Woooooooo Just Bought My First Sled

[tex78]

It don't matter how many times your going to come out, make your first trip out, a ast 1 course trip and training


Get it before ya ride so it's done, you learn what to do and not do, and live to go back home


My 2 cents

sent while drinking tea's

 

[ferniesnow]

Everybody has to start somewhere. It appears to me that this guy wants to learn. It also appears that he can handle himself with the trolls.

I have reached out to him with my venture of "take a friend snowmobiling". All I ask is that one has a beacon, probe, and shovel and is willing to go for a ride in the Elk Valley. I don't charge any fees as that puts me in jeopardy with the government if they ever got off their arses to actually enforce some of the laws/rules that they have in this fantastic province.

Parking lot pre-ride talk (avi conditions for the day) and beacon check, organized trail ride up to the cabin, go over group riding rules and pick a buddy (if group is big), and I will give whoever comes a day tour of the Fernie/Elkford riding area. It is an oversight of the popular places to ride; nothing to put one into harms way other than tree trunks. After we are finished, most people can put together the popular areas so that they can come back and enjoy themselves in their own group.

Everyday I go to the Coal Creek staging area, there is someone there that comes over and says, "Hi fernie" remember when......

 

[takethebounce]

I am going to take some heat on this...oh well...

How many of you that are preaching take an AST course before you ever hit the mountain actually took one before you went the first time? Oh sure, they didn't offer the course when you started sledding in the mountains right? So how many of you took it as soon as one was offered and didn't sled in the mountains until you had it? How many of you have taken a refresher or upgraded your level?

I'll be honest I didn't. I took it upon myself to attend a two day course the year after I had gotten back into sledding. The first year I had no idea. The people I rode with didn't wear transceivers, had no training, and in their minds the terrain they rode didn't dictate anything of the sort. The following fall, I looked up training, booked a winter course, booked a hotel room, asked if anyone else wanted to go and had no bites so I loaded up my truck and did it on my own with people I had never met. I felt good about it and took away all that I could. There is still a lot of the "I don't ride in Avalanche terrain" mentality out there.

Rather than beat the guy up on the internet, provide good info. Its true as mentioned some guys will not ride with people without some level of training. Its important yes. But as sledders, we can also take the time to provide education on a lot of the aspects that formal training provides. I am not saying it replaces that training, but should you ride in minimal risk/exposure areas, I will suggest something like parts of Rolling Hills in Fernie because I have done so there, with someone who is new to the sport or getting back in you can easily spend a little time with them doing beacon searches and pointing out hazards and terrain trap, windloaded slopes and so on. There are numerous ways to mitigate the risks and acknowledge the dangers to help enforce the idea that its best to get the proper training so why not show your expertise off?

troll on....


Fernie and I were obviously typing at the same time...nicely put;

 

[RXN]

I agree with you guys we all start somewhere and work our way up.
I started mountain riding when I was 13 with my dad and his friends. One spring trip a year. Usually over Easter. They taught me a lot.
We stayed well out of "danger zones".
Over the years it grew to two trips a year then 3 then 4 and finally to 5 mountain trips a season.

The group I ride with I will be the 1st to get my AST1 this year.

But I trust these guys. Even the rookies.

I take an extra beacon. Some times both my spares.

And we take turns hiding them and looking for them. It's good pratice. We aren't into high marking or hill climbing. We just want deep snow. So we tend to avoid Avy areas. (Not saying we've never been in those areas. We just try and stay out).

We stick together and always dig each other out no matter how stupid the stuck. Never know when it'll be you.

For the past couple years I've read a lot on here about the AST1 last Avy course I did I was 14. (I'm 34 now).I figure times have changed equipment and machine capabilities have change. So this Nov and Dec I enrolled with Zacstracs for their course. Taking the half day equipment workshop as well.

I've let polaris highlifter know he's welcome to ride with us without his AST1. My requirements are

You have minimum beacon probe shovel.
You listen to our advice
You don't stray off on your own.
Help with others stucks
Absolutely no booze on the hill. Clean and sober while riding.

We also ride with Radios. Designate meeting points if we get separated. And check in points. (Meeting by a certain creek at a certain time )