Rider Safety
Snowmachine Basic Rider Certification
The snowmachine basic rider certification class is designed for new riders to the sport. It is a 6-hour hands on riding class that will give the new rider the basic skills of riding and safety. It will provide a solid foundation that will allow the new rider to continue developing their own skills with confidence. Lessons will include machine inspection, starting and controls, riding positions, starts and stops, turns, maneuvers, climbing hills, and side hilling. A total of 11 individual lessons during the day of riding. The culmination of the class will be a trail ride that puts all of the skills of the day into a trail ride packed with additional skills for all kinds of riding terrain and encounters.
Mountain Rider Class
The goal of this class is two fold, one is to give you the tools necessary to learn some mountain riding skills and the other is to manage mountain terrain safely. We will ride and learn about selecting safe routes through avalanche terrain, and how to respond to an avalanche by practicing effective rescue techniques. The other half of the day will be working on the skills for maintaining control of your sled in mountain terrain and ultimately winning the line and getting to the top of the hill safely! In the technical portion of this class, you will learn the fundamental techniques such as throttle and brake control, proper footwork, getting your sled on edge, and looking at where you want the sled to go. The class will be held in the mountains (Summit, Cantwell, Valdez or Turnagain) where we will spend time practicing our fundamentals on an open hillside, and then take our skills into the mountains and put them into practice in more technical terrain. We will also go over some other topics such as getting unstuck, what to carry with you in the backcountry, and how to set your sled up so that you can maximize your sled’s potential.
By the end of the class, you will have the tools to safely navigate technical terrain while staying in control of your sled and most importantly having fun in the mountains.
Recommendations for the class
- It is recommended that you have a sled designed for mountain riding (146 track or longer with a 2” or more paddle). These skills can be utilized on a trail or utility style sled but are much easier to execute on a mountain sled.
- It is recommended to watch the mountain riding videos in the YouTube playlist. We will be covering a lot of the topics in the videos so it will be helpful to familiarize yourself with the content beforehand.
- All avalanche gear (beacon, probe, shovel, air bag) as well as radio and applicable winter gear for being in the mountains all day!
Glacier Travel Class
Join us for our classroom based comprehensive Snowmachine Glacier Travel and Crevasse Rescue Class, an 8-hour course designed for snowmachiners. You will learn about risk management and how to evaluate glacier travel risks. Participants will learn critical strategies for identifying and selecting the safest travel routes across glaciers, gaining knowledge on how to assess terrain and recognize potential hazards associated with crevasse falls. Like avalanche rescue, crevasse rescue must happen in minutes. Our experienced instructors will guide you through the intricacies of glacier travel, you will learn to read glaciers to minimize your risks.
In addition to route planning, this class will focus on developing vital rescue skills needed in the event of a crevasse fall. Students will receive hands-on training in effectively utilizing their machine and rescue kits, including techniques for quickly deploying ropes and other essential gear to execute a fast and efficient rescue. In emergency situations, every second counts, and our course emphasizes the importance of swift action. By the end of the day, you will have the confidence and skills necessary to respond effectively in critical situations, making glacier adventures safer for you and your riding companions.
This is a class to help reduce your risks if you chose to travel on glaciers. It must be remembered that travel by snowmachine on glaciers is an extremely dangerous activity and we are not promoting the activity, we are only trying to reduce the risk to those that venture out onto the ice. If you choose to go you should only go with a very experienced person that knows the safest crevasse free route and has full rescue skills.
Training Request Form