A Safe Experience Is an Amazing Experience!
At Uinta Recreation, your safety and an incredible experience are our top priority. In an effort to expedite your check out time and increase your knowledge and confidence in operating and performing basic snowmobile procedures we have created a series of instructional videos and information. When renting with us each person in the group is required to read this entire page and watch each video in its entirety. This should be done within 24 hours of arriving so the information is fresh.
Preparing for your Self Guided Rental
These videos will go over some of the basics to help you deal with the most common snowmobile related delays that our customers experience. Although it is very uncommon to have to change a belt, doing so is pretty simple and the snowmobiles are equiped with the tool and a spare so if the need arises, you will have the knowledge and resource to change it out and get back to snowmobiling!
If getting a snowmobile unstuck looks like a lot of work, it is! The best way to avoid getting a snowmobile stuck is to stay on the trail. However, if you choose to vear off trail, keep a couple things in mind. 1. Choose an area that is relatively flat and open, or appropriate for your skill level. A downward slope will always pull you farther and farther downhill. 2. avoid heavily wooded areas and trees. These areas can affect your ability to keep momentum and you risk hitting a tree. 3. Be prepared to get your snowmobile unstuck! It is a part of off trail snowmobiling and the basic skills are shown in the videos. If you do get stuck and need assistance, then we can send help. Just keep in mind, it takes some time to get to you and our hourly labor rate applies.
Changing a Belt
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Every machine we rent has a spare belt in case a belt either fails on you or if you were to burn one. On our rentals, customers usually inadvertently burn a belt long before they actually wear out and fail.
To avoid burning a belt always remember to release the parking brake if you have set it. If you get stuck, the last thing you want to do is keep hammering on the throttle in an effort to get unstuck. If you do, the snowmobile will load the track up with snow and stop spinning and you will burn the belt.
This is the #1 way we see belts burnt. If you can avoid these two scenarios you will probably never have to spend 5 minutes changing out a belt. However, if you smell that ever familiar burnt rubber smell, you have successfully burnt a belt and will need to change it.
If you do not change it, it will fail on you later in your ride and be extremely difficult to clean the cords and exploded belt out of the clutches.
Remember that if you burn a belt and change it out to let us know when you return so we can stock the machine with a new one. Try to avoid it as belts are expensive ($125-$280) and you will be responsible to pay for a burnt belt.
We highly recommend purchasing the Belt Hazard Agreement to eliminate the cost of paying for a damaged / burnt belt.
Getting a Snowmobile Unstuck
When you are out snowmobiling, “stuck happens”! By staying on trail you can avoid it, but for those who want to venture out into the powder, pay attention. Even if you have no plans on getting off trail, it is required to know how to get unstuck in the event you inadvertently get off trail and stuck.
Safety & Good Decision-Making
The single most important thing you can take with you snowmobiling is your brain. When it comes to snowmobiling, most accidents and damages we see can be avoided by simply making good decisions while on the mountain. It is incredibly important to always be thinking about what the consequences of your decisions are. Ask yourself, what are the consequences of me getting off trail, or heading down this canyon, or riding in this low visibility. Always remember that snow conditions and trail conditions may change as elevation, temperature, snow pack and weather change. This means the way your snowmobile reacts, corners and brakes will change with these conditions.
Always keep your speed in check. All of our snowmobiles are capable of very high speeds. Keep in mind that all trails are open to two way traffic, meaning that at any time there could be another rider coming around the corner towards you. Ride at a speed in which you have perfect control of your snowmobile and can react in time if somebody is coming too fast around the corner towards you and in your lane. The speed limit on the trail is 25 MPH and depending on terrain, conditions and other factors, 25 MPH may be excessive. Always stay on the right side of the trail and if your group stops for a break do not stop on or close to a blind corner and always park snowmobiles single file rather than blocking the entire trail. Always remember that these are public trails you are riding on and that you can encounter another rider at any time.
If you are unfamiliar with the area you are riding, you should never leave eye sight of the trail. There are plenty of meadows and open areas adjacent to the trail that you can ride without getting out of eye sight of the trail. The main purpose for this is if you get stuck, or have an accident, or have a breakdown (not common due to the fact that we buy new machines each year) then you are easy to find or flag down help. Even if you are only a few hundred yards from the trail, if you are not within eyesight nobody will see you and nobody can help or find you. Stay within eyesight of the trail.
Most accidents we see do not happen at the beginning of the day. Most of them happen towards the end of the day. There are a couple of reasons for this. 1st, at the beginning of the day most people are still learning the machine and quite cautious. As the day progresses and they get more comfortable with the machine their confidence grows as does their speed. Usually for beginners their confidence level exceeds their skill level rather quickly, so keep it real, you’re not as good as you think you are (hahaha). 2nd, you are tired. You’ve been handling a 500 lb machine for the last 3-6 hours and dug it out a time or two. Sometimes “getting your money worth” will result in just that in the form of damages $$$. Know when to say when and call it a day when you are getting tired or exhausted.
Avalanche Terrain
In the Utah Mountains in and around Heber City and Park City, there is always a risk of avalanches. Although the snowmobile trail systems will take you up and into avalanche type terrain, you can avoid putting yourself in danger by following a few simple points. 1st, staying on the trail will almost entirely (there are always spots of trail that run underneath some avalanche prone slopes) eliminate being exposed to avalanche terrain. The trail systems will wind in and out of avalanche terrain but still occassionally cross under avalanche prone slopes. 2nd, stay off or out from under any slopes 30 degrees or steeper, if the trail crosses or runs under a slope 30 degrees or steeper, then cross one at a time to limit exposure. Off-trail riding is a ton of fun, but risking your life or the lives of your friends is simply not worth the risk. For this reason alone we ask that you do not “hill climb” on Uinta Recreation snowmobiles. Additionally if you do not have avalanche training, beacons, shovels and probes and know how to use them, then you have no business riding in avalanche terrain (slopes 30 degrees and steeper). There is plenty of low angle terrain with natural and fun terrain features to ride without putting yourself or someone you love at risk. We cannot emphasize this enough, stay off and out from under slopes 30 degrees and steeper. To check the current avalanche forecast, go here. Due to the fact that avalanches are never 100% predictable, it is still recommended by Uinta Recreation to stay off from avalanche prone slopes even when the forecast conditions are low to moderate.
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While most accidents are avoidable by making good decisions, sometimes the unexpected still happens and nobody ever plans on damaging equipment. Damage agreements are required on all motorized equipment. If you plan on getting off-trail, your risk of damaging a machine sky rockets. The damage agreement is not insurance and does not cover personal injury or other people’s equipment. It is designed to limit your risk and your out-of-pocket cost of damages to the equipment you are renting. Our snowmobiles are valued at $10,000 -$15,000 each and by purchasing the damage agreement you are reducing your risk and your responsibility of damages to the customer limit / deductibles listed below. Damage agreements are required on all snowmobiles. Damage agreements are purchased per snowmobile, per day and are priced as follows.
Back country and Expedition Snowmobiles $40 / day $3500 deductible / limit
850 & 600R Snowmobiles $50 / day $4000 deductible / limit
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When renting, we will send all snowmobiles out with a full tank of fuel. You will be required to return them full. Or, if riding from our private trail head, we will top them off upon return and charge your card on file for the fuel. There are a lot of factors that determine how quickly you will run through your fuel. How fast you are going, riding 2 up, riding in deep powder, putting on a lot of miles and the size and type of snowmobile all make a difference in how much fuel you use. Please be very conscious and aware of how much fuel you have (watch your fuel gauge). It is not often, but occasionally people run out of fuel. If you run a snowmobile out of fuel that is solely your responsibility and if we have to go out on the mountain and retrieve or refuel your machine you will be charged a $140 per hour charge to do so. If you trailered our snowmobiles you will be required to fill up the snowmobiles prior to returning them. If you ride from our private trail head or participated in a guided snowmobile tour, we will top off the snowmobiles and charge your card for what you used. Due to the high octane requirements of snowmobiles, we require all snowmobiles to be filled with only premium non ethanol fuel. Located close to us is the on the run gas station where you can fill the sleds with only the 91 grade non ethanol (pump 9 or 10 only). Please bring the receipt in with you to verify. If you have any questions on our fuel policy, please ask.
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These snowmobiles are not equipped with a track and skis to handle deep snow. They excel on the the trail and it will result in a lot of work digging the snowmobile out and getting unstuck if you get off trail. I cannot emphasize this enough (especially if you are new to snowmobiling) – do not get off-trail on these snowmobiles. You can ride with up to two people (a driver and a passenger) on these snowmobiles. Never put more than two people on a two person snowmobile and never put a child in front of you (sitting between you and the handlebar) where they can grab the throttle or you could smash them in an accident. In order for children to ride they should be large enough to sit in the passenger seat and their feet should reach the footrests and they are able to firmly hold onto the hand grips. If they cannot meet this criteria, they shouldn’t be on the snowmobiles. On self guided rentals the minimum age is 8.
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These snowmobiles are a great all around snowmobile. Suited well for beginner to intermediate riders and ride great on trail and do well off trail, depending on conditions and terrain. It is always a good idea to keep your speed in check, always stay within eyesight of the trail and by all means use common sense while riding these snowmobiles. They still have the ability for excessive speeds on the trail and only you can control the speed at which you travel. Some of the backcountry sport 600’s have a 2 up seat option where, for $50, we can add an additional seat for a passenger. Keep in mind that if you are riding 2 up on these snowmobiles, that it will greatly reduce your off trail riding ability.
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That means that you should have ridden a snowmobile at least 10-12 times and most of the information on this page is a good review for you, not new information. This means that you should be proficient at handling, turning and riding a snowmobile off trail. You should be able to get a snowmobile unstuck on your own and change out a belt. This is not a recommendation, it’s a requirement. If you have only ridden a few times you will be happier and more comfortable on a 600R despite what your “experienced” friends tell you.