1-walk/crawl if you have too. To your exit point, like the trail or an old track. When you do this make the path as straight as possible, on the return walk not in your old path but beside it to widen your exit path. In an extreme condition you might have to do this twice. The idea here is not to flatten a path but more to create a large snow disturbance, like the avalanche.
What happens to the snow when you disturb it?
When you disturb the snow your essentially creating friction, this friction will change the snow characteristic and in a short time from being disturb an aeration process takes place and this combination of friction and aeration will cause the snow to harden.
Now you have walked your exit path....this is the most important part, let the snow sit, undisturbed for 20min to 1/2hr so the above process can take place. Remember your stuck, so you can work your guts out pulling, digging and so on or have patience.
In the mean time if you were smart and did not dig(spin) the sled to China, get the sled ready by turning it over one way then the other to build a foundation for the track to sit on. Getting snow out from the front and having it sitting as straight as possible is alway best.
One thing you learn quickly riding certain condition way in the back, is to know when to stop before digging 6ft in.
Now time to get out
In most cases, i'll move the sled about a sled length forward, pack in a launching pad then back up onto it, climb on and give her fallowing the exit path.
But in extreme condition's it might not be a viable solution.
So you walk the sled out.
Standing by the handle bars on the right side of the sled using your right hand to control the throttle, use your left hand to grip the running boards. I love the new boards with the rear step up for this as i use it as a handle to pull with.
Apply throttle NOT to spin but only to move the sled forward while your pulling on the running board in one motion. It does take a bit of practice or feel for it.
At times once i know the sled will move forward because its trying too i will blurp the throttle hard enough for it to launch forward and as i do this i let it go on its own. Its generally 100% success rate when blurping the throttle if you need to get it out of a small hole, the sled will just pop out and sit on the exit trail you walked.
Once your out of the hole you generally can easily continue to walk the sled in the exit trail. But in most cases if you create your self a launching pad you can get going again.
Remember, all along the exit trail you made is hardening even more.
If your a skeptic, please try it one day and report back.
I ride on occasion with a small 3 man crew and if you get stuck, don't expect anyone to rescue you. You need to be able to handle your self. Don't get this wrong, no one is left behind and there are certain techniques we use all day long such as the one mentioned earlier and this is another.
PS..sorry for such a long post, i hope it makes sense as i was not sure how to put this in words, never had to before LOL
It doesn't matter if the snow is bottom less or 2ft deep or nipple deep, this technique works every time and a must know if you venture beyond the reach of your buddies, it also can be done in multiple different way's.
The first thing to know is about snow. Snow has certain characteristic that you can use to your advantage to help you and that is what you will be doing, creating an advantage.
How?
In fresh snow fall condition the snow ability to support is very poor, thus how avalanches occur when a load is introduced at times. This technique you will change the snow characteristic.....hahaha..WTF..right..LOL
Yes we are, how?
After an avalanche what happen's to the snow? With in the hour it turn's into hard stuff, almost concrete. That's the trick.
So your stuck in chest deep stuff by your self.
#1-walk/crawl if you have too. To your exit point, like the trail or an old track. When you do this make the path as straight as possible, on the return walk not in your old path but beside it to widen your exit path. In an extreme condition you might have to do this twice. The idea here is not to flatten a path but more to create a large snow disturbance, like the avalanche.
What happens to the snow when you disturb it?
When you disturb the snow your essentially creating friction, this friction will change the snow characteristic and in a short time from being disturb an aeration process takes place and this combination of friction and aeration will cause the snow to harden.
Now you have walked your exit path....this is the most important part, let the snow sit, undisturbed for 20min to 1/2hr so the above process can take place. Remember your stuck, so you can work your guts out pulling, digging and so on or have patience.
In the mean time if you were smart and did not dig(spin) the sled to China, get the sled ready by turning it over one way then the other to build a foundation for the track to sit on. Getting snow out from the front and having it sitting as straight as possible is alway best.
One thing you learn quickly riding certain condition way in the back, is to know when to stop before digging 6ft in.
Now time to get out
In most cases, i'll move the sled about a sled length forward, pack in a launching pad then back up onto it, climb on and give her fallowing the exit path.
But in extreme condition's it might not be a viable solution.
So you walk the sled out.
Standing by the handle bars on the right side of the sled using your right hand to control the throttle, use your left hand to grip the running boards. I love the new boards with the rear step up for this as i use it as a handle to pull with.
Apply throttle NOT to spin but only to move the sled forward while your pulling on the running board in one motion. It does take a bit of practice or feel for it.
At times once i know the sled will move forward because its trying too i will blurp the throttle hard enough for it to launch forward and as i do this i let it go on its own. Its generally 100% success rate when blurping the throttle if you need to get it out of a small hole, the sled will just pop out and sit on the exit trail you walked.
Once your out of the hole you generally can easily continue to walk the sled in the exit trail. But in most cases if you create your self a launching pad you can get going again.
Remember, all along the exit trail you made is hardening even more.
If your a skeptic, please try it one day and report back.
I ride on occasion with a small 3 man crew and if you get stuck, don't expect anyone to rescue you. You need to be able to handle your self. Don't get this wrong, no one is left behind and there are certain techniques we use all day long such as the one mentioned earlier and this is another.
PS..sorry for such a long post, i hope it makes sense as i was not sure how to put this in words, never had to before LOL
Last edited:
Lund
Active VIP Member
To say how well this work's, i use to ride with Crazy Canadian Dan Davidoff and there was an area we like to go because no one else would go or even attempt because it looked impossible. It was near Nelson and we called it the "toilet bowl".
The snow was alway's chest deep and never tracked as you needed to drop into it.
So imaging sitting on the rim of a toilet looking down into the bowl. That is how it was. We would spend about 45min digging out a notch through the cornice (rim of toilet).
Then we would drop one sled at a time into the bowl, the trick was each sled would ride down beside the other sleds track, this would widen out exit. We would play for 2-3hours in the bowl and have a blast BUT never touch the exit track. That was a rule.
By the end of our fun time that exit track was hard and an easy pull back out of the bowl.
BTW, it was a 200hp hill to pull out of the bowl, so a big toilet LOL.
The snow was alway's chest deep and never tracked as you needed to drop into it.
So imaging sitting on the rim of a toilet looking down into the bowl. That is how it was. We would spend about 45min digging out a notch through the cornice (rim of toilet).
Then we would drop one sled at a time into the bowl, the trick was each sled would ride down beside the other sleds track, this would widen out exit. We would play for 2-3hours in the bowl and have a blast BUT never touch the exit track. That was a rule.
By the end of our fun time that exit track was hard and an easy pull back out of the bowl.
BTW, it was a 200hp hill to pull out of the bowl, so a big toilet LOL.
tmo1620
Active VIP Member
This is exactly how I got us out of our predicament in the trees at Chappell last week, on the day this 850 was left. I never knew it had a name but more so just knew what to do based on common sense and understanding snows characteristics. Now I have learned the name and I will pass it on
pipes
Active VIP Member
very good post Lund. And to anyone who calls BS on this, try it. It does work I have done this on several occasions.
TARRANT
Active member
Great post 
Lund. Thank you for taking the time to write it out
Lund. Thank you for taking the time to write it out
FernieHawk
Active VIP Member
We used that technique lots when we were learning on the 136”” tracks.
Used to bring snow shoes on our exploration trips. Use the snowshoes to pack a track, let it set up and then ride her out.
Used to bring snow shoes on our exploration trips. Use the snowshoes to pack a track, let it set up and then ride her out.
Lund
Active VIP Member
Yes and it still works today with our 165 and 174 just the same.
FernieHawk
Active VIP Member
For sure...used it a couple of times last weekend north of Revy. Waist deep...stuck 3 times within 100 feet after getting off line in the trees.
When we first started riding in the mountains in the 1991 we were taught this technique. Back in the day the they didn’t groom past the cabin at Boulder so three of us would walk our phaser up from cabin to the alpine. 2 guys would walk a path up 100’ then walk back, grab a ski and get the sled up to where we walked out. Repeat,repeat,repeat. Would take 4-5 hrs sometimes. Guys don’t know how good they have it nowadays. Back then they didn’t groom every day , my dad when he got into town would give the groomer $100 to go up to pay for fuel and they were excited. Nowadays there’s 6000 riders in a month at $20 each.
52weekbreak
Active VIP Member
Well if this is morphing into the old f*ckers reminiscing thread, our first encounter with deep powder was going out with my father to bid a pipeline job in the Swan Hills area in 1972. We had a Nordic 399 and with the 18 inch wide by (I am guessing) 121 inch track it floated across that snow like a submarine in a crash dive. Luckily we also had an Alpine 640 and we broke trail by blasting ahead as fast as we could go then backing down the track and hitting it again. One of my fondest memories for a pile of reasons
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