Starting to understand some of the attitude.

SRT

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Good thread. I am new to the "mountain riding". I have riden in Ontario for years then had not touched a sled for about 10 years. This year I decided to get in the mountains. I financed a sled and off I go. Now this is where I want to thank my friend Dan (broke"n"nuts). We ride with him as he is the more experienced of us all. He lives in the area we ride. He is patient and willing to help out anyone that needs it. He is very strict about "bring out what you brought in" attitude. So there are people out there and I am a better rider/person for it!!


Just killing time.
 

finkous

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this argument has been goin on since sleds came about and now its worse with the wonderful world of the internet....

I agree that its gotten easier to get into a new sled and with new technology sleds are obviously getting more powerful every year taking the rider further and further... I started my sledding passion on a '77 kawasaki intruder and I beat myself up just trying to get up trails which made me work my way into a '86 indy trail to which I rebuilt into a "mountain sled" with a 1 pce tunnel and "mountain cut" and after spending hours drilling plastic paddles only to have some of them ripped off, I was soo glad when I was able to afford an 1.5 136 loooong track. Money has always been showing up at the hill, I still remember the sleds out of spi racing from the back door of cycle works on 99st and 13,000 dollars for a "light weight" mid 90's xlt was a crazy price, but it was still being paid by some to have the high power sleds to show off, and the beginning of mountain magic snow machines, beautiful mountain machines for at that time was in my eyes was obscene amounts of money, but now with sleds capable of going anywhere right out of the box its easier for "newbies" to just get on a go with very little trouble....

p.s Hey DaveB, when we drinkin beer in your garage again with that neighbor of yours pecos? whats it been? 12 yrs or so?
 

0neoldfart

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I am not a "newbie" to the sport anymore - haven't been for several years, either. Attitude has nothing to do with $$$ - it comes down to the individual, and how forthright they are about their experience. Everybody was "new" once - something us old dogs tend to forget. When I started sledding, the areas were less congested, and therefore less "D-bags" were present - simply due to the population ratio. There are D-bags and courteous folk in all areas, whether it be on the mountain, on the highway, or in your local community. I am a believer that "most" sledding videos (although entertaining), do not express the general attitude of our beloved winter pastime, and for a new rider - tend to make them feel inferior if they can't pull of the wicked climb that looked so easy. This is why you see a lot of turbocharged sleds and trailer queens out there these days. Hell, I own a turbo sled that I cannot ride to it's ability, nor do I want to...
I guess what I'd like to see is more rider awareness, and a little more respect for the mountains we all love to ride,including observing local closures, and riding responsibly - for the conditions, not for the 8 second GoPro video clip.
 

finkous

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how long before we have to have a actual sled licence to ride in certain areas? I can see it starting with all the avy courses and certifications and trail passes
 

teeroy

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how long before we have to have a actual sled licence to ride in certain areas? I can see it starting with all the avy courses and certifications and trail passes
there's things you can study and learn, and things that only come with experience. whether it be a good mentor that is there with you, or by doing it the hard way.

the thing that bugs me the most is garbage on the ground. new riders and old do it. I'm baffled
 

barleyfarmer

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Have any of you been on the hill and ran into a group 'playing' in a risky area and stopped and warned them about it and been either told off or ignored?I've been going to the mountains since the late 80's and noticed the sleds now can make pulls that the old hill climbing sleds could only dream of!But now a lot of risky stuff gets 'played' on and now I just cringe when you try and be helpful and get attitude back!Not to sound like a dick but our group will move and not be around to help when your luck runs out and you get buried!I've had to dig guys out before,luckily none dead but damn close, I've had to be dug out because I knew more than the 'old timers' giving me advice,you learn to appreciate some strangers advice!!I have noticed in the last few years the attitude of a lot of 'newbies' on the hill has been pretty arrogant and 'what do you know you old pussy'!Maybe when they start digging out one of their buddies that is turning blue already and they got to do cpr that they might listen to us 'old pussies'!By the way I'm 43 and I've been riding since I was 6!
 

X-it

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Why does everyone have to park at the bottom of the hill anyway? Some sleds are hard starting.
 

pfi572

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Why does everyone have to park at the bottom of the hill anyway? Some sleds are hard starting.

Because they don't think or don't know any better.
" hey why are the trees growing at a 45 and some broke off"
Weird
 

bbecker17

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If I was playing on a questionable hill and some stranger came up and said "I watched that hill slide last year, I wouldn't ride there" or something along those lines I'd thank him and get outta there. If some stranger came up asking if I'm stunned for riding on that hill yata yata swear words yelling then ya he wouldn't get much thanks or respect. The whole attitude argument goes both ways

The other thing is that not everyone is trying to be or capable of riding like Burrandt. Some people are just happy getting to the cabin, falling off 7 times and going home.
 

dogsmack

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Have any of you been on the hill and ran into a group 'playing' in a risky area and stopped and warned them about it and been either told off or ignored?I've been going to the mountains since the late 80's and noticed the sleds now can make pulls that the old hill climbing sleds could only dream of!But now a lot of risky stuff gets 'played' on and now I just cringe when you try and be helpful and get attitude back!Not to sound like a dick but our group will move and not be around to help when your luck runs out and you get buried!I've had to dig guys out before,luckily none dead but damn close, I've had to be dug out because I knew more than the 'old timers' giving me advice,you learn to appreciate some strangers advice!!I have noticed in the last few years the attitude of a lot of 'newbies' on the hill has been pretty arrogant and 'what do you know you old pussy'!Maybe when they start digging out one of their buddies that is turning blue already and they got to do cpr that they might listen to us 'old pussies'!By the way I'm 43 and I've been riding since I was 6!

Question is this, will they even have the knowledge to find buried riders with the beacons we all hope everyone uses. A co worker approached me in the early part of the season and asked me what do I need for a back pack going to the mountains. I give him every option known to man complete with links to buy online or stores. Even offered to pick things up in Edmonton for him. He questioned the beacon of all things, when I asked why would you not want to wear the only thing your buddies can use to find you under the snow with any speed he looked a bit baffled and said they don't have beacons. I was dumb struck. A avi air bag is a wish list item for most people, but a beacon is a must. I quickly brought him up to speed and he has actually declined two trips with "his buddies" to Valemount/McBride because of it. We are opposite or crossshift so him tagging along with me is next to impossible as we both can't be on holidays at the same time.

As for "old pussy" I've always said never under estimate old age and treachery they didn't get that old by accident.

I think I can sum up most of the problem. A lot of society has lost its humility and taking advice or instruction is an automatic feeling of being "less than or slighted". To some people sledding in a bad spot might create angry "how can you be that stupid" where its a matter of ignorance. Factor all this in and it brings the worst out of good people somedays. I'm guilty, but I learned. We all do what we can.

On another note sledding Revi right now, check the CAC for updates as they issued a special area specific report last night or this morning and it is extreme. Sorry I don't have the link. I showed up on an email from the sled association I belong to.
 

bobsledder

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If I was playing on a questionable hill and some stranger came up and said "I watched that hill slide last year, I wouldn't ride there" or something along those lines I'd thank him and get outta there. QUOTE]

See thats part of the problem, right there.. Just because it slid last year doesn't mean it is going to this year or just because it didn't slide last year doesn't mean it won't slide this year. It's all about the conditions at the time and how the snowpack is that year. So if the person recieving that type of feedback had a clue they may respond with "ya so it slid last year. this is this year" Would that be considered attitude??
 
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RXN

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If I was playing on a questionable hill and some stranger came up and said "I watched that hill slide last year, I wouldn't ride there" or something along those lines I'd thank him and get outta there. QUOTE]

See thats part of the problem, right there.. Just because it slid last year doesn't mean it is going to this year or just because it didn't slide last year doesn't mean it won't slide this year. It's all about the conditions at the time and how the snowpack is that year. So if the person recieving that type of feedback had a clue they may respond with "ya so it slid last year. this is this year" Would that be considered attitude??

Depends how it's said, Tone of voice. In the end, everyone of us rides with an acceptable risk limit. and everyone of us has different limits. If after you've been warned that it slid, it is up to you and you alone to decide what level of risk you feel comfortable in.

As you said it might not slide this year as conditions are different.
 

X-it

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" hey why are the trees growing at a 45 and some broke off" ....I had a tree top break off just in front of me. So much snow laying on the branches, the tops where breaking off all over the place....dangerous to say the least.
 

bbecker17

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If I was playing on a questionable hill and some stranger came up and said "I watched that hill slide last year, I wouldn't ride there" or something along those lines I'd thank him and get outta there. QUOTE]

See thats part of the problem, right there.. Just because it slid last year doesn't mean it is going to this year or just because it didn't slide last year doesn't mean it won't slide this year. It's all about the conditions at the time and how the snowpack is that year. So if the person recieving that type of feedback had a clue they may respond with "ya so it slid last year. this is this year" Would that be considered attitude??

Your taking the way I worded that too specific I just mean being warned in general about the hill your on
 

GT500john

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The problem is we are out there together and the ones that have the training and been around for a while are the ones that will be digging you out.
 
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