Sledboarding Colorado Mountains / Nine Year Flashback 2007 / Snowboarding the Backcountry

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Chasing the snow storms was how we rolled 9 years ago. We had been in the sledboard game for 3 years, with 10 years of snowboarding under our belts, we kept pushing the bounderies.

Back in 1999 we started to head to the mountains from the Midwest. By 2002 we had taken an avalanche course in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. The backcountry was our drug, best served with storms and driving through blizzards that just added to the adventure. 

 The town that caught our attention early on was Steamboat, Colorado. This was a big resort town, but also the appeal was the main town which still felt like a cowboy town. Nothing beats a good snowstorm in Steamboat.

 The goal 9 years ago was to hit the early season storm as it was dropping fresh powder in the surrounding mountains.

We went all in with the sled part of the backcountry adventure, 2 long track mountain sleds, enclosed trailer and 3/4 ton pick-up. 3 years into this adventure, we had replaced one of the sleds with a new 2008 Polaris RMK with a 155 inch long track. We still had the original 800 Polaris RMK 159" track.

The system was to have both sleds, ride both down the mountain and park 1 sled. Then Weez would sit in front and hold onto the bars while I stand and drive back up the mountain. Unload the boards and the snowboard down the mountain together. arrive at the parked sled, load up and roar back up. Sometimes we would use a waterski rope and I would pull Weez back up the mountain behind the sled.     

 The White Room... look close and you can see Weez in the trees.

 Riding the Polaris Mountain Sleds... awesome terrain and scenery... fresh powder.

 Living the rock and snow life... Our own mountain for the day, nobody else out there... Yee Haa!!

 Backcountry mountain weapon, Polaris 700 RMK 155"/2.4" paddles.

 Took a break from the backcountry 1 day and hit the Steamboat Resort on the boards.

The trip was all part of the big Adventure...East of Omaha heading into Des Moines, Iowa. 

Brapppp On!!

Cooke City, Montana / Backcountry Sledboard 2015 / M8 Cat & RMK Pro 800 / Burton Fish Pow Boards

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Cooke City is a snowmobile town in the winter. Park out front and ride from your hotel to the trail out of town and into the mountains.

 Getting some snowmobile riding in before the boarding. Had a good snowmobile ride yesterday, getting a feel for the sleds and snow conditions. We were up near Daisy Pass, found some good drops for the snowboards, so game on...

 Weez dropping out of the trees and heading for the sled.

 We had to pose for the sledboard pictures after a very good day in the backcountry on the sleds and boards. The other sled was up top waiting for us.

Each run consisted of both of us riding our sleds down to the bottom, leaving one there. Then Weez would climb on the sled, sit down and hold onto the mountain strap on the handle bars, I would stand behind her. It was a wild ride, climbing back up the mountain on the sled. She really must trust me because I'm on the gas all the way. then we would board down and repeat the ride back up.

 The final drop down to the the sled was steep and powder.

 It was a blast to get back on the sleds and ride the mountains. The final day we rented an Arctic Cat M800 / 153 inch track and a Polaris PRO RMK 800 / 155 inch track. The sleds are about 160 horsepower...they rip!

 We finished the trip off with a ride up the trail, not ready to give up the riding and being in the mountains. Mountain cabin with Elk antlers and thick blanket of snow.

Main street Cooke City, Montana

Sledboard on!!

Sledboard Trip to Cooke City, Montana

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On our way to Montana. We decided to take the trip on Thursday, I started to set the truck up and loaded the snowmobile. Then on Friday finished packing. We made the decision to go to Cooke City while driving through Montana. It is shaping up to be a good adventure. 

 We slept in the truck off a freeway ramp in the middle of North Dakota. When we woke up the truck and snowmobile were covered with a heavy layer of frost.

 We pass through Yellowstone to reach Cooke City, about 60 miles on a narrow twisty, snow covered road. The sights were awesome.

 We spotted several buffalo and small herds of elk, I saw a couple of bighorn sheep also.

 We could smell the hot springs and saw some steam off a couple.

Cooke City, Montana...22 hours and 1100 miles in the truck (including our nap in the middle of North Dakota) and we arrive to a snowy main street and many sleds. We checked into our hotel and went down the street and enjoyed a very good meal at one of the taverns. Burgers and a cold beer and Weez with glass of wine and it was cheers to a good beginning to our sledboard adventure.

Where to dig a snowpit

Going to travel to Montana overnight tonight. This is what we will be looking for while we are in the mountains around Bozeman, Montana over the next 4 days. I'll be snowboarding and sledboarding, bringing the snowmobile.

I'll post pictures and stories during the trip. Have a good week.

Snowboarding Mountain Backcountry Day.wmv