Ep13 - How To Get Moving Again After Stopping On A Hillside

In this episode of Back To Skool™ Bret teaches how to get a snowmobile moving again in the direction you want, without getting stuck, after previously stopping on a hillside.

Back to Skool is a snowmobile-rider education series hosted by professional instructor Bret Rasmussen. Learn how to ride a snowmobile better, from beginners to experts. To find out more about Bret and Ride Rasmussen Style Schools and book a guided instructional clinic, click here:

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Hey folks, I’m your host Bret Rasmussen, and you’re watching Back To Skool! Your guide to riding backcountry terrain, Rasmussen Style!
This is Episode 13, and we’re teaching how to get moving again after stopping on a hillside.
Learning to start out again after stopping on the slope is a really cool skill that will totally eliminate getting stuck while trying to get moving again. This equates to more seat time and less shovel time. Let’s review the steps one by one and talk through this technique.
First: You should be in position number three, foot on the running board, free leg out to the side and slightly forward, hands on the bars and in a full counter steer, one finger on the brake lever, and eyes looking at your destination.
Second: Tilt the sled downslope by pushing with the handlebars and away from the hillside with your free leg. This will ensure the track is fully engaged in the snow.
Third: Stab the throttle while pushing the sled forward with your free leg. To stab the throttle means to use all the throttle, the key is to build track speed as fast as possible. This helps lift the sled out of the snow. If you don’t push forward with your free leg the track may break loose and washout downhill.
Fourth: As soon as the sled has forward momentum, apply full countersteer and bring the sled back to it’s edge catching the balance point.
Fifth: Let off the throttle and apply brake as needed to check speed and maintain control.
The key to this move is timing. Get out on the slope and give it a try. When you feel the sled lunge forward as you roll it away from the hill, you will know you have it right. This will become a natural maneuver with time and practice.
Pro Tip: Try to keep up with the sled, never allow the sled to pull you along. This could slow the sled and result in getting stuck. Always push forward on the handlebars until the sled has good momentum.
A good exercise would be to find a moderately steep slope and practice starting and stopping all the way across it. You should practice in a previously laid track and in virgin snow. Either option, when mastered will provide more enjoyment while on the mountain.