Okay, it’s wintertime, time for some sort of wintery subject that might possibly pique the passing interest of the laptop browser who is bundled, safe and warm by the fire, nursing their favorite beverage and dreaming of warm meadows filled with spring flowers and endless possibilities of next summer’s promises. But what wintry subject could possibly suffice?
Snowmobiling!
Hate snowmobiles? Couldn’t be less interested? Oh, c’mon! At least ride along with me here for a few minutes, what’s the harm? And at least allow me to share a few of my experiences and feelings about sledding with you. Because if you’ve never been on a snowmobile, perhaps you can say that you have been, at least vicariously. An avid snowmobiler’s passion for his sport never fails to raise a few eyebrows at a cocktail party.
I’ve a good friend who always called it “snowmoviling,” as he felt they are far too noisy. They are noisy, sure… small price to pay for what it does, where it goes. And like many constant noises, one gets used to it fairly quickly.
I was an avid snowmobiler for four years, and I’m going to share enough pictures with you to prove it. I’m going to explain how riding a snowmobile got into my blood, and what it did for me, besides awakening a lost spirit of adventure.
Next To Baldy Mountain
Dillon and me, sharing a welcome cup of hot coffee on the trail
Actually, it was a natural, sort of. I had just retired and moved back to Montana, to attempt to live out my life in my cabin on the hill. Seemed like a good plan at the time. But I hadn’t figured on the Montana winters… those gawd-awful six-month stretches that seemed to last forever. What to do with half the year of your life, in Southwest Montana?
Dil & me, in my “studio”
I began by doing little music pieces in my small recording studio in the cabin. I read some, then began writing. All that went fine for a while, but it didn’t get me out of the cabin, and I was warned by a friend that I might become fat and sedentary. Well, we couldn’t have that now, could we?
Two friends in town coaxed me into doing a little sledding with them. They convinced me mostly by telling me I’d be a fool not to take advantage of the natural wintertime beauty that SW Montana is known for. And they each had a sled I could borrow. Not wanting to be a fool on any account, I “dipped my toe” into the world of snowmobiling… and it was fantastic!
After a few eye-opening trips into the back country with those two friends, I bought a used Polaris and a trailer for it. Mick gave me some used snow pants and a heavy waterproof jacket, an old helmet that he didn’t use any more, and I was off. Literally!
At first I tried to stay in the other sledders’ tracks, but soon veered off into the fresh white stuff, and then the fun really began! Snowmobiles are so perfect for almost any kind of snow. They go some places, with ease, that I could never have imagined. There was a road that went South of our town for about 4 miles, then led into a tiny trail that stretched another 12 miles, depending on how far one wanted to go. I was able to make it about 6 miles in, numerous times, and believe me, the views and the feeling of being up in there was unreal!
Here’s what sledding is all about – it’s like fishing, like nearly anything that demands your attention and removes you from the daily struggles and worries. It’s a physical exercise, you can’t just sit quietly on the thing and get the adrenaline shot that it’s capable of. You have to stand up on it a lot, use your weight to wrench it around on steep hillsides, and sometimes simply get a good grip and hold onto it for dear life. I can tell you this, when you start riding like that, you’ve already become addicted!
Cirque Lake in summertime
Me having a short gratitude meditation on Cirque Lake
At first it was hard, and I was timid, often scared, and totally unadventurous. But it slowly became easier and more fun as I gained experience and confidence. Toward the end of my sledding life I went places, occasionally with my pals’ help, that I never would have dreamed of going to before. Cirque Lake is one place, and the ridge overlooking Circle Lake is another. But even setting the trail flags in the snow for half the day was fun, and usually an adventure of one sort or another.
For me, it was several things… the beauty of the country we rode through, simply breath-taking. It was riding through mountains now inhabited only by deer, elk, moose, bear and Rocky Mountain sheep. When we would stop, the enduring silence was incredible, the only sound being when the wind was blowing through the pines. I rode with my paIs along timber lines, over frozen creeks, even lakes, and through the deep Montana forests. And I loved it… all of it!
Marcus, getting some serious air.
Me, getting very modest air at the head of Arasta Creek
I bought new snow pants and jacket, and someone gave me a pair of great boots that fit perfectly. As I became a better, more aggressive rider, I gave my Polaris to the ACME groomers’ club and bought a used Ski-Doo… a rocket ship, to me! Snowmobiling is a little like 4-wheeling, but a sled can go so many places a 4-wheeler can’t. And a sled is fast! Riding up a long, wide hillside with the groomers up in the Arasta Creek drainage, I once got up to 75… very briefly. It was too much for me, but at least I did it… once!
The Southwest Ridge of Cirque Lake
Me, having made it to the top. See how the wind has blown the snow off the top of the ridge.
The view from the top, looking south. That whole experience took my breath!
My town’s snowmobile club consisted of 3 other guys my own age, 64 to 80. They were the trail groomers, the hardy few who marked the trail south of our town for the out-of-towners to follow. If you got lost, or worse, stuck and lost, you might be doomed unless someone came along and spotted you. And that right there is a major reason we usually rode with one or more other riders. That and the fact that if you left the trail, sooner or later you would get stuck.
Grooming the trail, smoothing it out while marking it for others.
Stuck!
Here’s a video I shot of of us, the ACME Groomers on a day’s cruise up into the hight country, to groom and enjoy the ride. I’m proud to have been on the team for 4 years… the places we went, the things I learned!, the cammaraderie of 3 great guys! And to reflect on all of it at the end of a chilly day, next to the fire and a fine brandy!
https://vimeo.com/manage/videos/1049795100
There is good news and bad news about snowmobiling, for me anyway. The bad news is that my toes got so cold several times, they have now been numb for about 12 years. The good news is that I got 5 more years of physical exercise, a familiarity with SW Montana’s fabulous back country, and quality time with my sledding buddies. They were so good to me… taught me the ropes, remained patient when I held back, talked me off of small cliffs and drop-offs several times, and even indulged me when I insisted on meditating on a frozen Cirque Lake!
Many of our later rides were too demanding to bring my camera, but I got probably 1000 shots or more of the experience, plus getting Daryl to take one of me getting a little air! Ah, those cheap thrills… the older we get, the better they feel… as long as we survive them! And I easily made enough memories in those 5 years to last a lifetime. There now… aren’t you glad you came along with me?
Steve Hulse
