Laramie snowmobiling

[alumacraft3]

For those of you who snowmobile the mountains around Laramie Wyoming I have a question. When on average is there enough snow to take a trip out there to ride? I know every year is different but I'm looking for a general time frame. Is late November out of the question?

[MN Mike]

I know I've seen snowmobiling pics that early in the season but it's a real wildcard depending on the snow they get ( pretty much goes for any place in the Mtn's in November ), still lots of junk under the snow you can hit with your sled and do some damage.

We hunt Elk / Mule Deer just south of the Snowies in Colorado and I've seen pics of people out there sledin about 1 week after we got home from our hunting trip which would put it at early Nov., although I wouldn't consider that normal.

I've only been to the Snowy Range one time snowmobiling and it was a BUSY place, one word of caution, if you stay in Laramie, lock you stuff up good and anything valuable, take it with you if you can, buddies of mine got their stuff stolen a few years back at one of the motels, local authorities passed it off as another day at the office.

When we get the chance to go back, we motor right thru Laramie and go to Walden, Co. It's about another 65 miles but it gives you more options and you can still do the Snowies if you want to.

Mike

[alumacraft3]

Thanks for the reply. I'm looking into getting a mountain sled this year. What is the minimum track length I could get away with to ride the mountains?

[leech~~]

MN Mike, post up some of those great pic's from out west, that will get him up for his trip!

[MN Mike]

MN Mike, post up some of those great pic's from out west, that will get him up for his trip!

Yeah, I should do that but I'm not on my computer that has those pics on it but I'll have to admit I'm already getting the fever, might have to go fire up the M8 today and get a little wif of 2 stroke smoke

Aluma, there are a lot of good options out there these days for Mtn sleds, I'm a Arctic Cat person so you'll hear me reference mostly Cats. Our group has pretty much covered it all for track length over the years, the first 3 years we rode the Mtn's, I had a '98 ZL500 short tracker with a 1.25" track on it, of course I don't think there were even 144" tracks back then unless it was a custom built sled. From there we went to 136, 144, 151, 159 and 162 inch tracks. Now days we have pretty much settled on 153" tracks, we've just found that size to be the one we like the most and fits our style of riding the best.

If you look at the crossover sleds, there's nothing wrong with them either, just make sure you get a decent lug on the track, 1.25" minimum, 1.5" is better, if you go above that you'll have to see if it will fit without changing other parts first.

Early mountain riding often has a lot of baseless powder, we don't usually start riding out west until mid January and we've ridden as late as the last week in April, that early season can be a real workout, getting stuck is the norm, even if you have really long tracks.

Mountain riding is FUN and addicting...... get ready!

Mike

[LightningBG]

uh oh. You guys are giving me the bug, and we haven't even made it through hunting season yet.

[alumacraft3]

Mn mike thanks for the reply. Most of my riding would be ditches and trails around home but I would like the option to go out west. I'm seriously looking at a cross over sled. I'm looking at a 2012 arctic cat xf 1100 sno pro limited with a 141 inch track. Would I have enough power to ride the mountains since this sled isn't the turbo? Also I've done some reading and have heard there being a few problems with fires and a couple other issues with this sled. Any input or experiences with this sled would be great. Hoping to purchase a sled soon. Thanks

[MN Mike]

We had 2 1100 Turbos with last year ( 1 XF 1100 Turbo Sno Pro High Country and a M1100 Turbo Limited white one ) I know your talking a non turbo but that weight of the 1100 is a factor in the Mtns, general rule of thumb is that you lose 30% horsepower on a non turbo at elevation, doesn't matter if it's 2 or 4 stroke.

The fellow that has the XF 1100 Turbo High Country also has a 2012 M800 Retro Sno Pro, if I remember right, he had that 1100 out west twice last year and the M800 Retro once, the last ride he went on last year was with the M800 and from the texts and phone calls I got from him, it wouldn't surprise me to hear he sold the 1100.

Now on the other hand, the fellow that has the M1100 Turbo Limited Edition loves his but he's half nuts anyway and I'll attest that it's one climbing machine, point and shoot, your going somewhere with 162 inches of track on that buggy.

I rode both of those 1100's for about 3 hours last year, I'll tell you the power was AWESOME ( especially the 1100 High Country, it had a kit in it so the HP was bumped up to almost 300 HP ), smooth as all get out and deceiving to say the least but there was no doubt a 4 stoke engine was up front. For me it's not the type of sled I would want but thats my personal preference ( right now ). I was slightly surprised at how 'light' the sled felt under power, you could maneuver it pretty well but if your coming down a hill, that 4 stroker is pulling you down the hill and thru the trees pretty good. Going up the Mtn is great but coming down sometimes can get hairy and that goes for 2 strokes too.

I'd have some apprehensions about a non turbo 1100 in the mountains, especially in the early season when 162's are having troubles getting around. If you wait until the snow gets some base to it, February thru April your going to have more fun, otherwise I would maybe look at a XF 800 of some type.

Right now if I were to look at a new sled, I'd give a ProClimb XF High Country 800 a good hard look, I like my M800 but I was missing the swaybar in this new chassis, especially riding locally here in MN.

Mike

[MN Mike]

Here's a good video from Buffalo Pass, as the crow flies, it's about 70 miles south / southwest of Snowy Range, one of those options you have if you go to Walden instead of Laramie.

When you see these guys getting stuck, you can't imagine the workout it is to get these sleds unstuck when you are on the flat ground. Listen to what he says at the end of the video, it's soooo true.

[leech~~]

Here's a good video from Buffalo Pass, as the crow flies, it's about 70 miles south / southwest of Snowy Range, one of those options you have if you go to Walden instead of Laramie.

When you see these guys getting stuck, you can't imagine the workout it is to get these sleds unstuck when you are on the flat ground. Listen to what he says at the end of the video, it's soooo true.

Holy ceerap, it looks like evey man for himself out there. Doesn't anyone help each other out when their stuck?

Anyone riding like that better make sure they don't have any heart issues or you may as well just dig a snow grave right there!

[MN Mike]

If you ride with good friends, you'll gang up on one sled at a time, get it turned around and go to the next stuck sled. NOW, if you keep getting stuck, then they just take that much longer to get to you when your trying to get unstuck eventually you get the idea you probably shouldn't get stuck anymore. In that video, there wasn't much you could do, when the bottom goes out, your done for!........ it's AWESOME!

Just think, there's a sled in this pic somewhere!!!!

I LOVE Colorado!

Mike

[BoxMN]

Wow! So, just wondering out loud due to being a flat-lander How exactly do you "dig out" or get those sleds out? Do you truly turn them around and go back down your trail? Is that the only real way? Never been in anything over about 4' so haven't experienced it. Thanks!

[MN Mike]

If you're by yourself it might be the only way but if you have some buddies with, you put the sled on it's snowflap and tip it over ( so it's pointing back the way you came ), roll it back upright and your are on your way in short order ( beats the HECK out of shoveling ) BUT I don't recommend doing that with 4 stokers. In that much powder you won't hurt a thing on your sled.

Snobunje's work great in that situation too, if the snow it right.

It's a workout no matter how you do it, in that youtube video above @ about the 2:12 mark, you see what happens if you don't get it right going forward........ start over

Mike

[motownmasher]

brings back alot of great memories. havn't been out west for the past 3 winters. if you guys have an extra seat on a future trip shoot me pm. old crew all had kids and other financial obligations