Mountain Sledding ..... just my urge to write...


Mountain sledding with a modern 'mountain' snowmobile is an experience like
none other. These machines have the ability to climb hills that appear
almost vertical to someone on the flat. The speed at which these machines
can gain altitude is faster than what most airplanes can accomplish. Even
with all this climbing ability there are still distinct point where momentum
is lost and 'true' mountain sledding begins.

Any snowmobile will climb hills on momentum alone. All you do is drive fast
into the base of the hill and let your momentum carry you up. It doesn't
matter much what the snow conditions are, what track you have, or you engine
power, momentum works by itself. Icy hills as high as 300 feet have been
topped by speeding into the base at 90 mph and coasting to the top. Momentum
sledding is not mountain sledding.

True mountain sledding begins up the hill where momentum runs out. At this
point the machine would stop if it were not for a number of things. Snow
conditions, machine design, track length, lug height, engine horsepower, and
rider skill. All these factors go into the equation necessary to true
mountain sledding. Here too is where we separate the men from the boys and
the true mountain sleds from the toys.

On the right slope, on the right machine, on the right day, here is what
mountain sledding is like:

Cruising slowly into the base of a steep mountain you slowly pour on the
power and pick up speed as your machine adjusts to the slope. At full
throttle the machine begins its scream up the mountain. Skis soon rise above
the snow and conventional steering is lost, it is now all a matter of
balance. The rider must aim the machine at the top and constantly adjust
their weight to keep the machine over the power. At full throttle the track
is functioning more like a rocket engine blasting snow out the back for
hundreds of feet. All the time gravity is trying to stop the machine or pull
it off line and back down the hill.

With engine screaming with over a hundred horsepower the smell of burning
drive belt punctuates the experience of mountain sledding. Speed falls off
as the mountain gets steeper towards the top. Twenty, ten, five, four, three
miles per hour as you get near the top of your climb. This is the point of
greatest danger to mountain sledders. If the rider allows the machine to
'spinout' and stop on the hill all hell can break loose. The machine can
flip over backwards and start tumbling out of control down the hill and
destroy itself. If this tumbling 500-pound machine hits the rider, bones can
be broken.

In a 'spinout mistake' the snowmobile stops but the track keeps spinning and
digs a deep trench in the snow. In digging this trench the machine stands up
vertical on the hill and the rider usually falls off and begins their tumble
to the bottom of the mountain. Depending on conditions the machine may stay
stuck at the top or fall over backwards and begins tumbling down. Mountain
sleds are long and heavy and come down a hill more like a log rolling down a
slope. Rolling over sideways usually opens the hood and tears it off and
smashes the handlebars into the tank. Six thousand dollars damage is not
uncommon in these kinds of spinout mistakes.

The secret to avoiding a spinout mistake is to 'turnout' before the machine
stops. When the machine slows to around two or three miles per hour, its
time to turnout. A safe turnout is to make a rounded turn at the top of the
climb so that the turning momentum just cancels the machine's tendency to
roll over sideways. Too slow a turnout and you roll over and the damage
begins. Keeping the power on at full throttle is necessary to begin the
turnout but must be released in the middle of the turn. Now here is where
the next excitement begins.

After the turnout it's all-downhill for the mountain sledder but what a
downhill it can be. On a steep 45 degree or greater slope a 500 pound
machine can pick up speed pretty fast. Snowmobile brakes have some effect
especially at first. Just after the turnout is the best time to try and
control your descent with brakes. Keep your speed down at first will keep
your speed down at the end. No matter what you do your speed will be
increasing going downhill. After about 40 mph brakes become useless and
somewhat dangerous. Locking the track will turn the machine sideways in a
second. Pulsing the brake works and some braking can be accomplished by
steering the skis from side to side. In any case speeds of a hundred miles
per hour are not uncommon when going downhill.

Speeding down a mountain for half a mile can be dangerous. Bumps, trees,
stumps, and rocks can appear in front of you as you careen downhill almost
out of control. Hitting any one of these at high speed can be deadly.
Gravity controls a mountain sled's decent. The rider has a limited ability
to control its direction and speed during this time. The downhill can be the
most exciting part of a climb. On the uphill things look fairly normal all
the way up, but on turnout you then get to see how far up you came. If you
get vertigo or a fear of heights turnout is where this experience happens.
Adrenaline pumps in your veins at the maximum just after turnout. You won't
be safe until back on the flat.

If executed precisely mountain sledding can produce a rush of great joy.
Successfully completing a climb and returning alive with an intact machine
is very rewarding. From balancing on the rocket power, timing the turnout,
to missing the rocks on the way back down, this skill can have you out doing
this over and over again. For beginners just expect a few sled losses and
broken bones to begin with and then with some experience you too will become
a true mountain sledder.


Dave...

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