SEVEN STEPS TO POWDER RIDING

For the trail rider visiting the West, deep fluffy snow and high elevation provide some interesting challenger. The same ingredients that attract visitors to western destinations also intimidate them. After all, who wants to get stuck?

Many groups who visit the West from other parts of the country tend to stay pretty close to the trails, missing out on some of the fantastic riding opportunities that enticed them to vacation out here to begin with. What they don't realize is that getting stuck isn't necessarily a mark of bad riding, nor should it be anything more than a brief detention in a great day of riding. Here are some tips on riding the deep and steep.

STEP 1 - Don't stop in fresh powder on fiat or uphill snow. (Never stop while facing uphill, regardless of the snow conditions.) If you ride in powder and choose to stop, either make a couple of loops around to pack the snow, or stop on top of someone else's tracks.

STEP 2 - Don't dig. Too often a rider will spin out the track in powder, thus, dropping the back of the sled deeper in the snow than the front. This results in the snowmobile literally having to climb out of the hole, even on fiat terrain. Keep your momentum, but allow the track to work.
Keeping your momentum while staying under control is the key to powder riding. You need to go fast enough to stay on top of the snow, but not so fast as to get out of shape requiring you to brake and lose momentum.

STEP 3 - A little wiggle goes a long way. Sometimes in starting out, the track just doesn't seem to find a good grip. By wiggling your butt from side to side while you increase acceleration, your track finds the better base snow for traction.

STEP 4 - your butt off the seat. The biggest difference between trail riding and mountain riding is you have to ride your sled rather then just drive it.  You have to move front to back, side to side and always stay on the uphill side of the snowmobile. You can't do this with the seat stuck to your rear. Stand up, put a knee in the seat and stay on top of the snowmobile.

STEP 5 - Always have an escape route planned. If you're riding up a tight ravine, have some sort of idea of what you can do if the snow gets too deep or you start to lose momentum. Sometimes a quick spin around will get you out. Sometimes you just find yourself in a situation where you're going to get stuck. In those cases, try to get stuck in an area where your front end is higher than your back. This will facilitate pulling the front end down to give you a dear run out.

STEP 6 - If you do get stuck, wait for help. Most the time it only requires a slight tug on the ski to get you going again. You may need to turn the sled around to face down hill. It's easier to throw the back end around with a little help. While you're waiting for help, take the time to walk around the sled and pack the snow down so you're not fighting with it while you're dragging the sled around.

STEP 7 - Finally once you've gotten unstuck, take the time to catch your breath, clean your goggles or face shield and plan your route. Too many times the person who gets stuck ends up getting stuck again within moments due to exhaustion, poor vision or plain stupidity. Don't be a nuisance. Back it down a notch and get back into the flow of riding before you bravely explore new challenges.  Western riding is both challenging and rewarding. There is no need to be intimidated by it. just ride within your ability, pay attention to the terrain, stay within sight of your group, relax and have fun. After all, it's your vacation. Where else would you rather be than up to your chest in snow?

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