How To Snowmobile in The Mountains
Snowmobile riding in the mountains is much different from trail riding. For all its thrills, which include exploring towering mountain peaks, ridges, and subalpine lakes, backcountry riding presents various challenges. You need a dedicated mountain snowmobile for mountain riding and must maintain the sled in peak riding conditions. Gear, precaution, and safety tips are also crucial to preventing and surviving accidents. Here’s an overview of how to snowmobile in the mountains of Canada, covering riding techniques, sled maintenance, safety gear, and more:
Maintaining Your Mountain Snowmobile
The first aspect of backcountry riding is the mountain sled. Mountain snowmobiles are lightweight, with long tracks and deep lugs for better traction and flotation. They feature a narrow ski stance so you can easily maneuver off-trail terrain. Taller handlebar settings also offer a more active riding style involving standing and shifting from one running board to another. While choosing the right sled is essential, maintaining it is even more crucial to your safety. You should conduct pre-season and mid-season checks to ensure your RMK machine is in the best working condition. Check the sled for rust and inspect every part thoroughly during the seasonal maintenance. You should also inspect the sled before every snowmobiling adventure.
Backcountry Snowmobile Riding Techniques
Riding mountain snowmobiles requires the ability to sidehill, anticipate terrain, and adjust your weight for balance. Learning techniques like counter-steering and using brake and throttle control to free your stuck sled are all part of the journey to snowmobiling mastery. Beginners should consider riding clinics to get used to riding a deep snow sledder. Advanced riding clinics for experienced riders also offer insight into next-level riding techniques exhibited by legends like Chris Burandt. Here are three backcountry snowmobiling riding tips to keep in mind when exploring the deep powder of the west:
· Start in a safe, open, flat area if you're riding for the first time in mountainous terrain.
· Adjust your riding style based on snow conditions, considering you may start on sunny, hard-packed snow and end in deep powder.
· The rail sliders and track can overheat before the engine temperatures indicate the need for cooling, so don’t rely on engine temperature to deploy rail scratchers.
Backcountry Snowmobiling Safety Gear and Tips
Every mountain rider needs protective gear to explore the backcountry side hills safely. The right Klim apparel can protect you from hypothermia, while beacons and probes are basic avalanche safety requirements. Always ride with a probe, beacon, a shovel, and a transceiver. Watch out for avalanche terrain by observing slopes with bent-over or snapped-off trees and large cornices at hilltops. Learn safety procedures like how to deploy the airbag and how to get your sled unstuck using ski-pull, sled-roll, counter steering, and sidehill methods. If you’re new, use riding clinics to learn beginner riding safety and techniques. Riding clinics offer various skill levels to help you become a better rider. You’ll also learn how to prepare for an avalanche, find missing people in case of an incident and build fires. All these are essential to getting back home safely.
Get Your Equipment Today!
Equipment is everything when looking to make the most of the snowmobiling season this winter. Why wait for next year when you can get in on the action with high-quality Polaris and Ski-doo machines? FFun Motorsports Central of Kenora, Portage, and Winnipeg locations has you covered. Find out more about how to get the best RMK snowmobiles in British Columbia, CA and follow the above tips to remain safe in your explorations.