My first time to the mountains was 1989 on a 377 safari. My dads first time was in 1980 on a 250 enticer. We started going lots in the early 90s. Started with 91 phasers till we learnt how to ride. Greatest memories sledding with my dad.
When did you start sledding in the mountains?
- Thread starter jpgmtech
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Sledtillded
Active VIP Member
First trip was in 1979 to allen creek.had a 1979 yamaha srx.they were a 440 lc.made 89.5 hp stock at 10500 rpm.track was 15x116.pocket full of jets was your friend.have not missed a year yet.this new iron keeps old guys like me still going !!!never get enough.
Here ya on the new iron. My 174 turbo pro weighs the same as the 60hp phaser I started with. And the new sidewinder is 150 lbs lighter than my vmax4 I had. Went through $1300 in belts the one winter in my Vmax4 and worth every penny. Kinda like a G4.
Lund
Active VIP Member
Funny cause my 84 Phaser weighed in at 389lbs and the newer models got heavier, my 87 weighed in at about 415lbs and by the mid 90's the phaser were all in the 450+lbs. But then in 84 you had only 60hp..LOL
AaronQ
Active VIP Member
Lots of it was the forestry guys. Lots was people just exploring.
My dad has some crazy story's of riding Revelstoke and radium and golden back in the early 70s right through till now. Seen some pretty amazing stuff.
He took me out on my first time in 1995. Doubled me in on his 136 phazer. We went up caribou north of rev. I smashed my face off the mountain bar and broke a tooth or 2. Mum wouldn't let me go out at all the rest of the year but the next year I convinced them to let me borrow a neighbours phazer with the plastic cleats bolted onto the track. Those things could skate and like everyone has said I was hooked! Worked all summer and bought dad's phazer from him. We put 6000 km on that sled in 2 winters. I was twelve years old. I loved that machine.
I go places now with my xm that we used to get to with those old sleds and I sometimes wonder how in the hell we managed it.
In 84 they weren’t long tracked yet. In 91 they came with a 136. Then we bolted on 1 5/8” paddles. Was still one of the lighter sleds on the hill.
struglin
Active VIP Member
That's amazing I started with my dad as well in the early 2000's
I always figured the loggers thought the areas looked good and started riding and friends ect.. followed suit crazy stuff what a great read learning about the dawn of avy safety ect...
Lund
Active VIP Member
Correct, the 84 had a 116" track and actually had about 50hp. The 87 had a 121 with electric start, i converted it to a 136" with padels. But it was under powered so i replaced it with an 89 Exciter with about 90hp and put the 136 on it. I think it weighed around the 435 mark. Heavy for the power it had imo and not as reliable.
But ended up replacing it with a 1990 Phazer II with the factory 136", it weighed in at 405Lbs. With pipe and reeds you could squeeze 60hp out of them. That was my last Yamaha for a long time after that, rode Cats till 2000.
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AaronQ
Active VIP Member
Those old phazers were quite the machine. Revolutionary for the time period and it's amazing how long they were pretty much the best sled on the mountain year after year.
LBZ
Active VIP Member
And go forever. Buddy put over 22000km on his '87 before it got rebuilt.
gibsons
Active VIP Member
LOL. Looks like Tom Cruise in the last pic.
kenvb
Active VIP Member
and we did that without 2.5 or 3 inch paddle tracks and 200 hp turboed machines too?
Mike270412
Golden Boy
2011 was my first season. Got hooked bad!
west coast
Active VIP Member
1993 short track Indy trail Allen creek
Invalid Zero
Active member
First mountain trip was in 1995 with my 1994 Phazer II. I think I was 15 years old.
Old Boulder cabin
Playing with a Riverside demo Vmax, in the cabin meadow.
Vmax 4 was king ****.
Super Bowl?
Old Boulder cabin
Playing with a Riverside demo Vmax, in the cabin meadow.
Vmax 4 was king ****.
Super Bowl?
In Newfoundland, on the Avalon, Conception Bay, a little place called Harbour Main.
vodoo103
Active VIP Member
My first ride in the Mountains with with my Dad and with my uncle and cousins from Tete Jaune in 1983 or 1984.
I had a 1978 Arctic Cat Jag 3000 Free Air and he was on his trusty 1973 Panther 440. Still remember him wearing the fuzzy green giants (wool gloves) and keeping a spare pair on his belt cover.
Rode from my Uncles place which was behind the Hauer Brothers Sawmill up Mica and trailered the sleds West of town the next day (would be just west of Terracana ranch).
Back then, we used to pack fishing rods and try catching trout for lunch from the streams. Must have been early spring. Pretty sure most of the riding was on inactive logging roads.
I often thing about going back to see how far the old roads go, or if they are completely gone. Have to go dig through some of my Mom's old albums to see if there some old photos.
I had a 1978 Arctic Cat Jag 3000 Free Air and he was on his trusty 1973 Panther 440. Still remember him wearing the fuzzy green giants (wool gloves) and keeping a spare pair on his belt cover.
Rode from my Uncles place which was behind the Hauer Brothers Sawmill up Mica and trailered the sleds West of town the next day (would be just west of Terracana ranch).
Back then, we used to pack fishing rods and try catching trout for lunch from the streams. Must have been early spring. Pretty sure most of the riding was on inactive logging roads.
I often thing about going back to see how far the old roads go, or if they are completely gone. Have to go dig through some of my Mom's old albums to see if there some old photos.
vodoo103
Active VIP Member
Great thread! Love reading through the memories.
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