Serious question, has anyone else been taught to always pack the snow in front of the skis?

I was riding my old Polaris Indy near Lake Tahoe last winter and got stuck in some deep powder. My buddy, who rides a Ski-Doo, just watched me dig for ten minutes before he said, 'You know, you're just making it worse.' He showed me that by packing snow under the track instead of in front, you give it something to bite on right away. I've been doing it wrong for fifteen years. Has anyone else found a better trick for getting unstuck?

3 comments

3 Comments

olivia_hernandez2mo ago

My buddy's dad used to carry a small shovel just for that. He'd pack a little ramp under the track and it would just walk right out. Changed how I ride now.

robinson.jake1mo agoMost Upvoted

Honestly that bit about the small shovel is key. I keep a collapsible one in my pack now after getting stuck bad one time. Tbh the real trick is packing snow into the holes the track dug, not just piling it in front. You gotta fill in those ruts so the lugs can bite on something solid. If you just make a ramp on top of loose snow, it'll just spin and dig deeper. Ngl it takes a little practice to get the feel for how much to pack.

parker_sullivan2mo ago

Wait, isn't packing snow under the track the same as making a ramp in front of it? I might be wrong, but I always dig out the front and sides first to clear space. Then I pack a little bit right under the front part of the track so it can grab. If you pack too much snow directly under the whole sled, you can just high-center it on a block of snow. The trick is giving it just enough to climb onto without making a new obstacle.