Going to the mountains for the first time!

[sledneck_03]

Wellllllll im finally going to do it, im going to the mountains in Feb with a very experienced group of riders that have gone for years.

What do i need to add to my list?

-couple pairs of goggles
-couple sets of base wear stuff
-borrowing avy pack,shovel, and beacon
-have tunnel bag but need fuel can
-lighter weights
-put on flyscreen windsheild and remove hand guards incase i roll it
-going to read threw the online avy class posted on here a couple times


i dont know where we are going yet i guess i should ask. im sure they have the "incase" stuff if stranded but with a group of 8 should be ok.

any other must haves im missing??? other than the obvious like sled, gear and money.

 

[Summit X]

be careful not to count on your riding buddies for too much, cause if the worst case happens and all a sudden they are aren't around, YOU need to be prepared.

 

[SKIROULE]

If you have the extra money, get a Spot. It could save your life and will also ease the minds of the people at home as they can see your locaton and progress online. I got one for my first time out and made my Wife feel alot better.:d

 

[storch]

sounds like you will be prepared, Have fun.

 

[Safari Guy]

Be prepaired to sweat alot,,,,,,,,, stuck is what you will do,,,,, perhaps often???? Have lots of water and some grub.

 

[pipes]

Make sure your sled is jetted and clutched for the altitude you will be riding at. Get familiar with your beacon. practice to find a hidden beacon. Do a practice scenario where you stage a bad situation (Avalanche) and go threw the steps so that If and pray that it don't happen you are ready. Most places have a check out and check in list. use it and let them know where you are riding. Most importantly talk with your experienced group and let them know that this is your first time. I have taken a lot of cherries to the mountains and my rule of thumb is the weakest rider in the group sets the pace. Experienced riders tend to loose focus on the lesser riders and forget that they have to be patient and teach the less experienced ones. Do Not and I repeat Do Not ride out of your comfort zone. You may have members in your group telling you " oh come on you can make that". If your gut feeling tells you not to go, go with you gut. Live to ride another day I always say. At the end of your ride call home to your loved ones and let them know that you made it off the hill safely. When I say that, I mean every day that you ride.


The most important thing to remember is to have fun and keep it safe.

 

[kenvb]

have fun and be safe,,I also won a trip to Terracanna ranch for few days with my family.never been to Mountains before, but my son has . so far I cant afford the gas for truck and sleds for 2 days .with one sled and pull double trailer .Hopefully next few months we can go.saving my gas $$$

 

[OnlyPolaris]

i would worry about your hand guards. the snow is so soft that if you roll it nothing is going to happen to them.

 

[Longhorn]

Make sure your sled is jetted and clutched for the altitude you will be riding at. Get familiar with your beacon. practice to find a hidden beacon. Do a practice scenario where you stage a bad situation (Avalanche) and go threw the steps so that If and pray that it don't happen you are ready. Most places have a check out and check in list. use it and let them know where you are riding. Most importantly talk with your experienced group and let them know that this is your first time. I have taken a lot of cherries to the mountains and my rule of thumb is the weakest rider in the group sets the pace. Experienced riders tend to loose focus on the lesser riders and forget that they have to be patient and teach the less experienced ones. Do Not and I repeat Do Not ride out of your comfort zone. You may have members in your group telling you " oh come on you can make that". If your gut feeling tells you not to go, go with you gut. Live to ride another day I always say. At the end of your ride call home to your loved ones and let them know that you made it off the hill safely. When I say that, I mean every day that you ride.


The most important thing to remember is to have fun and keep it safe.

Really great advice...

My buddy that has taken me out since the first ride followed these rules as a guide and I have tried hard to follow the rest as the newb...

He often goes places and does things that I am not comfortable with and that is ok! If it freaks me out, then I watch and try to learn. Each trip has gained me more and more valuable experience, and growing up in SK riding ditches and fields really doesnt seem to help once you hit the mountains...Whole different ball game, but man is it fun!!!

Yep, lots of sweatin, lots of gettin stuck, and you will want everything from a t-shirt to your woolies on the first ride. Now that I have made multiple trips, I know what I want and the luggage is smaller and smaller. Listen to the experienced guys, they know what they are talking about!

 

[powder junkie]

MUFFPOT!!!!!!!!!!! lol. the only thing that smells better than 2 stroke smoke is steaming hot kobasa:d

 

[SavageCanuck]

Don't wear any cotton underwear,ploypro as it wicks away the sweat.Best advice is get off the seat when you mountain ride its all about moving your weight side to side to throw the sled around.Be carefull in the trees if its steep as if you screw up your sled will find it ,they allways do.Have fun and don't ride over your head

 

[maxwell]

add this to your list

- be prepared to never take your machine off the trailer and ride flatland ever again.

 

[DV8ED Digger]

add this to your list

- be prepared to never take your machine off the trailer and ride flatland ever again.

That is soooo true!!! Ever since I rode the mountains I have been spoiled for the flatlands. I still ride wherever and whenever I can but its just not the same anymore. One trip to the mountains and you realize why there are so many fanatics of mountain sledding.

 

[sledneck_03]

found out we are going to blue river....im just not sure on the weights! polaris calls for 66s in my 08 700 for 0-2000 but i need to run 64s to get 8200 rpm with 66s it is 7600 or so......they call for 60s in 6000-8000 but by rule of thumb i would say 58s???? being that im one size smaller already? i have 62s and 66s i need to get rid of, and the 66s only have one ride i should see if i can trade them.

Yah the problem is if you see my "lets see pics with your gear on" topic my gear is damn warm......i dont know what im going to do and i sweat alot specially boondocking.

I feel fairly confident with boondocking and going threw trees and such. Thats mainly how i ride in sask up north boondockign the hilly ditches and sidehilling the highway embankments and such. And im sure ill be fine power wise with my 700 155 a couple guys are running 600 144s and about half the group is older than me and the other half is younger and im currently 23.

 

[blastoff]

if these units are 2008 & RMK go with the factroy weights they are set up for mtns. It will work fine.
OH and riding in the trees vs. on the flatlands is a little diff. for the first time I found out the first time I went to the mtns.

 

[sledneck_03]

it came with 62s? its from the states and was a rental sled.....for wyoming

 

[Modman]

Take lots of water (as stated), leave the beer in the truck. Dehydration sucks.

DON'T do anything you are not comfortable doing, better to be an observer than get yourself in a bad situation

Remember that altitude has less oxygen, you will be tired faster, even if you're in great shape

Make sure someone has a survival kit

Try and borrow a SPOT or sat phone if you don't have one

Everything else that peeps have already stated is all good advice.

Take a camera and lots of pics, memories are always good in July.... pics are better

Weights - hard to say. You might find that it will work great as is, or you might need to change. Maybe take them with you and see how it runs, if you need to bump up it only takes a little while.

Above all else - Have Fun!

 

[storch]

Be careful in blue river as there is not a lot of areas for newbies. I ride in blue all the time and it can be tough going. They tend to get some big dumps of snow and mixed with some tough terrain it can be rough going.
Keep your shovel handy and have fun. always stop pointing down hill.

 

[porkhaaks]

YES BLUE is great.. You are going from Kinder garden riding toooooo University riding !!!!!!! So have full ,, Sno-Bunji man don't forget the Sno-Budji !!!!!!!!!!! They do work we ride with one on almost every sled... I am getting a __________ just thinking of BLUE. We will be there Family Weekend... good Luck , Ride Safe, God Bless ..... EVERY THING ELSE WAS pretty much covered ........................ The pork

 

[Dzl]

Ride within your means. If you're not comfortable going somewhere or doing something, take 5.