What to bring on a snowmobile trip? In order to be able to enjoy your trip, you must pack all the things you need for a great ride. You don’t want to arrive at the track and realize that some essential gear is missing.
An introduction to the fever
The adrenaline, the speed, the passion of the backcountry… Those are the quintessential attributes of many of us when we stride to go through life without outright dying of the sheer boredom brought by our day jobs and other such circumstances, such as gloomy seasons.
And to many of us, winter is such an obstacle, stopping us from enjoying life at its fullest. Gone are the days of dog pulled sleds, to drag us through the thick white snow, but gone are also the days when this was our only alternative. It is the 21st century and although we all do love our canine friends, a new roaring beast has conquered our chilled out hearts:
The snowmobile
Winter is coming and we must be prepared. ”I’ve got that sexy beast by my side, but what am I supposed to do? What should I buy and bring with me? What steps should I take? Am I safe doing it by myself or should I bring help?”
Questions, questions… Questions that we are here to answer so that you can ride and return home safely. So cozy up, rev your engine, get yourself a nice hot cup of cocoa and enjoy the ride with us.
Basic Gear
”What kind of gear should I bring?” It all depends on the countryside and your abilities. Is the terrain flat or mountainous? Are you a newbie or are you a veteran? Trick questions, it doesn’t matter. We know we sound like an old fart when telling you this, but regardless of your prior experience, safety should be your #1 priority. You cannot have fun while lying in a hospital bed, right?
So here is what you should bring with you on your trip in order to prevent any – less than desirable – consequences:
A first aid kit
You shouldn’t leave home without it. A note in this regard, you should go talk with your doctor about the contents of your kit, but should you skip this step, here are the basics of it.
A first-aid kit should contain everything ranging from band-aids, to antiseptic wipes, rubbing alcohol/other disinfectants, splints, painkillers/other drugs to contain any spontaneous fever, trauma dressings, thermal blanket, scissors, tweezer, dressings and trauma dressings, vinyl gloves, cardboards arm splint and a cold pack and triangular bandages, just to name a few.
And if you do not know how to use them, add a pocket first-aid guide to the mix.
Remember, with all the speed and excitement, adrenaline might get hold of you and a steel wit is no match for high-velocity impacts and broken bones.
Avalanche equipment (optional)
To bring this one depends solely on where you are going to take your snowmobile. And if it is in a region prone to avalanches, you should bring up the following: a transceiver, a means for communication (pocket two-way radio or charged phone if the signal is good – plus an external battery), a probe, a compass, a strong yet small shovel, a snow-saw and/or a snow-pick, airbag, a flare-gun, a high yield flashlight with reserve batteries and a map.
You should read on this gear to know what everything does, on how to use them and how they can save your life in a crisis.
A whistle may be a great idea if you get stuck.
Snowmobile tools
The snowmobile is like a fine lady. Take care of her and your life will be lived at its fullest. Don’t, and you are about to freeze to death in the middle of nowhere. In order to avoid this, here is what you should also pack: screwdrivers, zip ties, wrenches, shock pump, spare core components like break (brake) levers and hose clamps, just to name a few.
Most snowmobiles come with a small repair-kit, which serves its intended purpose, but encourages the owner to upgrade into a proper kit. Also, never skip on the duct tape. That stuff is divine providence and you know it. Also, it is very easy to pack.
As a final note, NEVER leave home without a full tank. If you can spare some space, bring additional fuel with you. Sucks getting stuck in the mud, but it sucks, even more, to get stuck in the middle of nowhere-country.
Snowmobile garment
Winter is coming. And we humans are far from being able to sunbath naked in sub-zero temperatures. So, make sure to pack some warmth with you: winter jacket, winter pants, winter boots, and winter gloves.
Make sure to wear another layer of winter clothing under the aforementioned. It is already cold as it is, let alone what you will live through at 50 miles per hour in the howling of the roaring winter wind.
Also, we cannot stress enough about the importance of safety. Thus, you should never skip the helmet and the goggles. Make sure they are of fine quality.
Camping equipment (optional)
We all love speed, but sometimes, we just want to wind up and enjoy the atmosphere. Should you desire to raise camp while on a snowmobile trip, this is what you should bring: a winter tent, winter sleeping bag (a common mistake that many make is to skip the ”winter” part and go for a cheaper, summer one.
This is a fatal mistake, seeing as how those things sometimes fail to keep you warm during the summer months, let alone the winter ones), a compact yet strong and portable stove (with all the necessary utensils – forks, knives, spoons), a means to carry water (bucket or pouch), a woodchopper (small ax or machete), a sturdy camping knife, lamps/headlamps, gas canisters, and fire starters.
Consumables
Fun is always something to work for, but what fun can one have on an empty stomach? Your culinary baggage should always contain:
- Enough water: and the necessary means to carry enough of it. We cannot stress enough the importance of being hydrated, even during winter! To the untrained eye, this issue would be trivial: ”Just melt the snow and drink it”. Depending on the situation, this is as wrong as it can get. And all of it due to two main reasons:
- Health issues: in some cases, especially in places far away from settlements or sources of pollution in general, it is generally considered safe to melt snow in order to drink it. However, pathogens from rotting vegetation underneath the snow (depends on how early the snow fell) or from other sources might get you sick and sickness leads to fevers, vomiting and thus, dehydration. If you do intend to drink it, boil it first to kill the bacteria.
- Warmth loss: the greatest peril here is what most people undermine, thinking that you cannot lose warmth from drinking ice-cold water in the winter. However, this is how many have lost their lives. When we drink cold water, the body expends heat and energy in order to maintain our body’s temperature. The more it expands(expands), the cooler we get, which again leads to fevers, vomiting and thus, dehydration.
- Winter clothing cannot save all of our heat, seeing as how our faces and necks are usually exposed; and for those of you who did not know, most of our heat escapes our bodies through the face and the neck, our palms and through the feet. Again, the best solution is to boil it up, or at least warm it up over a fire.
- Health issues: in some cases, especially in places far away from settlements or sources of pollution in general, it is generally considered safe to melt snow in order to drink it. However, pathogens from rotting vegetation underneath the snow (depends on how early the snow fell) or from other sources might get you sick and sickness leads to fevers, vomiting and thus, dehydration. If you do intend to drink it, boil it first to kill the bacteria.
- Food: depending on your stay, you should plan accordingly. If it is but a day’s worth of fun, it is ok to bring perishable food and in low quantities, seeing as how the time window is short and the cold will aid with preserving the food.
- However, should you spend at least a few days camping, you should consider bringing the standard food pallet of the winter camper: instant soup, hot drink materials (coffee, tea, hot cocoa, etc), mac & cheese, oatmeal, granola bars, canned food and enough snacks to keep you well fed and brimming with energy during the day. Honey, Nutella and other sugary stuff are a must. Same with high-fat and calorie-rich foods such as butter.
Other things
The common misconception is that you don’t need energy to go snowmobiling, seeing as how you sit on it all day. You do. The energy is not there to help you run like a marathon sprinter, but to help your body stay warm. Cold, by default, consumes energy. And energy is imperative to living.
- Napkins and/or rags: they are also pretty useful, not only for cooking and cleaning but also for snowmobile maintenance and other general health and well-being requirements, such as wiping your face and hands of cold water in order to avoid heat loss.
- Whatever else you deem necessary: If you have friends who are already experienced, don’t shy away from inquiring them about everything. One day, others might come and ask you for the same favor.
Information
Another of your priorities is to inform yourself. Maps are a must if you are about to tread through places you have
never been before. Again, inform the local police and/or any official mountaineering group tasked with surveying the region for stranglers so that in case you get lost, they can find you in a few hours, and not days. Get yourself a read on the weather forecast, so that you might not get buried under a howling and unexpected blizzard.
And while you’re at it, ask the locals about how prone the region is to suffer from bear, wolf or Sasquatch attacks. Who knows?
Q & A
As a final note, we would like to address some of the more imperative questions regarding your well-being.
Will I ever need ALL of that stuff?
Yes. But you should be the happiest person alive to not have to use it all. However, the (optional) sub-sections are just for such occasions and are not imperative if you do not plan to go to a dangerous area or to camp. Also, pack according to how long you will stay and according to the specific zone (plains, hills, mountains).
Can I at least skip some of the gear?
The basic necessities, no. The rest is up to you. Life beats comfort.
What about the prices?
Cheap gear means lower quality. It is up to you how much your life is worth and how much you trust your wit.
Should I bring friends with me?
Yes. ALL OF THEM! The more, the merrier. Just be sure to not harm nature or other people’s properties (or other people) and most importantly, yourselves.
Should I tell the police where I am?
Unless you will track through mountainous terrains away from civilization, when you should without hesitation inform the regional/local groups responsible for such endeavors, yes. This will make it easier for them to find you if something goes terribly wrong. Also, informing them will allow them to, in turn, inform you about weather patterns, routes to take, safety tips, current perils, if you are breaking any laws and other such trivialities.
Can I drink alcohol?
Drinking too much will always lead to bad decisions. If you are not the one driving, go for it, but in moderation. If you are driving, stay away from it. Beyond the perils of sudden collision with a tree, a big rock, other people or falling into a ravine, the peril goes even beyond.
What most people do not know is that alcohol is really harmful especially during the winter. When it enters our bloodstream, it dilates the veins where they connect with our skin.
Thus, although our hearts and minds feel only joy and fuzziness when drinking a cup of Captain Morgan’s Rum during winter, our bodies do not. With the blood veins dilated, heat will now be able to escape our bodies even easier and trust us when we tell you that losing heat at a considerable rate in sub-zero temperatures is quite the detriment to our health.
So forget the image of the stereotypical northerner doing nothing but cutting wood, being grumpy and drinking alcohol. This has led many adventures to their untimely deaths, which we highly discourage.
Some of our readers might be new to this, while others are experienced veterans who are quite the tough nuts to crack, doing it like it’s Tuesday. Take care and avoid drinking as much as you can, and if you do drink, a few sips should be all nice and dandy.
Conclusion
With all that said, we are looking forward to the snowy season. October is already here and the cold is already settling. So check your machines, pack up and triple check your gear, go get your friends, because Winter Is Coming. And if you follow our steps, you won’t have anything to worry about.
Take care and go have some right and proper fun!