Don't be this guy

[Bnorth]

I guess you have to get off the beaten track of Revy, Vale etc. to see it though. My bad! I'll just STF up!

It's a valid point the big places are full of brand new sleds, trucks, and trailers. You don't see the average BC snowmobiler until you get to the local areas. There are still plenty of riders with trailing arms and SOS beacons.

 

[neilsleder]

Just be like me and down load the avalanche beacon app for your iPhone!

 

[thegeneral]

Ive been updating my beacons over the last several years. Yes its expensive but if my wife or son get buried, I want every second to count.
as far as not wearing a beacon at all, if you cant help save me i'm not going to ride with you.
Also why does it always come down to how much money some people have? and why do we assume that because someone has the newest gear that they don't know how to use it. The white Oakley's don't kill brain cells as far as I know.

 

[powderhoundbrr]

We have a pile of those in a cabinet downstairs, I want to throw them out as a public service. The riskiest part is they don't even operate on the same frequency.

That is false, many of the very old Pieps did and many ran on dual. But I guarantee that this one works on the same freq.

 

[sledhead9825]

Sounds to me your trying to sell something. When i was born it was still another 25yrs before the first beacons were in use. WTH, i am still here and an avy didnt get me.
Better an early beacon then NO beacon IMO and still a majority don't wear them, plus not everyone has so much money that they can upgrade everytime something newer and better is out.
I supose you poke fun at those riding early sleds too and whats wrong with the Elan 250?
The majority of places your riding today were discovered and first found by people riding them Elans.

Are you serious ?????
This thread is great. I have a old SOS beacon I bought new. The cost of a new digital beacon $265.00 including tax delivered, is less than I payed 15 years ago. Not only will I be purchasing a new digital unit but contacting my riding crew and letting them know that a new digital beacon is now mandatory. This may sound harsh but for myself and my crew safety is first and foremost. Thanks RGM for bringing this to my attention I had not givin my peep a second thought till this thread. IMO you buy this before you buy gas to go sledding.

 

[Lund]

I don't know where the hell you're riding, but around here LOTS of people have the cost of a days riding.....and that's about it. They can upgrade their stuff, or they can ride...but not afford to to both. My truck's probably one of the newest at 2001. I've got reasonably new sleds because I can afford it, but there's lots of what you'd consider "old" iron running around because that's what they can afford.

I absolutely agree the 457 mhz beacons have to go, but beyond that ....get off your high horse. At least they have them! Lots of people AROUND HERE still don't.

By the way....my cell phone doesn't take pictures either, but it still makes phone calls!

I wouldn't ever wear an analog beacon personally.....I can afford better. I'll be perfectly happy with my TWO antenna digital for a while yet though. All I'm saying is we shouldn't be trashing those that can't afford better....but are at least doing what they can. Sooooo many that CAN afford it spend their money on big lifted trucks and ear bleeding stereos instead. Those are the ones that pizz me off!

I guess you have to get off the beaten track of Revy, Vale etc. to see it though. My bad! I'll just STF up!

Thats exactly my point, i've been guiding for over 10yrs and seen it all. Because you have the newest it far from makin you a good backcountry rider.
Quite the opposite in my experience in most many cases.
Putting down or looking down on others cause they ride older sleds and own older out dated equiptment is getting old and is BS.
Reality is there is another world out there from Revy, Golden, Sicamous, Valmount ect. ect. where all the groupies hang out with there fancy rigs and new toys.
There are alot more of them then you think and most don't have that big paying job to run new chit every yr.

Funny how Moyiesledhead gets my point, cause he lives there....like i do.
BTW, my head is not so swollen. I would have no problem guiding or just riding with someone that wore an older transciever. As long as they wore it and knew how to use it.

 

[moyiesledhead]

Funny how Moyiesledhead gets my point, cause he lives there....like i do.
BTW, my head is not so swollen. I would have no problem guiding or just riding with someone that wore an older transciever. As long as they wore it and knew how to use it.

I have no problem even riding with people that don't have avy gear. I just adjust where we ride accordingly. I can be at 6500 ft on a mountain top in 20 minutes with one of the most awesome views you'll ever see, and zero avi risk.

 

[Shadam]

I run an 8 year old sled, 15 year old truck, but my beacon and my buddies beacon is very important and I have forced everyone to upgrade. but wotz the point when guys have never practised?

so I know a guy that has been riding golden all his life, he has grey hair and obviously was riding sleds in the mtns before anyone had heard of beacons. he still doesn't wear one and is still alive. and thats his excuse ...

I choose not to ride with him coz he is a loose canon to say the least ...

have a think about how much time we spend on sledding, wrenching, buying stuff, talking about it, online about it, driving there, sledding. how much time do you spend practising beacon searches? just do it in your backyard with your buddies and a beer in your hand, make a game of it, you'll all learn heaps. when buddies dieing is not the best time to learn wot you dont know ...

 

[Lund]

I have no problem even riding with people that don't have avy gear. I just adjust where we ride accordingly. I can be at 6500 ft on a mountain top in 20 minutes with one of the most awesome views you'll ever see, and zero avi risk.

I have also and like you said, i adjust the ride to accommodate the rider. I'ed rather do that then ride in areas with the possibility of being caught in an avy with inexperienced riders. Even if they have avy gear it means nothing if they lack the knowledge of how to.

 

[rmscustom]

If someone shows up with a out of date beacon I like to take mine off and offer to switch for the day, When asked why I say when your looking for me and I have minutes to live I want you to have the fastest easiest beacon to use...

 

[pipes]

Old beacon, new beacon. Avi Pack. probe and shovel. All pieces of equipment used in the event of an avalanche burial. Lets stop all the bickering about which is the better and get into the practice of educating ourselves to avoid such a situation. The best offense is a good defense, the a fore mentioned equipment is all the equipment used after the fact. We are all born with equipment to avoid the fact. Not all of us ( me included ) are as well educated about the matter as others and that should be the matter of discussion.

 

[Redbaronjg]

Sounds to me your trying to sell something. When i was born it was still another 25yrs before the first beacons were in use. WTH, i am still here and an avy didnt get me.
Better an early beacon then NO beacon IMO and still a majority don't wear them, plus not everyone has so much money that they can upgrade everytime something newer and better is out.
I supose you poke fun at those riding early sleds too and whats wrong with the Elan 250?
The majority of places your riding today were discovered and first found by people riding them Elans.

I'm going to point out a few errors in this statement. First off, a majority of places we ride today were in fact not discovered with elans. It is a well known, and even preached fact, that with advances in sled technology we are getting higher and higher and exploring much more of the backcountry that people were never able to access before. Which brings around my next point, while its a good thing you made it so long without avy equipment, the terrain and conditions that today's snowmobiles are able to put us in demand proper avy equipment, I don't car if your riding a zx chassis or an xm, your in the danger zone. We also have more knowledge about avalanche conditions now, which means we also realize now how real the possibility of a slide really is. I think your statement about the majority not wearing beacons is incorrect, at least in the bc riding areas where I frequent. I thinkost people do wear them, I think a more accurate statement is most people are NOT TRAINED on them. Finally, no matter what sled you ride, new or old, we are playing a different game now, and it is important that people keep up to date on proper avy equipment, and just as important, avy training. If you can not afford to do these simple things you probably really can't afford to go snowmobiling. In that case do us all a favor and take up knitting, because untrained and unequipped riders in the hills puts everyone at risk.

 

[Redbaronjg]

I don't know where the hell you're riding, but around here LOTS of people have the cost of a days riding.....and that's about it. They can upgrade their stuff, or they can ride...but not afford to to both. My truck's probably one of the newest at 2001. I've got reasonably new sleds because I can afford it, but there's lots of what you'd consider "old" iron running around because that's what they can afford.

I absolutely agree the 457 mhz beacons have to go, but beyond that ....get off your high horse. At least they have them! Lots of people AROUND HERE still don't.

By the way....my cell phone doesn't take pictures either, but it still makes phone calls!

If they can only afford one or the other, take a day off from riding. It's just ignorant to use that as an excuse. Does that mean they can't afford training too? What happens when you get caught in a slide but everyone in your group has old equipment and limited knowledge? Will they get to you in time? I'm just saying, the cost of the safety equipment is not that much, or buy some used stuff. There is no excuse good enough to be irresponsible in the backcountry. I agree you don't need the newest and the best, but I don't think it's unreasonable to say everyone should be using digital 3 antennas by now

 

[Redbaronjg]

I have no problem even riding with people that don't have avy gear. I just adjust where we ride accordingly. I can be at 6500 ft on a mountain top in 20 minutes with one of the most awesome views you'll ever see, and zero avi risk.

I'm curious to see some pictures of this area you say carries no avi risk... Are you telling us this area has no hillclimbs or faces at all?

 

[moyiesledhead]

I'm going to point out a few errors in this statement. First off, a majority of places we ride today were in fact not discovered with elans.

Here we go again assuming the major sled destinations are the center of the universe. Around here we ride very few places we didn't discover with "Elans" in the 70's. We do get there easier and a lot more often though.

If they can only afford one or the other, take a day off from riding.

Fortunately we live in a democracy that doesn't allow people like you to decide their, or my priorities. And.....I don't know what you spend, but the cost of one days riding around here is not gonna buy a beacon.

I'm curious to see some pictures of this area you say carries no avi risk... Are you telling us this area has no hillclimbs or faces at all?

With your holier than thou attitude.....I don't want you anywhere near where I ride. How about you look after your safety and I'll look after mine, and we both keep our yaps out of other peoples recreation!

Pipes is absolutely correct in his post above......and I'm done here!

 

[RGM]

If someone shows up with a out of date beacon I like to take mine off and offer to switch for the day, When asked why I say when your looking for me and I have minutes to live I want you to have the fastest easiest beacon to use...

Unlike some safety equipment the probe, shovel and beacon is for your riding buddies and other fellow sledders. If you're riding buddies are OK with you using obsolete gear that's up to them. Maybe we can hear from Lund's and Moyiesledhead riding buddies what they think about it.

 

[pano-dude]

I'm curious to see some pictures of this area you say carries no avi risk... Are you telling us this area has no hillclimbs or faces at all?

you're on a roll....

there are safe slopes out there, slopes less than 25 degrees very rarely slide if at all.

When you live in the mountains, ride as much and as long as guys like moyie do, you see what the weather is like daily and you have a greater knowledge of what you are riding on than someone who is out on weekends.

By using the tool some of have between our ears we do ok without the latest and greatest money can buy.

My main riding buddy who was a guide still uses an sos anolog beacon and can locate our practice beacon as fast as anyone I have seen. you know why..... cause he has practiced daily with it for years.

 

[Lund]

Unlike some safety equipment the probe, shovel and beacon is for your riding buddies and other fellow sledders. If you're riding buddies are OK with you using obsolete gear that's up to them. Maybe we can hear from Lund's and Moyiesledhead riding buddies what they think about it.

Hahaha...i'm assuming that your assuming about that......hehehe

 

[Free Rider]

Fortunatly the mountains are big enough for all of us and people that don't want to ride with others that don't have the latest and greatest equipment don't have to. I will ride with anyone out there and as mentioned by a couple people already, you just need to make adjustments to where you ride. It's not against the law to ride without a beacon so stop preaching. I'm betting there is alot of people that preach about beacons but then overload their trucks and speed to the mountains with their mud tires on snow covered roads and put everyones lives at risk.

 

[thegeneral]

That kinda sounds like an assumption as well

Fortunatly the mountains are big enough for all of us and people that don't want to ride with others that don't have the latest and greatest equipment don't have to. I will ride with anyone out there and as mentioned by a couple people already, you just need to make adjustments to where you ride. It's not against the law to ride without a beacon so stop preaching. I'm betting there is alot of people that preach about beacons but then overload their trucks and speed to the mountains with their mud tires on snow covered roads and put everyones lives at risk.