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HANDY TRICKS AND TIPS

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Geoff Kyle

Well-known member
Dec 14, 2011
47
68
18
48
Whistler
This thread is for any tricks and tips that you've learned over your sledding experience or even advice you might have heard.....

The Winch technique:
Say your in a deep creek bed hole by yourself with a 10 foot wall around you. You can start diggin or you can try taking a rope and tie it to a track driver window and then wrap it several times around your track to give it as much surface area pressure so as not to put to much stress on your track window. Attach the other side of the rope to something secure like a tree and then use your 160 hp sled winch to pull you up to safty. Can be used to lower as well. No promises but you might like the results....------GK
 
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modsledr

Well-known member
Nov 26, 2007
2,380
631
113
Western WA
This thread is for any tricks and tips that you've learned over your sledding experience or even advice you might have heard.....

The Winch technique:
Say your in a deep creek bed hole by yourself with a 10 foot wall around you. You can start diggin or you can try taking a rope and tie it to a track driver window and then wrap it several times around your track to give it as much surface area pressure so as not to put to much stress on your track window. Attach the other side of the rope to something secure like a tree and then use your 160 hp sled winch to pull you up to safty. Can be used to lower as well. No promises but you might like the results....------GK

Geoff, that's an awesome tip!! I might have to practice that to get the "feel". Question: once free, how do you get the rope unwound frmo the track?

My tip is for overnite survival. I carry a 16oz Progresso Soup can (empty, of course) in my pack (my spare socks are rolled up and stuffed inside, so no net loss of space). Filled with gas and lit like a candle, it will burn for approx 3 hrs. I use the Progresso Can because it has a wider opening than most, so when the fuel burns down it still gets enough oxygen to burn. Building a fire in the backcountry is no guarantee, so this will get you through the nite...enough heat to survive.
 
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Geoff Kyle

Well-known member
Dec 14, 2011
47
68
18
48
Whistler
You can tilt it up on it's side and reverse the track direction. If you think about the full circumference of the track then one revolution could bring you out of quite a deep hole.
 
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Geoff Kyle

Well-known member
Dec 14, 2011
47
68
18
48
Whistler
Geoff, that's an awesome tip!! I might have to practice that to get the "feel". Question: once free, how do you get the rope unwound frmo the track?

My tip is for overnite survival. I carry a 16oz Progresso Soup can (empty, of course) in my pack (my spare socks are rolled up and stuffed inside, so no net loss of space). Filled with gas and lit like a candle, it will burn for approx 3 hrs. I use the Progresso Can because it has a wider opening than most, so when the fuel burns down it still gets enough oxygen to burn. Building a fire in the backcountry is no guarantee, so this will get you through the nite...enough heat to survive.

Awesome idea, a lot of people over look the possibility of spending a night and for the relatively small space it takes to carry some survival gear doesn't seem not worth it...
 

bholmlate

Well-known member
Premium Member
Dec 3, 2009
1,400
778
113
Reno, Nevada
Something so simple. I am sure quite a few people like myself are kicking themselves for not thinking of it before now after reading this post.

Great tip. I am sure there are a lot of other people that have come up with ways to get themselves out of trouble in the backcountry that others could learn from.

Someone should make this a "sticky"
 
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volcano buster

Well-known member
Nov 26, 2007
4,221
1,612
113
Stayton Oregon
That "idea" used to be sold in Dennis Kirk among other aftermarket catalogs. It actually had a shorter piece of rope with a ring in the middle. You would tie each end to a spindle, then feed the "winch" rope through the ring. This kept the rope running true to the center line of the sled when "winching". Even if you don't have an anchor point within the reach of your rope, you can dig a hole and bury a large chunk of limb to tie to.
 
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Geoff Kyle

Well-known member
Dec 14, 2011
47
68
18
48
Whistler
Geoff... Thanks for the tips...

Would love to see more of this.

Are you still working with Sean at Blackcomb?

Where is your Tenure?

Hey Mountainhorse, Yeah I'm working with Shon through his tenure at Brandywine. It's goen great so far, what a sweet set up he has put together.
 
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Geoff Kyle

Well-known member
Dec 14, 2011
47
68
18
48
Whistler
Simple things that make your day go a little better...... an elastic band wrapped around your kill switch so you don't accidentally hit it in the middle of a tricky situation. ------GK
 
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Geoff Kyle

Well-known member
Dec 14, 2011
47
68
18
48
Whistler
Storage

Finding storage spots on your sled for small key items like rope, a spare key or tools.------ For the Ski-Doo XP there is a quick release seat where normally your destruction manual lives. Here you can wedge or carve out from your foam small areas to store some items so that no matter what back-pack or jacket your wearing they are always available. Just be wary of placing bigger items underneath ur butt because you could feel them if you have a hard landing. ----------GK
 

wardy

Active member
Premium Member
Jun 7, 2008
449
37
28
Central point Oregon
It's a flat nylon strap, about 1" wide. Super strong.
A lot of utility company's use it for pulling cable through conduit under ground or pulling power/ cable
 
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bwylde

Well-known member
Mar 19, 2011
140
50
28
64
Vancouver Island
To improve on the Elastic Band/Killswitch idea the Bands that hold the windshields on the older Summits etc(around 99/2000) work perfect.
 

stum1967

Well-known member
Lifetime Membership
Premium Member
Nov 26, 2007
464
690
93
Central North Dakota
Very important tip: When you start to date a woman, make sure you don't enter into a relationship with a woman who's birthday lands in the middle of a prime snowmobile month. Sure as hell it will screw up at least one of your trips every year. You will already screw up one trip by having Valentines Day in Feb. so be careful!
 
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modsledr

Well-known member
Nov 26, 2007
2,380
631
113
Western WA
Simple things that make your day go a little better...... an elastic band wrapped around your kill switch so you don't accidentally hit it in the middle of a tricky situation. ------GK

We take this one step further...disconnect the kill switch altogether. It forces the use of the tether!!
 
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