This is my first trip to the mountains, ever. I've played in powder, but nothing like what you guys have got up there.

I've got a 133x1.5" track for my sled I'm going to put on before I go, but I'm curious if I'll be ok? The sled has some mods, so the power shouldn't be a huge issue, but I'm concerned about traction, and flotation.

Does anyone have some tips or tricks for a flatlander? Anything I should seriously consider buying or changing before I go?

Thanks in advance guys.

Took flatland sleds out to Vail last year. We all had fun but I learned the hard way that you should re-clutch for elevation. You will loose alot of power at elevation. Also, stock skis do not float. These are the two things I would do, clutch first then skis.

I live in SW Montana. Depending on what sled you have, I'd call a shop and find out how to tune the thing for elevation. You lose about 3% of your horsepower for every 1000 feet you gain in elevation. We ride at about 8000-10500 feet. So a 150 hp sled only makes about 100 hp up high.

Some basics for a newbie.

Don't stop pointing uphill.
Riding while standing up and a good set of mountain bars will help your leverage incredibly.
Turn out of a hill early when you start to lose your charge. Don't be greedy.

Getting stuck will kick your butt faster than anything if you are not used to the thin air.

The most important rule.

BE AVALANCHE AWARE. We've had four deaths in Montana already this year.


We haven't had a big dump for a while so you will probably be fine. It's when you have 3-4 feet of fresh powder when you really have to work. Those are the best days though.

If you need some good recommendations for riding areas let me know. I live in Bozeman.

Couple other things to do to a sled that will make it alot better in the mtns. Pull the sway bar, add a riser usually about 2inches is good for most people, add a powder grab bar to the handlebars look for one that stands upright on its own but isn't hard. Another big time and back saver is a snowbunjie. I prefer the one that hooks between sleds. Regearing and clutching is a must wouldn't go west without doing it also jetting for carbed sleds.

Couple other hints is the seat is for taking naps and lunch breaks in the mtn not for riding. Always stay on your feet moving around the machine as you need to. With the shorter track when you park make a path to pack down some snow then go back over the top and park onto of your track so you don't get stuck.

would you jet up or down?and why

You jet down, (go to a smaller size), due to elevation.

Thinner air.

I've picked up a 2" riser already, but what is the "powder grab bar" for? Would a set of bar hooks help me?

The powder bar is a flexible gar that goes from handle grip to handle grip over the middle of the handlebars. It is most helpful in sidehilling and powder turns. I have a gps mounted on mine, but I tend to grab the edges anyways. Bar hooks will help too. I just use knobbers. Both are in the picture.

Hmm, interesting. I'm not sure if I'd ever use that. Although I bet I would when I was in powder up there.

Is any one brand better than the other? Any recommendations?

Thanks guys, I appreciate the replies.

When my wife and I went to the mountians, were hired a guide to show us around and it was well worth it, he helped us with some riding skills and how to get stuck and unstuck which is what its all about. Call a rental place and hire a guide, well worth the money and they might show you a couple sweet spots.

Get your bars up higher! it will greatly help the levelage you have and will make riding while standing much more confortable. Hooks are a great to have. They make it easier to toss the sled around, and give you something extra to grab on to. IMO a mountain strap is not needed. They are used most for side hilling while on the right side of the sled, but i find them unnessesary.

depends on if you have a left hand throttle or not.

very true...

yeah, I can't say I use much at all

The first thing you need to do is figure out what elevation and temp you will be riding at. Then go to your chart supplied with the sled, and follow their recommendations for jetting and clutching. I would also gear it down a little. Something around 2.05 ratio. Remove the windage plated off of your secondary clutch. This, along with the regearing, will help keep belt and clutch temperatures down, prolonging belt life. If you don't gear down some you won't be getting the most out of you clutching. (like unused gears in a car.)

Get the tallest riser on your bars you can put on without extending your brake line and throttle cable. You may be able to re-route some things to get more out of it. This really helps alot. You will find you will be standing up alot. If you are a sit down rider you will be stuck alot. I don't know that you will need to hire a guide. I have never use one. Get your trail map, and ask around a little bit where some good play areas are. It is usually pretty easy to find some play areas somewhere. Might not find the secret powder stashes, but alot of times they may not be to easy to access with a short track anyway. Just my .02. Jesse.

One more thing I forgot to mention on setup. If it is a coupled rear suspension (121), I would remove the REAR, rear scissor stop blocks. This will increase weight transfer. Then you can suck up the front limiter straps all the way, so the front of the skid will not drop down, reducing trenching. I did this my first time out west on my 01 XC 800 with a 1.25" track. It made a difference in the pow. Removing the rear blocks makes up for the loss of weight transfer you lose by sucking in the limiter straps. Leave the blocks in front of the rear scissor arm alone.

Agreed -- a mountain bar is nice, but not necessary. I find that I only use it when I'm at the bottom of a hill and need to sharply turn to the right. Otherwise, my hands remain on the handlebars. (I don't have a lefty though...)

With my 600 (136"x1.75") I'm able to go *most* places the rest of the mountain sleds in our group do -- especially when the snow is pretty well setup. The problem then is getting down safely...

Tips? I would say toss your conventional wisdom of turning the skis in order to steer. Once you get into the serious pow, the only thing that will really turn you is weight transfer. Get into an *open* field (trust me -- I learned the hard way) and see how your sled responds to leaning while straddling the seat. Then put both feet on one side and carve out a huge turn. Ideally being able to turn well both left and right, but I know I carve a lot better to the left. If you do have a weaker side, know that and plan for it so that if you do get into a trouble spot and need to hold a sidehill for a while, you're comfortable pulling that bottom ski up and not letting the sled 'steer' you.

I can help you out hopefully! I went riding in Co in Jan w/ my 01 XC SP 600. I had a 136" x 1.75 track. I put a mnt grab bar on mine, and it did come in handy, but I don't think it's necessary. Have the handlebars taller, you'll be standing a lot. Also, if you can, get a good pair of aftermarket skis. Simmons, or I put on a pair of SLP Powder Pros. They were great w/ floatation. About stearing also, you'll learn quick, to turn left, lean left and point your skis right. It goes against all flatland riding mindframe, but once you get it down, it's a blast! As for power, mine was weighted and jetted for the elevation. Low to mid was good, I never really got stuck due to lack of power playing in the fields and bowls, but I wouldn't plan on winning, or even competing with hill climbing, espically in loose powder. That's where you'll realize it's a 600. But on steeper hills, take a few cuts at it if necessary. Other than that, it'll be fine. Hope some of this helped and trust me, once you've ridden out west, you'll go back. I got home and sold my XC and am buying an RMK for next season!

I am still going to recommend a guide, he was only with us for about 2 hours, long enough to take us out to show us how to ride the right way and the right way to get unstuck, it saved alot of "just learning on our own" and the flatlander way is not the mountain way. Fifty bucks later we were light years ahead of where we started and we could enjoy our trip alot more. I am not talking about an all day guide we didnt want or need that because we knew how to ride sleds because we brought and setup our own sleds, we just needed to learn how to do it in the mountains and thats exactly what we got.

it is take www.takeyourfuckinthongoff.com see ya tomorow 10 my house lets ride :banana: :banana:

HElI NO!!