ski-doo should change there name on the

[raceu4it]

mountain sleds. cause the highmark name isn't helping us in the media world. they could still use freestyle, maybe boondocker model, or explore, treenoodler, but not highmark. cat is kinda marginal with there hillclimber model. just my observation.

 

[Orrin]

mountain sleds. cause the highmark name isn't helping us in the media world. they could still use freestyle, maybe boondocker model, or explore, treenoodler, but not highmark. cat is kinda marginal with there hillclimber model. just my observation.

I disagree, there's nothing wrong with highmarking in the least I just wish people would pick better times and conditions to do it and not get hurt or killed. The media as far as I'm concerned can go pound sand, people who make money of the misfortunes of others are worse than leech slime in my books and most , not all, but most reporters fall into that catagory.

 

[jhsummit]

I disagree with this. It's not the name of the snowmobiles that give snowmobilers problems in the media. It's people that don't represent the sport well, and ignorant conservation groups with to much time and money on their hands.

 

[Murminator]

How come no has came out with a "Ditch Banger" name?.....just sayin

 

[Keeperswilly]

It's the people not respecting the riding area's, and the conditions. Driving big jacked up diesel trucks smoking people out on the roads, and shooting rocks. Cutting people off on the roads. The loud machines, and the attitudes of this small percentage of retards that are involved in our sport. And it's always this small percentage that gets portrayed in the media, and noticed by the public. They'll never recognize or notice the hundreds of other sledders that take part in mountain riding every year. Because their being responsible and when has being responsible ever been good news. It's just like every long weekend, all the drunk driver's caught, and accidents that happened are reported on. They don't talk about the hundreds of thousands of other people on the road that weekend that all had safe trips.

I drive a lifted diesel truck with a sled deck, and I try to be a courteous, defensive driver. As I know how sledders are in the public eye. I like to think of myself as a responsible, and careful rider. We always stay off the big slopes when the condtitions aren't good. And to date, thank god, never been involved in an avalanche where anyone was injured or burried. Anyway, while in Golden last weekend we stopped to get coffee's in the morning before heading out. Before heading throught the door, I noticed an older guy, probably in his late 70's or so, coming behind me. So, being the type of guy I am and how I was raised, I waited for him and held the door. And what I got was not a thankyou or a nod, it was a "Yep, you better head out there, head out there and die....with this rain, your gonna die up there....go ahead head up there you idiots....." I was in awe at what I just heard, speechless infact. I didn't even know what to say to the guy. And I didn't say anything. It caught me really off gaurd. No point trying to defend myself to the guy with a long winded speech on how I ride responsibly in the backcountry.

If that doesn't show you how negatively the public is viewing snowmobilers, I don't know what does. The only thing I can say is think about what your doing out there people. On the roads, in the restaurants and hotels. And most importantly in the backcountry. Because people ARE watching!!

 

[DRD]

It's the sheer number of fugtards that participate in this sport that gives it a bad name.

 

[BrownEyes420]

Everybody makes their own choices sledding, skiing, hiking, whatever. The media will always be the same, they need someone to blame or it's not BIG NEWS!

 

[jhsummit]

It's the people not respecting the riding area's, and the conditions. Driving big jacked up diesel trucks smoking people out on the roads, and shooting rocks. Cutting people off on the roads. The loud machines, and the attitudes of this small percentage of retards that are involved in our sport. And it's always this small percentage that gets portrayed in the media, and noticed by the public. They'll never recognize or notice the hundreds of other sledders that take part in mountain riding every year. Because their being responsible and when has being responsible ever been good news. It's just like every long weekend, all the drunk driver's caught, and accidents that happened are reported on. They don't talk about the hundreds of thousands of other people on the road that weekend that all had safe trips.

I drive a lifted diesel truck with a sled deck, and I try to be a courteous, defensive driver. As I know how sledders are in the public eye. I like to think of myself as a responsible, and careful rider. We always stay off the big slopes when the condtitions aren't good. And to date, thank god, never been involved in an avalanche where anyone was injured or burried. Anyway, while in Golden last weekend we stopped to get coffee's in the morning before heading out. Before heading throught the door, I noticed an older guy, probably in his late 70's or so, coming behind me. So, being the type of guy I am and how I was raised, I waited for him and held the door. And what I got was not a thankyou or a nod, it was a "Yep, you better head out there, head out there and die....with this rain, your gonna die up there....go ahead head up there you idiots....." I was in awe at what I just heard, speechless infact. I didn't even know what to say to the guy. And I didn't say anything. It caught me really off gaurd. No point trying to defend myself to the guy with a long winded speech on how I ride responsibly in the backcountry.

If that doesn't show you how negatively the public is viewing snowmobilers, I don't know what does. The only thing I can say is think about what your doing out there people. On the roads, in the restaurants and hotels. And most importantly in the backcountry. Because people ARE watching!!

Wow. Don't worry about the old guy. Sometimes you do everything right and still get shat on because of peoples perception of riders. We need more guys like you doing the right thing and enjoying the sport responsibly to change that perception. You're so right about being responsible in public as well. On the roads, in restaurants and the pub. People take notice to how riders act ALL the time because of that misconception that we are all ruthless A-holes. Don't hold it against the old guy, he's just set in his ways whether he's right or wrong. He's 70, he's entitled to his opinion whether he know's what he's talking about or not.

 

[barleyfarmer]

The media is always going to crap on the sledders!If only one sledder died in that slide they still would have made more of a story about it than the skier hitting his head and dying!To me that is more of a story because he was wearing a helmet on a ski hill with ski patrol and tons of people around!But they insist on making sledders out to be a bunch of hair back and screaming ass......!Not looking at the number of sledders heading out in the back country and not getting hurt!They just focus on the few that get hurt!But I guess skiers are more socially acceptable.The tree huggers that use the excuse that sledders are ruining the environment never sat down and looked at a map and realize how much pristene mountain environment is destroyed by building ski hills and ski runs!!Go to sledding area in the summer and its hard to see any evidence of sleds being there,the odd broken tree and some garbage that wasn't taken out!!!But the media will always make sledders out to be wreckless and have no class so all the sledders should act a little more courteous when they're out we'll all gain!!

 

[Vertical-Extreme]

I think Dusty is onto something. What is the one single word EVERYONE knows about sledding now ?? HIGHMARKING. Because of the media that is all anyone ever hears, and when it is in the media the words avalanche and death are usually right behind it.
I have had people that would not even know how to start a sled ask me I was one of those "highmarkers". Never started out a bad wor but the media sure did a good job of turning it into one

 

[sweld]

Actually the article in the Edmonton sun wasn't that bad. Didn't lay blame. Or call them highmarkers, actually called it a freak accident and praised the rescuers.

 

[muffin]

It's the people not respecting the riding area's, and the conditions. Driving big jacked up diesel trucks smoking people out on the roads, and shooting rocks. Cutting people off on the roads. The loud machines, and the attitudes of this small percentage of retards that are involved in our sport. And it's always this small percentage that gets portrayed in the media, and noticed by the public. They'll never recognize or notice the hundreds of other sledders that take part in mountain riding every year. Because their being responsible and when has being responsible ever been good news. It's just like every long weekend, all the drunk driver's caught, and accidents that happened are reported on. They don't talk about the hundreds of thousands of other people on the road that weekend that all had safe trips.

I drive a lifted diesel truck with a sled deck, and I try to be a courteous, defensive driver. As I know how sledders are in the public eye. I like to think of myself as a responsible, and careful rider. We always stay off the big slopes when the condtitions aren't good. And to date, thank god, never been involved in an avalanche where anyone was injured or burried. Anyway, while in Golden last weekend we stopped to get coffee's in the morning before heading out. Before heading throught the door, I noticed an older guy, probably in his late 70's or so, coming behind me. So, being the type of guy I am and how I was raised, I waited for him and held the door. And what I got was not a thankyou or a nod, it was a "Yep, you better head out there, head out there and die....with this rain, your gonna die up there....go ahead head up there you idiots....." I was in awe at what I just heard, speechless infact. I didn't even know what to say to the guy. And I didn't say anything. It caught me really off gaurd. No point trying to defend myself to the guy with a long winded speech on how I ride responsibly in the backcountry.

If that doesn't show you how negatively the public is viewing snowmobilers, I don't know what does. The only thing I can say is think about what your doing out there people. On the roads, in the restaurants and hotels. And most importantly in the backcountry. Because people ARE watching!!

being Notoriuos is no where as good as Famous lets be nice out there

 

[raceu4it]

vertical, i know what you mean, and this was just a conversation starter as i have non sledding clients ask me if i'm one of those highmarkers, and i politely say no just a sledder that rides on top of the mountains.