Island Park - March 2011 - Back Country Rebels

Mule · #1 03-14-2011, 01:04 AM

XC and I decided to take off for a week, rent a cabin and meet up with some friends in Island Park, Idaho this year. There's really nothing better than a week of throttle therapy up in the mountains.

After returning from a business trip thursday night, I loaded up the truck and headed to XC's place friday to cram the sled and a week's worth of clothes and riding gear in the trailer before heading out first thing saturday morning. XC had picked up an 800 Assault earlier in the week that his brother bought, hauling it to IP for the week and another friend would take it to his brother back in Minnesota.

Three sleds, about 100 gallons of high-octane fuel, gear, spare parts, and some food all loaded up and ready to roll.

Got to the cabin saturday night, we were the last ones to arrive. Cabin's real nice. Big open lot to park the sleds, hot tub, kitchen, laundry, TV, great view of the mountains... everything you'd need. About 5mins ride from Shotgun Bar/Grill/Store/Fuel. Unload, figure out sleeping arrangements, pour a jack and coke then get some sleep.

Mule · #2 03-14-2011, 01:04 AM

Sunday, 06 March 11.
Roll out of bed and grab some breakfast, then change into our riding gear. Once we were all ready and everyone had beacons on, the 11 in our crew fired up the sleds and headed out.

North of Arange

XC

You're doing it wrong

Vern and Shawn on the ridge west of Reas Peak

Brent

XC airs out the turbo

Sawtelle Peak, with the weather station on top
(Edit: The ball is actually an FAA Long-Range Radar transmitter. The site is also host to an amateur repeater.)

As the sun started setting, Brent's doo decided to seize up. Since the motor had been bored out, a stock piston wouldn't fit and finding one that would was going to be a challenge out here. The doo got a ride on the tail end of a tow rope down Willow Creek and back to the cabin, then the day ended with a call to Hi Country Snowmobiles to arrange the rental-then-purchase of a new XP from Jeff.

Mule · #3 03-14-2011, 01:04 AM

Monday, 07 March 11.
After Brent returns from West Yellowstone with the rental 'doo in the pickup, we ate breakfast and got ready for the day. It's going to be a warm one.

Following our tour guide Dean, we headed northwest towards Taylor Mountain.

Vern, Brent, and his rented XP

Tetons in the distance

Dean points out some landmarks on the horizon

I was there too

On the way back, Colton nosedived into a creek. Not bad for 13 years old

Got back to the cabin that evening, threw some pork chops on the grill for dinner and relaxed in the hot tub for a bit.

Tuesday, 08 March 11.
Another non-eventful morning. Once everyone stumbled out of bed and got breakfast, fueled/oiled the machines, and pulled on gear, we headed north towards Henry's Lake.

With the throttle to the bar on the trail along the highway, one sled started losing coolant. A little while later, XC's 700 bogs and won't run right. Opening the hood reveals the clips that hold the fuel return line in place had broken and gasoline was being pumped all over the engine instead of into the fuel rail. Limped the sleds over to the gas station to get a plan together. The coolant issue in the Cat was resolved, but without a solid connection on the fuel line XC didn't feel comfortable playing in the backcountry the rest of the day.

He and I split up from the group to head to West Yellowstone to see about finding some fuel fittings. Unfortunately none of the dealers or parts stores had the fittings in stock, so we hauled balls on the trails back to the cabin. Without a fuel fitting for the turbo, XC would be "breaking in" his brother's new Assault the rest of the week.

Mule · #4 03-14-2011, 01:04 AM

Wednesday, 09 March 11

XC and I took off by ourselves to play in the trees near Arange Peak. Not a lot of miles today, but this would be the most damaging day for my 900.

Wind had picked up overnight, some new snow was falling but a lot of it was blowing around on the ground making for low visibility and a colder day.

Saw a grouse in a tree

And then my sled found a tree.

Busted off the windshield wing, broke the hood hinge, punched a hole through the air vents on the fender, and ripped some tabs off the side panel. Somehow I still haven't managed to bend or break an A-arm.

Picked up all the pieces I could and stuffed them into my pack, then kept riding.

A little further back in the woods, we stumbled upon some tracks in the trees that were nothing like what a snowmobile leaves behind. Looking around, XC spots a moose just on the other side of the meadow from us. Snapped a few pics (Bullwinkle was camera-shy today) and went our separate ways.

After we both got a few stucks in, we were feeling a bit wiped out and the weather was starting to get worse. The two of us picked our way back through the trees and jumped on the trail back to the cabin.

Mule · #5 03-14-2011, 01:04 AM

Thursday, 10 March 11

With sleds fueled and beacons on, we wandered back up Spring Creek to ride between Reas and Taylor.

XC tests out the Assault

(and shortly afterward, botched a landing and folded the bars against the gauges, breaking the windshield

)

Travis from Between The Lines Designs shows off his Pro-RMK

Some of the locals checking out what's going on outside

The Polaris crew stops to take pics, mostly of stuck cats and doos

I fall off a lot

Back to the cabin by Willow Creek trail. This one's getting really whooped out; hard to ride slow, easier when you go fast, but the chance of breaking something increases drastically with speed. Greg bent the tunnel on his sled, blew out a track shock, and two of the tabs holding the storage case to my tunnel broke loose.

This evening we all headed into West Yellowstone to help Dean set up his booth at the snowmobile expo. Hauled in all the show stuff, then got an early sneak peek at the 2012 machines set up in the tent. With the booth ready to go, we headed to Eino's for some steak and cheesy-potatoes before driving back to the cabin.

Mule · #6 03-14-2011, 01:05 AM

Friday, 11 March 11

While most of the group headed to West Yellowstone for breakfast and to check out the expo, XC and I fueled up and went riding again near where we were sunday. Rode there and back via Blue Creek since Willow was so whooped out.

South of Jefferson

Mule

Cont'd...

Mule · #7 03-14-2011, 01:05 AM

Found another good hill to climb east of Reas Peak.
XC on his way down

Mule picks his way to the tree

And the 900 puts the highmark over the tree

This whole slope is a rather steep climb; we were only able to get 2/3 of the way to the top before we'd run out of power, track, and talent. Clouds lifted for a moment, long enough to snap a photo.

Saturday morning we packed our gear, loaded the sleds, and headed into West Yellowstone to wander through the swap meet and check out the expo. Before leaving town, we stopped for lunch at Wild West Pizza, then headed through Bozeman to Sheridan, Wyo for the night. Dinner, hot tub, then sleep. Woke up sunday morning and continued the drive to Denver.