Conditions for April

[slednek]

Looking to come up for the 5th. Just wondering how the trails are holding up at the lower elevations and if they may still be grooming. I'm guessing it is pretty tracked up after this last weekend.

 

[Depsnolvr]

Trails are in the best condition of the year, with the colder nightime temps allowing the trail to set up.

Last season we groomed until april 15 and shooting for at least that this year

Still grooming directly from all three parking lots

It is like spring riding out there, but there is lots of fresh to be had if your clever and get off the beaten path

PLEASE be careful out there with all this sun warming, yesterday on patrol,30% of people we checked for beacons were not wearing one and many of these people were in Cleminas Avalanche Alley climbing slopes I would not hit on the best of days! I was utterly amazed. Brand new sleds and no beacons, some folks even tried to lie until I turned mine on to check if theirs were working

Any questions phone the VARDA office at:
250-566-4817 wed-fri(unless fri is a pow day)

 

[SLEDBUNNYRACING]

I'm shocked that the number was so high...do these people not see the news and hear the reports. With a death last week in Blue River you would think some people would want to address owning Peeps

Trails are in the best condition of the year, with the colder nightime temps allowing the trail to set up.

Last season we groomed until april 15 and shooting for at least that this year

Still grooming directly from all three parking lots

It is like spring riding out there, but there is lots of fresh to be had if your clever and get off the beaten path

PLEASE be careful out there with all this sun warming, yesterday on patrol,30% of people we checked for beacons were not wearing one and many of these people were in Cleminas Avalanche Alley climbing slopes I would not hit on the best of days! I was utterly amazed. Brand new sleds and no beacons, some folks even tried to lie until I turned mine on to check if theirs were working

Any questions phone the VARDA office at:
250-566-4817 wed-fri(unless fri is a pow day)

 

[bbtoys]

Hey Curtis. I did that one day at Lucille and was told to mind my own business. I explained that I was part of SAR and just wanted them to know that even in Lucille a slab could slide. They didn't seem to care, BAD ADDITUDE WILL GET YOU KILLED, SO WILL STUPIDITY.

 

[SLEDBUNNYRACING]

Your Oh So Right....

Hey Curtis. I did that one day at Lucille and was told to mind my own business. I explained that I was part of SAR and just wanted them to know that even in Lucille a slab could slide. They didn't seem to care, BAD ADDITUDE WILL GET YOU KILLED, SO WILL STUPIDITY.

 

[Billy Boy]

Was up at Quartz doing the Avalanche field day this winter and it was interesting the amount of sledders that were not wearing a beacon or their beacon was not working. We had our beacon on receive when sledders went by and there was quite a few that were not transponding. If those sledders got caught in a slide it would not be a rescue operation more than likely it would be a recovery!!!!


Billy Boy

 

[slednek]

I can't believe how many don't wear them. I can admit the first year of riding I never did, until we rode with a couple of guys nice enough to show us around. Sat there thinking afterwards, what if we would have been buried. These guys would have done their best to find us but guess what.
I can't count how many times we would go through the avy area at allen and see 10 - 20 sledders climbing there.

 

[CdnWrangler]

Totally amazing how many people with supposed intelligence don't wear them and or down know how they work..... I think they treat the beacons as security blankets.... more than a life saving device!

They are definite candidates for the next Darwin Awards… hands down!

Was up at Quartz doing the Avalanche field day this winter and it was interesting the amount of sledders that were not wearing a beacon or their beacon was not working. We had our beacon on receive when sledders went by and there was quite a few that were not transponding. If those sledders got caught in a slide it would not be a rescue operation more than likely it would be a recovery!!!!


Billy Boy

 

[chadwik74]

I actually never heard of them until this year. Like I said in a earlier post, I've been away from sleddin' 10+ yrs and they probably weren't around back then, or only for the rich. Both time's I went this year I rented them and actually placed a bid for one on ebay last week (lost). I will definetly be buying one before next season.

Not to hijack the thread but is there any good local shop's in Edmonton or Calgary that sells them for a decent price? The one's we rented were SOS and that's the same one I was trying to bid on...any input on brands/pricing?

 

[deep blue]

I have used a few different ones. I use a Barryvox since it is both Analog and Digital.

However the easiest one I have used by far is the DTS Tracker. I bought one for my girlfriend, and for friends to use that are new to the mtns. Dead simple.

The best transceiver is the one you are most comfortable using.

As far as shops in Edmonton, Mountain Equipment Coop always seems to have a good selection.

Also Totem Sports sells transceivers as well.

Hope this helps.

 

[Showtime]

I didn't realize how many people don't wear peeps til' reading this post. I've been mountain riding for about 14 years now and not once have i been without the avy gear. I even bought a second one for the the friends that don't have one but like to come to the hills the odd time. My cousin bought 2 avy air bags and i started to wear the extra one he bought and it definately gave me another sense of comfort having that on my back. We're going to Mc Bride this week-end and i simply told him if the extra avy bag wasn't available i wasn't going just due to the avy conditions right now. I will be buying one next year but there so hard to get, Martin's sold out right after the sled show.

On the flip side i'm sure we all can agree that we've ridin' somewhere with all the proper gear where we should not have.

WEAR YOUR GEAR PEOPLE!!!!!!!!