best way to get unstuck

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pops

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got my sled stuck fri night took me an hour to dig er out. but learned somthing too . i rolled it over on its side and dug down to ground then flipped er back and wheelied out. just wonderin if anybody else has any good ways of getting unstuck. oh yea btw i know why i got stuck , lack of momentum dumb mistake i admit it .
 
yea snobunjes are nice...also carrying a shovel helps...if your stuck pointed up hill its best to dig the side of it and keep digging so you can turn it around...you'll get used to gettin unstuck...i used to do it a lot by myself
 
If your stuck going up hill pointer down hill, I also have a hard time getting unstuck by myself as I am younger and weeker. Got any good tips, I've tried rolling it over in what i thought was deep enough powder but that cost me a windshield.
 
By yourself is always a chore. Best to always ride with at least one buddy. I've used sno-bungees also, but don't really care for them. You can't always get them unhooked as the sled goes by, and the rider on the sled usually can't stop anytime soon or risk being stuck again. This can result in spending a lot of time looking for a $100 bungee lost in the snow. We lift the back end of the sled out of the trench, just to one side enough that it won't slip into it again. After that we walk around in front of the sled to pack the snow down, usually about six feet is plenty. Then, one person gets up front and grabs a ski while the other gets on the sled. On the count of three the rider nails it and the other pulls on the ski. They usually come right out. Most of the time we ride with a lot more people than just two, so a person on each ski pulling makes them come out really easy. Packing down a path in front of the sled makes a world of difference.
 
mod it- snobunje makes a little rubber strap that hooks to the eye hook. it will not let the snobunje come off of the ski. they are like 5 buks and will save you from "spending alot of time looking for a $100 bunje." your method works very well, but when used in conjuction with a snobunje is the ultimate. or the double whammy, when pointed up hill, move the back end of the sled out of the trench, pack down a trail in front of the machine (think of a ramp) and put a snobunje on each ski (providing you have at least 2 friends and 2 bungees). most of the time the sled will accellerate up the hill and continue on.

for solo stuck situations, go slow, take your helmet off and start digging. move the snow from one side of the skid/tunnel, stomp the snow next to the skid down to pack a nice platform. lift the rear of the sled up and over onto the packed snow. stomp as much snow down in front of the machine as possible (in between the skis, towards the track). pack a trail atleast 5-8 feet in front of the machine, then you should be able to ride the machine out of the hole you have created.
 
pops said:
got my sled stuck fri night took me an hour to dig er out. but learned somthing too . i rolled it over on its side and dug down to ground then flipped er back and wheelied out. just wonderin if anybody else has any good ways of getting unstuck. oh yea btw i know why i got stuck , lack of momentum dumb mistake i admit it .
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Yup solo is a chore. The only other suggestion I would make is when you've dug yourself out, packed a trail ahead and it's time to get things moving, make sure you are on the sled when you stab the throttle. I will time my thumb with jumping down on the running boards. In other words, maximum weight on the track when the trhottle is pressed.

If you've got a buddy with you, have them grab a ski loop (standing off to one side) and time his tugging with your jumping and once your moving don't stop until you're on more solid footing.

I would also recommend stripping some clothing and helmet right after you say "oh shoot" and before you start digging.

Enjoy!
 
I saw a guy that had drilled a tiny hole in the thumbthrottle and attached a length of string to it. Used the sno-bunje and yanked on the string to blip the throttle to get himself unstuck. Looked like it worked pretty well, but seemed like he ran the risk of running himself over if he yanked on the string a little too hard.
 
Been rolling sleds over to get them unstuck for years. Just be careful it doesn't get away from you and go rolling down a hill. We usually don't dig down to the ground though, as sometimes it can be a long way. Usually it is better to kick snow back into the trench and pack it as well as you can with your feet. Then set the sled back down on the packed snow. If you have no choice but to go uphill, be sure to pack a launching ramp to get back on top and get some speed going.

Yes, the first thing I do is take off my helmet, and then a layer or 2. This also gives you a moment to relax and think it through a few times. Getting unstuck is a lot easier if you stop and think it through. I have learned to actually enjoy getting unstuck, except for the lifting the sled part.

Sno-bungies are wonderful tools, as many on here will attest to.

Be sure to dig a big trench on your way into getting stuck. For an example see that 2007 Muni Video that Ian (crewchief47) took. The guy in the blue and orange is me, and the other guy in all red, who is blocking out the sun, is ViperDave. We could hardly climb out of the trench that the sled made. ;)!
 
I carry a tow strap about 15 feet long i hook one end of strap to a ski and have a friend pull while i push forward on machine and ease into the gas just enough where clutch barely engages as i lift up and push slighty. i always pull strap at a agle away from the machine not straight forward. Almost always if you have reverse do not use it you will bury it worse.
 
I think the number 1 thing is to make sure you dig everything out before you get on the throttle. Packing down a bit of a runway is definitly a big help sometimes, especially if yor facing uphill a little. Even solo it its not too bad if you you think it through like Ding said.

As bolin22 said start with a bit of a platfrom for the track then dig out the front, EVERYTHING, get all the snow cleared from in front of the skis and under the belly pan, this is critical imo. The less resistence up front the better, so make sure the skis are sitting flat also. Once you think your ready start slow and once you get moving dont stop for nothin!

It also helps if you can lay off the throttle just at that moment when you know you're done, but for some reason that is VERY hard to do. Ha Ha!
 
slush is actaully worse than being stuck in the snow. add 100+lb of water to the snow and then the swearing starts.

biggest help when solo is a peice of wire after you have done what was mentioned above. you use the wire to hold the motor at engagement rpms so that the sled is helping you as you pull on one ski to get it out. after it is out the rpms are not high enough for the sled to run away from you. used this one a couple of times but i am getting old and want a mountain jack now. easyer on the back.
 
yea ding i agree gotta think it thru be smart about it or else you will create more work for yourself
 
phazer35 said:
It also helps if you can lay off the throttle just at that moment when you know you're done, but for some reason that is VERY hard to do. Ha Ha!
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To go one step further, I even heard a mountain rider say to jump off the sled before easing of the throttle. The sled would float a little higher when stopping without your weight.
 
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However, if you are on a steep hill be sure to dig it in good, so it don't go back down. I suppose you are not really stuck then, but there may be a yard sale . . .
 
YooperMike said:
I saw a guy that had drilled a tiny hole in the thumbthrottle and attached a length of string to it. Used the sno-bunje and yanked on the string to blip the throttle to get himself unstuck.
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Good Idea!!

Maim said:
biggest help when solo is a peice of wire after you have done what was mentioned above. you use the wire to hold the motor at engagement rpms so that the sled is helping you as you pull on one ski to get it out. after it is out the rpms are not high enough for the sled to run away from you. used this one a couple of times but i am getting old and want a mountain jack now. easyer on the back.
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Just raise the hood and use Yamaha's handy thumb wheel to adjust the engine speed.
And be ready to hit the kill switch!

Ding said:
Been rolling sleds over to get them unstuck for years. Just be careful it doesn't get away from you and go rolling down a hill. We usually don't dig down to the ground though, as sometimes it can be a long way. Usually it is better to kick snow back into the trench and pack it as well as you can with your feet. Then set the sled back down on the packed snow. If you have no choice but to go uphill, be sure to pack a launching ramp to get back on top and get some speed going.
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That is the way I do it. Usually the sled will be sunk down in the deep snow and cannot be tipped, so I tramp down an area on one side and then tip the sled. Then push snow into the hole and tramp it down and repeat until there is a high, hard surface. Then tip the sled back and it will be sitting high and dry. Also tramp down the snow in front of the sled for a ways for a good runway.

Reverse helps a lot for getting unstuck. Sometimes going forward is not the direction to go and it is better to back the sled out. On a sled without reverse, having to turn it around in the deep snow to drive it out adds a lot to the work.
If the sled is not stuck bad or when you get the sled to the point that you are ready to move, the ability to move back and forth helps. Advance the throttle, but not enough for the track to spin, and then shift to reverse and do it. The sled may not have hardly any movement, but keep doing it and eventually the sled will move back and forth slightly. The key is to have patience and not spin the track. Each time you will go a little further. Keep running the sled back and forth until there is a good track packed down for 30-40 feet and then start at one end and get moving and drive out.
 
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Never be on the sled when trying to get out. You'll be there for hours. have one guy with the snow bunje pulling it tight. Then the other guy (while STANDING beside the sled blips the throttle and BAM it pops right out. If the snow is really deep you may have to stand beside and jump on as it starts to mave after you are out. If you hope on and go you end up getting stuck again.
 
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