SideXSide Action - February 2008 - (Page 29)

We followed the sleds up a shortcut to the top of Keechelus Ridge, which forms the high ground between Keechelus and Kachess Lakes. The lower sections of the trail alternated between exposed ground, snow bridges, and patches of melting snow. About a half mile up the mountain, we were on solid snow and charging hard to the top. We followed the snowmobile tracks as best we could, but stuck to the trail when they took off straight up the mountainside through the trees. tracked UTV would be the perfect party barge for mountain top activities. If you compare snowmobiles to boats - the mountain sled is the personal water craft, the touring sled is the runabout, and the tracked UTV would be the pontoon boat. Load it up with a grill, a cooler full of beverages and steaks, a roll-up table and some folding chairs, and you’ve got a party ready to roll to your favorite backcountry bowl. The top of the 5000’ Keechelus Ridge is a gathering place for backcountry snowmobilers and this day was no exception. Tracked UTVs are so rare that most people have never seen one. The reception we received on top of the ridge was something between disbelief and amazement. You would have thought we were aliens from another planet or rock stars by the attention we received. Just about everyone came over to have a look, many took photographs, and all had questions. 28 SIDE X SIDE ACTION MAGAZINE 28 www.sidexsideaction.com The general consensus was that a You can only stand so much gawking at your vehicle, so we politely excused ourselves and headed off the ridge to churn up some fresh snow. There are very few things in life more exhilarating than carving fresh snow on a sunny day in the mountains. We were having it all: fair weather, fresh snow, and huge amounts of mountainside all to ourselves. All too soon our time on the mountain was over. We needed to be down the mountain a half hour ago, so we begrudgingly said good bye to another spectacular day in the Cascade Mountains. We started down the mountain on the same trail that had brought us up to the ridge. By now, the mid-afternoon sun was working its mischief on the snow. The trail had become sloppy. We respectfully stayed away from the downhill slope hoping to avoid going over the edge. At a badly crowned section of trail we slid to the uphill side of the road. Suddenly, the right side tracks fell through the snow. Melt water running in the ditch had created a cavern. The Rhino tilted hard to the right, dragging the roll bars in the snow. Our pilot firewalled the throttle steering hard to the left, taking a page from his offroad motorcycle experience. When in doubt gas it! It was the kind of moment where you knew you were in trouble. In less time than it takes to tell, we were out and sure that the outcome would have been different had we been on tires. The lower sections of the trail were melting out right before our eyes. Running from snow to rock, to mud, and back to snow again was no problem for the Rhino. Back at the parking lot we realized just how capable the tracked UTV is. It’s truly Aladdin’s magic carpet to adventure. http://www.cyclecountry.com http://www.cyclecountry.com http://www.sikkinc.com http://www.sikkinc.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of SideXSide Action - February 2008

SideXSide Action - February 2008 Contents Mailbox News Tips & Tricks Rhino 700 YFI Join the Club Snowbound Fun Power Upgrade Camping Buyer's Guide Overcoming the Odds Product Reviews HID Light Shoot-Out Company Spotlight: John Deere History of the SXS History & A Ride Places to Ride WPSA Round 10 Clutching 101 New Product Section Calico To Laughlin Project Race Rhino: Final Chapter On the Go Photo

SideXSide Action - February 2008

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