Newby to Fernie

07summit

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I'm heading to Fernie shortly after Christmas for a snowboarding and sledding trip. I'm hoping to get there early on the first day before the rest of the guys get there and take my wife on some trails and easy stuff with her 1998 ZR500. She has never rode anywhere but the prairies and I'm hoping to get her into mountain riding so we can go more often so I want to ease her into the mountain scene really really slowly. Where is the best place to go that is easy and safe to ride. I have my avy stuff but she does not, is there anywhere that it is safe for us to go or should I be trying to find a beacon and stuff for her too? As for the $10 trail pass, is that something that I buy at the staging area or in Fernie? Thanks in advance for the help.
 

teddybear26x

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The thing I always suggest to newbie riders is to take the trail all the way to the wranglers cabin(Not the new cabin at the burn). It's a ways out but once your there you have a huge meadow to play in to teach control and manipulation of the sled. Also she will have a place to warm up.
As for trail passes. The girls are normally at the coal creek staging area on the weekends. Otherwise you buy passes at either Ghostrider motorsports or Gearhub. At Gearhub you ran rent your wife a Avy set (beacon, shovel,probe) for I believe $35 for the day.
Hope to see you out there.
 

07summit

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Okay thanks for the advice! I just drove to town and bought a beacon, probe and shovel for the wife... guess her safety is worth more than the money right? Cant wait to get out to Fernie and play in the snow!
 

tater

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Be carful in meadow mentioned above. Some nasty 6-7' deep holes in there still. Buddy was stuck in one Thursday.
 

waynemags

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wifes been out 4 times now. mostly trails. today first time in the deep stuff. got stuck a few times but everyone out there did. take her to a big open area thats not to intimidating and show the basics. let her get the feel of it. dont force her to learn and get comfy. ask me how i know. im the worst for it. if shes not happy up there u sure as hell wont be. after i get my wifes sled set up a little better with risers and such she will be more comfy. take your time and let her do her thing. have fun. where you from in ab
 

07summit

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We're near Brooks. Sounds like you are in about the same position as me, I wanted to get her something bigger or, at least newer than the stock 98 ZR500 she's riding now but she was having nothing to do with that because everything newer is a bigger size and that scares her. I'm still fairly new to mountain riding too so hopefully she will get out there and see its fun and there are lots of girls doing it too. If all goes well it will be like biking, first she just road around on the back of my Harley, then eventually she road an old 750 of mine around a parking lot with her sister a few times and a little while later I came home to the awesome surprise of "hey go get your trailer I think i just bought a bike". I find the sledding community is a lot like the bike community lots of people have crazy stereotypes but once they get out there they find out its a lot of fun and most people are more than happy to help you anyway possible to enjoy the sport too. Hopefully she gets that feeling too in good time of course!
 

OOC ZigZag

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The thing I always suggest to newbie riders is to take the trail all the way to the wranglers cabin(Not the new cabin at the burn). It's a ways out but once your there you have a huge meadow to play in to teach control and manipulation of the sled. Also she will have a place to warm up.
As for trail passes. The girls are normally at the coal creek staging area on the weekends. Otherwise you buy passes at either Ghostrider motorsports or Gearhub. At Gearhub you ran rent your wife a Avy set (beacon, shovel,probe) for I believe $35 for the day.
Hope to see you out there.

Key to remember is the creek in that meadow it is 12 feet deep in spots and has been known to swallow a sled or 2 over a season. Play safe.
 
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