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Why a Snowbuddy?
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There are two fundamental reasons for
carrying a Snowbuddy, (1) Conservation of energy, and (2) prevention of
injury. Both reasons are at the heart of an enjoyable, safe ride and, most
importantly, getting home at the end of the day. |
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Fatigue Any
expert on cold weather survival will tell you conserving energy is one of
your first priorities. Trying to jerk a buried snowmobile free of the snow
and lift it back on top of fresh snow will sap your energy reserves very
quickly. Some riders are capable of lifting a smowmobile a couple of times
single-handed. Eventually this level of effort will fatigue even the fittest
of riders. Lifting a badly stuck sled several times is a daunting task for
3or 4 people. For one or two riders this task soon becomes impossible.
Working this hard at altitude compounds the effect on riders. The energy
expended under these conditions can reach danger levels quickly. Even when a
rider succeeds getting unstuck they are often too fatigued to safely ride in
difficult terrain without stopping to rest. In the most dangerous situations
riders are left spent unable to move the sled or sleds with little energy
reserves to stay warm until more help arrives. One or two people using a
snowbuddy can break the track loose from the snow then lift the snowmobile
back on top of the snow easily and repeatedly. Snowbuddy allows you to keep
working until the work is done without the danger of exhaustion. |
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Extreme riders of ten find themselves high up
on a very steep slope with the skis pointing skyward and the back end buried
deep below the surface. This predicament puts not only the rider and his
sled at risk but also endangers anyone trying to get to the stranded rider
to offer assistance. Now the rider or riders, if someone does manage to
reach the stuck sled, will spend a lot of time and energy digging out one
side of the sled and trying to pull down the skis without rolling the
snowmobile. Setting the Snowbuddy up short enables one person to leverage
the sled back wards out of the hole under control until the track is even
with the slope (see basic use of Snowbuddy, setting up short). Depending on
snow conditions the rider can now turn the sled perpendicular to the fall
line or use the shovel part of the Snowbuddy to dig a flat place to turn the
sled before descending back down the hill.
Sometimes dragging a snowmobile is the only way out of trouble. Mountain
riders find tree wells. Midwesterners can run off of the trail into deep
ditches full willows and bushes. Creeks and deep ravines can be found
anywhere people snowmobile. Setting up Snowbuddy with the Rope Trick
accessory makes dragging a sled out of trouble possible for one or two
riders instead of an needing an army.
[Section Index]
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Risk of Injury
Grabbing the back end of a snowmobile, giving a hard jerk to lift and twisting sideways to drop the snowmobile on top of the snow is the worst motion possible for your back. Repeatedly jerking, lifting, and twisting when cold and tired makes a snowmobile rider venerable to serious back injury. Most snowmobilers ignore this very real danger. "I've been riding for years and never had a problem. Might happen to somebody else but not me." If you live in snowmobile country you might contact a local chiropractor or orthopedic and ask how many people they are treating for injuries incurred lifting a snowmobile and how serious the problem can be. You might be surprised by their response.
[Section Index]
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