Frozen Water
Traveling frozen lakes and rivers can
be fatal. Av oid waterwa ys. If you
are in an unfa m iliar area, as k the lo-
cal authorities or residents a bout the
ice condition, inlets, outlets, spring s,
fast moving currents or other haz-
ards. Never atte mpt to o pe rate your
snowm obile on ice that may be too
weak to support you and the vehicle.
Operating a snowmobile on ice or icy
surfaces can be very dangerous if you
do not observe certain precautions.
Theverynatureoficeisforeignto
good control of a snowmobile or any
vehicle. Traction for starting, turning
or stopping is much less than that
on snow. Thus, these distances can
be multiplied manyfold. Steering is
minimal, and uncontrolled spins are
an ever present dan ge r. When oper-
ating on ice, drive slowly with caution.
Allow yourself plenty o f room for
stopping and turning. This is especial-
ly true at night.
Hard Packed Snow
Don't underestimate hard packed
snow. It can be difficult to negotiate
as both s kis and track do not have as
much traction. Best advice is to slow
down and avoid rapid acce leration ,
turning or braking.
Uphill
There a re two types of hills you can en-
counter — the open hill on which there
are few trees, c liffs or other obstacles,
and a h ill that can only be climbed d i-
rectly. On an op en hill, the approac h
is to climb it by side hilling or slalom-
ing. Approa ch at an angle. Adopt a
kneeling position. Keep your weight
on the uphill side at all times. Main-
tain a steady, safe speed. Continue
as far as you can in this direction, then
switch to an opposite hill angle and rid-
ing position.
A direct climb cou ld present problem s.
Choose the standing position, accel-
erate before you start the climb and
then reduce t hrottle press ure to pre-
vent track slippage.
In either case, vehicle speed should
be as fast as the incline demands.
Always slow down as you reach the
crest. If you cannot proceed further,
don't spin your track. Turn the en-
gine off, free the skis by pulling them
out an d downhill, p lace the rea r of the
snowmobile uphill restart the engine
and ease it out with slow even th ro ttle
pressure. Position yourself to avoid
tipping over, then descend.
Downhill
Downhill driving requires that you
have full control of your vehicle at all
times. On ste e pe r hills, keep your
center of gravity low and both hands
on the h andlebar. Maintain s light
throttle pressure and allo w the ma-
chine to run downhill with the engine
operating. If a higher than safe s peed
is reached, slow down by braking but
apply the brake with frequent light
pressure. Never jam the brake and
lock the track.
Side Hill
When crossing a side h ill or travers-
ing up or downhill, certain proce du re s
must be followed. All riders should
lean towards the slope as required
for stability. The preferred ope ra ting
positions are the kneeling position,
with the knee of the down hill leg
on the seat and the foot of the up-
hill leg on the runnin g board, or the
posting position. Be prepared to s hift
your weight quickly as needed. Side
hills and steep slopes are n ot recom-
mended for a begin ner or a novice
snowmobiler.
18
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