CLUB RIDES POLICY
Rides and events are for Club members and invited guests only.
All rides meet at 9:30 am and start at 10:00 am unless otherwise stated or advertised and return at approximately 4:30 pm or before dark.
If the temperature is minus -15C or colder on the morning of the ride, the ride may be cancelled. Check your email in the morning or phone the ride leader or another club member for ride changes or cancellations.
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Liability Insurance is now mandatory for ALL riders (members and guests). All snowmobiles must now be registered.
Club members must provide proof of liability insurance to the Treasurer or ride leader.
Invited guests must provide proof of liability insurance at time of ride.
Liability insurance can be obtained through Oasis Insurance or Capri Insurance.
· Website links located on side bar.
· Can
also be purchased through an insurance broker
· In
100 Mile, the broker for Oasis Insurance is Western Financial Group, 250-395-2424
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10
COMMANDMENTS FOR MOUNTAIN SNOWMOBILERS
(from
the Canadian Avalanche Centre)
· Know
the current avalanche forecast for the area of your trip. (go to
www.avalanche.ca)· Have a plan for your trip, and choose terrain based on the avalanche forecast. The higher the avalanche danger, the simpler the terrain should be.
· Have a Plan B for simpler terrain if avalanche conditions are at all questionable. If in doubt, always choose simpler terrain.
· Ensure everyone in your group has a properly working avalanche transceiver, shovel, and probe on their person, and knows how to use it.
· Only allow one person on the hill at a time.
· Watch or gather in safe areas only, never in avalanche run out zones or terrain traps.
· Always pay attention to snow conditions and the terrain above you as you move through areas.
· If crossing an avalanche path, expose only one person at a time.
· Gather frequently in safe areas, and discuss your route and observations.
· If you see others in unsafe situations, speak up.
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INTERLAKES
SNOWMOBILE CLUB GUIDE TO SNOWMOBILING
Ethics
and Courtesy
General
Safety1. Ride to the right side of the trails. (No passing.)
2. Don’t speed where view is limited.
3. Never drink and ride.
4. Stop for breaks depending on the riders.
5. Do not chase animals.
6. Pack out what you pack in.
7. Protect the environment.
8. Respect other people’s property and rights.
9. Stay on trails when marked to do so.
10. Do to others as you would have them do to you.
11. Stay on existing trails when on people’s property; don’t make new paths.
12. You are responsible for the rider behind you. Always watch and wait for the person behind you when making a turn onto a different trail. If you are unsure what direction the group has gone at an intersection, stop and wait. One of the riders behind or the Sweep may know which way to go. If not, wait and someone ahead will return.
13. Safe following distance.
14. If you leave the ride/group line [boondocking], you MUST yield to the line when re-entering the line.
15. No hard acceleration on groomed trails.
16. When parked in a group, no hard acceleration from a stop. Be aware of anyone parked behind you, may kick up gravel and other debris.
17. If you have them, carry FRS radios. Ride Leader will advise what channel the group will be on. In the past, we have found these radios to be helpful. Especially when the group becomes separated or in the event someone gets stuck or lost out of sight of the group.
18. Carry a whistle, very helpful when requesting assistance and aids in locating a person.
Stuck—Unstuck
Goal: To help a rider get out of being stuck. Running off the trail, hard packed snow or
good base type snow into soft or no base type snow. If really stuck, use more than one method of
getting out.
A. If
with others:
1. Use
a ski rope on the trail side ski loop and pull.2. Use two ski ropes, one on each ski loop and pull.
3. Use tow rope, attach to spindle of stuck machine and back of pulling machine, which should be on some kind of base or trail; apply power to both machines and come out. Towed machine should be careful not to overrun the towing machine.
B. If
by yourself:
1. If
not too deep, get to the uphill side and power out rocking the machine as you
go.2. In deep snow, try stomping a path out for each ski and digging out around the track, then powering out, rocking the machine from side to side as you go.
3. If track is dug down, try lifting machine up to the side and then using above #2. Also, try filling the hole where track dug in with packed down snow.
C. If
track is packed with snow and will not turn, you must clear snow from the track;
otherwise you will burn up a belt very fast and still go
nowhere.
Extreme
Danger Conditions:
In
HIGH MARKING, getting stuck on the top of the arc is bad form. Try not to get in that situation,
particularly if snow is unstable. If
avalanche conditions are prime, you should not be high marking.
RIDING
CONSIDERATIONS
Weight
Distribution:1. Up.
2. Down.
3. Side hilling.
4. Leaning on curves.
5. Know you and your sleds limitations.
6. Kneel to ride in some conditions.
7. Big difference between single vs. 2-up, short track vs. long track.
Hills
and Slopes
1. Scout
your terrain.
2. Know
how to do turn outs.
3. Can
you change sides on knees.
4. Side
hilling.
5. Straight
up vs. straight down.
6. Braking
and using a bit of throttle.
7. If
you are losing the machine, GET OFF ON THE UP HILL SIDE.
Slush:
When you get into slush, increase speed. PIN IT. If the person in front gets slush and water in their track, go left or right and pin it.
COMMON
SENSE:
· Wear
an approved helmet· Do not snowmobile on plowed forestry roads
· Avoid snowmobiling alone
· Stop and proceed with caution when crossing roads and trails.
MAINTENANCE
Goal: To promote fun snowmobile riding, to
emphasize safety, and to maintain sled .· Check gas
· Check oil
· Know how to change spark plug
· Know how to change belt
· In some cases, check chain case oil.
Promote
Safety Check:
· Check
throttle· Check brakes
· Clear skis
· Clear track
· Check lights
To
maintain sled when not riding
· Gas
saver or extender· Oil in cylinder
· Start sled twice in the off season
· Pre-season check up
Tools
to Carry:
· Spark
plug wrench; spark plug and extra belt· Straight slot screwdriver
· Philips screwdriver
· Crescent wrench
· Emergency start rope
· Tow rope/ chain/ cable
· Ski tow rope
Know
How to Start Sled
· Each
sled is different· Choke vs. primer vs. EFI
· Pull start vs. none
· Reverse vs. none
· Warm up varies by sled, but DO warm up the machine
Safe
Operating Procedures:
An
organized ride will usually have a leader
(front person), sweep
(last person in line) and on larger rides or rides with dangerous areas and/or
crossings, 2 to 4 outriders
(riders who act in various safety methods to promote a smooth and safe
journey).
The lead should have knowledge of the area and the trail.
The
sweep
often
has some mechanical knowledge and makes sure that no one gets left behind or
lost. Sweep also signals the lead or an
outrider, that all sleds have caught up when a rest stop is
encountered.
Outriders
stop
at hazards and assist the riders. A
common use is for road crossings with outriders on each side of the crossing,
signaling the sleds to go across. After
clearing the riders across the hazard, outriders speed on ahead to get to the
front of the group or up to the next hazard.
When possible, the lead, sweep, and some of the outriders will have
radios available to them.
Remember,
also to check the rider behind you when turning, even if you have to wait. They must know the group is turning onto a
new trail. Be a courteous rider who
looks out for other riders.
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