Technical tree riding

Uzeste

Active member
Joined
Oct 4, 2007
Messages
83
Reaction score
82
Location
Cold Lake AB
I like to call it dropping into the jungle!! It will divide the men from the boys.
 

ferniesnow

I'm doo-ing it!
Joined
Dec 2, 2008
Messages
112,062
Reaction score
86,088
Location
beautiful, downtown Salmon Arm, BC
My line of thinking revolves around the distance the trees are apart and the steepness of the terrain that is accommodating the trees. The closer the distance and more steep the terrain, the more technical the riding becomes. This is “top shelf” technical riding, IMHO.
Riding the trees along the edges of the meadows where the terrain is flat and the distance is quite spaced is still for "meadow muffins” like myself.
 

maxwell

Active VIP Member
Joined
Apr 25, 2007
Messages
20,081
Reaction score
43,168
Location
Sherwood Park, Alberta, Canada
There is a difference

IMO

“Tree riding” is running up and down gladed tree lines with flat spots or benches that the average Joe can turn around on and go back up

“Technical tree riding” is removing those benches and being able to move throughout the mountain completely free of opportunities to turn your sled around on. You truly have to be able to navigate on any side of the sled and be able to change direction on any slope. This includes dropping drainages as there is never a spot to turn around once you’re following the water.

I don’t think the tightness of the trees makes you a technical tree rider either. It’s all about where those tight trees are located on the mountains that makes you technical


Just my opinion from observations over the years. Lots of people call themselves technical tree riders but quickly turn white in the face when you start going down into the forest with zero opportunity to turn around and go back up.

How you perform coming back out of the hole you just dropped into is also part of what makes you technical. Any one can drop into anything. Can you get out without being a total burden on your group?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
 

lilduke

Active VIP Member
Joined
Sep 15, 2009
Messages
19,354
Reaction score
68,779
Location
Local
If you cant do any of that on one of these 33inch. Tippy turbo sleds, i dont know maybe sledding isnt for you 🤣
 

greenthumb

Active VIP Member
Joined
Mar 16, 2013
Messages
731
Reaction score
2,708
Location
Shuswap
There is a difference

IMO

“Tree riding” is running up and down gladed tree lines with flat spots or benches that the average Joe can turn around on and go back up

“Technical tree riding” is removing those benches and being able to move throughout the mountain completely free of opportunities to turn your sled around on. You truly have to be able to navigate on any side of the sled and be able to change direction on any slope. This includes dropping drainages as there is never a spot to turn around once you’re following the water.

I don’t think the tightness of the trees makes you a technical tree rider either. It’s all about where those tight trees are located on the mountains that makes you technical


Just my opinion from observations over the years. Lots of people call themselves technical tree riders but quickly turn white in the face when you start going down into the forest with zero opportunity to turn around and go back up.

How you perform coming back out of the hole you just dropped into is also part of what makes you technical. Any one can drop into anything. Can you get out without being a total burden on your group?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

How about technical meadow mashing? Word on the street is that you're pro level.
 

Shredder

Active VIP Member
Joined
Dec 4, 2006
Messages
2,630
Reaction score
2,921
Location
Grande Cache AB
How you perform coming back out of the hole you just dropped into is also part of what makes you technical. Any one can drop into anything. Can you get out without being a total burden on your group?
I agree that that is the defining factor. I tried dropping into where the guys I have rode with for many years that became really good tree riders after coming back from BBA went down in Salmon. Was a complete chit show and I was down there for hours. After many stucks from failed attempts at getting back up my brother in law found me and I followed him back up to the trail through the trees on lines he picked that I could navigate. I fukn hated the whole day. Too old, too out of shape, and lack the desire and talent to ever try "technical tree riding" again. I was on a sled that Ken had built me at Mountain Magic; a 2017 N/A Axys 163 full Jaws exhaust, clutched/geared/drivers the whole package. But you realize real fast whether YOU should or shouldn't be where you are after a couple hours on your own in the trees, wondering how you are ever going to get back out of there.
 

snopro

Active VIP Member
Joined
Mar 3, 2009
Messages
108,754
Reaction score
105,659
Location
Milo,Alberta
I agree that that is the defining factor. I tried dropping into where the guys I have rode with for many years that became really good tree riders after coming back from BBA went down in Salmon. Was a complete chit show and I was down there for hours. After many stucks from failed attempts at getting back up my brother in law found me and I followed him back up to the trail through the trees on lines he picked that I could navigate. I fukn hated the whole day. Too old, too out of shape, and lack the desire and talent to ever try "technical tree riding" again. I was on a sled that Ken had built me at Mountain Magic; a 2017 N/A Axys 163 full Jaws exhaust, clutched/geared/drivers the whole package. But you realize real fast whether YOU should or shouldn't be where you are after a couple hours on your own in the trees, wondering how you are ever going to get back out of there.
I hear ya bro! Been there as well
 

greenthumb

Active VIP Member
Joined
Mar 16, 2013
Messages
731
Reaction score
2,708
Location
Shuswap
Whatever happened to the term boondocking? That was all the rage ten years ago
The damn jeep 'overlanders' got jealous and claimed it. :p

Let's not forget about "flickability." That sure comes in handy when TTRing.
 
Last edited:
Top Bottom