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how do the viewers of this website feel about snowmobile access? i enjoy it here in montana because of the long skins to get into places. it makes it really easy for half days. just wondering about the ethics of it in the splitboard community!

Some are for it some are against it…some really don't care.

For me personally, I divide the sledders into three groups.

Slednecks – rednecks just out drinking and sledding, no ski or boarding
Yo-Yo sledders – skiers and boarders using sleds to do laps in the bc.
Touring sledders - folks that use sleds for long approaches but plan to tour as well once they've reached there destination.

Life is too short to frown on people for doing things differently than you so I say live and let live. Just be respectful of other people and Mother Nature.

Having said that, I relate to the touring sledder the most. Using a sled on access roads or to get you into the goods is cool with me. Shoot, I wish I had a homey with a sled for those same very reasons (thinking Fallen Leaf Rd, Tioga Pass, etc in the winter).

The Slednecks and yo-yo sledders can be a real thorn in your side at times, like when you've skinned for two hours and are ready to top-out only to hear a sled coming on your heels to beat you to the top. If they were respectful of others it wouldn't be so bad but usually that isn't the case. Luckily, we have some great Wilderness areas in our region and the sledders are never a concern. That's how I deal with them…I just don't go where they are.

Part of the allure to splitboarding for me is the journey up the mountain and the peace and quite. Sleds kinda take away from that. It should also be noted that while using sleds for touring is cool, it's also easier than hoofing it on your own will and therefore gives you less braggin rights.

Well said bcr - I completely agree. I'd probably fall into the touring sledder category, though without a sled I'm stuck with those long approaches. Guess it just makes us that much more fit!

Can they put mufflers on those things?

There's plenty of wilderness up here for sledders and skinners. I never see sledders except at sno-parks.

The backcountry feels much bigger and otherworldly when you go into it under your own power. I wouldn't feel as free and alive out there if there was a sled involved. It's not about how many laps you do or how far you go, but how it makes you feel.

I'm not anti-sled. I am anti-a-hole, but not all sledders are a-holes.

we'll split the gas. let's go.....

i agree w/ BCR, although, when you climb st helens in the winter, you can hear the whine all the way up to the top, and at the summit as well. that is REALLY lame. I mean its a 4-6 hr climb and then you get to the top and
you still can hear the snowmachines?

sucks.

Paging Mountain Voodoo!

I'm thinking about Fallen Leaf Lake Road and a playground that rhymes w/ "Whacked Bag".....yes 'bilers can be good.

Sleds, motorcycles, dune buggies, mountain biking, splitboarding, etc. are cool is they're done w/ respect. Meaning respect of the law (most of the time), others, and the environment.

I'd ride one on fireroads etc. in a heart beat to access kill terrain. One of my buddies here at work is actually going to get one for his research!!! Can you say Yosemite backcountry?

In the Eastern Sierra, the majority of the (legal) snowmobile access is on established roads. The few places where you can get a sled to the top of something (for laps), well, no one hikes for that stuff anyway.
So sleds aren't a nuisance like they are in other areas. From what I have witnessed around here, the snowmobilers are very respectful of the wilderness boundaries. And everyone seems to get along pretty well. I even got a ride across the flats from a random snowmobiler one day last year.

But it also sounds like we are very lucky to have this situation around here. I don't think I would be very tolerant of snowmobilers if they were disrespecting laws/people.

Sleds definitely come in handy on long approaches, where the bottom of the mountain is 5-10 miles from the car. They way I see it, if I were hiking that mountain in the summer I would just drive my car to the trailhead, right?

Oh, and bcrider forgot the fourth group of sledders:
The ones using a tow rope to pull snowboarders (waterski style!) across snowy meadows.

i also like them for tow in booters! do any montana riders know of any killer step up jumps around bozeman? looking for some big back country kickers.

Just picked up 2 used sleds for cheap!
<img src="http://www.twobrothersvideo.com/pics/sleds.jpg"/>

The premise is to use them to gain access to terrain that would normally involve multi-day skin tours. Very excited about all of the killer terrain west of Mt Shasta in the Eddy's and Trinity Alps.

Mt Shasta with an early season glow!
<img src="http://www.twobrothersvideo.com/pics/Earlyshasta.jpg"/>

congrats on the purchase!






ps. I'm down with some of that!

Two words shastariffic -

COFFEE CREEK