Snowcats

[Coreshot]

So, Ive been wondering about snowcats lately. Specifically, what are the legalities in using them in the mountains? Such as areas that are popular for snowmobiles. I know people use them for getting to their cabins in the winter, and there are outfits that offer cat skiing outside of Park City. If someone was to outfit an offroad vehicle with tracks, would it fall into the same category? Discuss...

 

[rholbrook]

I can't answer those questions but my brother has a "project" cat available for sale.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

Some 'over the snow' areas are clearly marked for a certain width i.e. snowmobiles only. However I think there are endless opportunities for an actual cat. I've scouted some places in the La Sals and Henry's that would be epic to traverse in the winter. One day...

 

[Toad]

Around the cache valley area they have signs posted that something to the effect that the max weight of the vehicle is something like 750 lbs. That was up Hardware Ranch and that was a groomed trail.

 

[Houndoc]

Warning to the wise, they travel amazingly especially on at least semi-hard snow. But once stuck, you are in for a heck of a lot of work to get moving again. Have spent upwards of 12 hours taking turns on the shovels to get moving again. I can honestly see times in deep Utah powder when you may never get out once stuck as often we had to dig until hitting frozen tundra.

 

[Coreshot]

Around the cache valley area they have signs posted that something to the effect that the max weight of the vehicle is something like 750 lbs. That was up Hardware Ranch and that was a groomed trail.

This was my concern. I'm thinking of tracking up the yota to use for backcountry snowboard excursions. I guess some of the mtn ranges away from the Wasatch front might be doable, ie running established roads that are snowed in all winter...

 

[rholbrook]

You are looking at something similar to this I am assuming. On hard pack they go really good and even up to a foot of snow as long as there is a base underneath it. If you sink, you better hope you have a winch and something to anchor to.

There is someone on here with a Suzuki with a camper on it that is doing what you are wanting to do. I have seen him in Kaysville with normal tires on it.

http://www.rme4x4.com/showthread.php?88923-Pole-Line-Pass-American-Fork-Winter&highlight=snow+tracks

http://www.rme4x4.com/showthread.php?88420-Guardsman-Pass-2-2-12&highlight=snow+tracks

 

[skiboarder]

This was my concern. I'm thinking of tracking up the yota to use for backcountry snowboard excursions. I guess some of the mtn ranges away from the Wasatch front might be doable, ie running established roads that are snowed in all winter...

I'm in!!! I'll help with gas.

 

[Coreshot]

View attachment 85380
You are looking at something similar to this I am assuming. On hard pack they go really good and even up to a foot of snow as long as there is a base underneath it. If you sink, you better hope you have a winch and something to anchor to.

There is someone on here with a Suzuki with a camper on it that is doing what you are wanting to do. I have seen him in Kaysville with normal tires on it.

http://www.rme4x4.com/showthread.php?88923-Pole-Line-Pass-American-Fork-Winter&highlight=snow+tracks

http://www.rme4x4.com/showthread.php?88420-Guardsman-Pass-2-2-12&highlight=snow+tracks

Yup, that's what I'm thinking, but the deep snow may be an issue...good conditions for the tracks equals crappy snowboarding conditions, and vice versa...I do have a winch, and would be fine with using it occasionally, but if its just asking for trouble maybe i'll pass.

 

[Coreshot]

I'm in!!! I'll help with gas.

Yeah, if I did it I don't think it would be hard attracting gas donors

 

[Jinx]

Paging Dtoy...

He has a Rhino set up like this and would be a good source of info... He uses it to get to his cabin...

 

[Maverick]

It sounds really fun on paper, but I've passed more than one mattracks rig stuck up to the frame. We help when we can, but usually there's nobody to be seen, and it's gonna take a HUGE cat to get it out. Typically the only ones worth having are the really big bad-A ones that the resorts use. I would just get a powder sled. Oh, I did

Every year someone that knows I have a cabin sends me a link to a set of mattracks or a cat. Cool factor is high, and at some cabin locations, it's the way to go. Up where we are, it's a good way to get to the cabins off the plow route. I'm about 1/8 mile off the route, plus a long driveway, so it made more sense to clear the road so 4x4's and AWD's could make it rather than have dedicated rig staged at the bottom of the mountain, and the loading/unloading etc every time you go up.

I suppose if you can find a location where there's just enough snow to stop a rig with 37's but not too deep, THAT would be a fun place for the mattracks or a cat. Sounds like Kurt has some places to go. I love winter wheelin', haven't done much in the last few years.

It would be fun to explore some locations on sleds where you want to go overland...but it's a good way to get dead too.

 

[Toad]

I used to have to ride in a snow cat for work back in the day. It was kinda cool at first. Then it just plain sucked. Cold, slow, rough riding. I have always thought a mattracks rig would be cool. But man it would suck to get it stuck. I think the answer is a sled. It is amazing what you can climb on one of those things. I have only ridden the small ones and those things do anything that I have the stones for.

 

[Maverick]

Here's what we use to get around in the snow:



Oh, and a Subaru.

I was looking for a pic of a stuck mattrack Cherokee, couldn't find it. Sweet though. Red, with a winch and some doodads.

 

[DToy]

Paging Dtoy...

He has a Rhino set up like this and would be a good source of info... He uses it to get to his cabin...

Yeah, I had my tracks on my Yamaha Kodiak 450 before I sold it. I kept the tracks and adapted them for my Rhino. My 4wheeler was better than the Rhino since it was quite a bit lighter. It would go in powder just fine where I would sink above my waist when I stepped off of it...ground pressure was less than 1/2psi. Rhino isn't quite as good, but I've had it in 3-4' of soft snow and haven't been stuck yet. My cabin is about 3-1/2 miles up a narrow winding road, about the last 3/4 mile I'm the only one on it in the winter. I've buried numerous sleds trying to get up to it, since the tracks I've never been stuck again and I can haul a lot more gear. I love 'em. With the right sized tracks on a lighter weight rig I think you'd be nearly unstoppable.

 

[Maverick]

Yeah, I had my tracks on my Yamaha Kodiak 450 before I sold it. I kept the tracks and adapted them for my Rhino. My 4wheeler was better than the Rhino since it was quite a bit lighter. It would go in powder just fine where I would sink above my waist when I stepped off of it...ground pressure was less than 1/2psi. Rhino isn't quite as good, but I've had it in 3-4' of soft snow and haven't been stuck yet. My cabin is about 3-1/2 miles up a narrow winding road, about the last 3/4 mile I'm the only one on it in the winter. I've buried numerous sleds trying to get up to it, since the tracks I've never been stuck again and I can haul a lot more gear. I love 'em. With the right sized tracks on a lighter weight rig I think you'd be nearly unstoppable.

Were they long track powder sleds? That is very hard to imagine.

So does it end up having more track area than a powder sled? 1/2 psi, pretty good, is that with a rider?

My skidoos are about 454 & 459 lbs but I don't know the area of the track in contact with the snow, plus the skis. 16" wide tracks, 146" and 154", (that's the whole length, less than half is in contact?) web guess 146 has 65-66", and 154 has 70ish", so my son on the 146 is .59psi, and me on the 154 is .61psi, those numbers are probably closer to .62 and .63 if you count gear (helmet, boots, snacks, shovel, etc). Numbers are not counting skis, so maybe lower?

It would be wild to see a quad on tracks following us....or following a quad on tracks.

 

[DToy]

Were they long track powder sleds? That is very hard to imagine.

So does it end up having more track area than a powder sled? 1/2 psi, pretty good, is that with a rider?

My skidoos are about 454 & 459 lbs but I don't know the area of the track in contact with the snow, plus the skis. 16" wide tracks, 146" and 154", (that's the whole length, less than half is in contact?) web guess 146 has 65-66", and 154 has 70ish", so my son on the 146 is .59psi, and me on the 154 is .61psi, those numbers are probably closer to .62 and .63 if you count gear (helmet, boots, snacks, shovel, etc). Numbers are not counting skis, so maybe lower?

It would be wild to see a quad on tracks following us....or following a quad on tracks.

I'm pretty sure they do have more surface area than a powder sled. The rear tracks are 14" wide each x around 42" long (contact area). Front tracks are 12" wide x around 30" long. Total of around 1,896 square inches. Figuring 900 pounds for machine (Yamaha Kodiak) and rider puts it right around .47. One of the best things about it is that you can stop, backup, etc. and not have to worry about it burying itself. Just before I bought my tracks I took a Polaris RMK with a 154" (I think) track up to my cabin and got stuck 4 times. The road is too narrow to be able to turn around when the sled started to sink, and steep enough that if I stopped or slowed down on the hill there was no getting started again. With the tracks I can crawl along as slow as I want, stop, etc. and then start going again. Not anywhere close to as fast as a sled, but for getting from point A to B with the added ability of carrying cargo, people, etc. I don't think the tracks can be beat.

I really need to upgrade to the UTV tracks for my Rhino - they have 2,400 inches of contact area

 

[zukijames]

I'm pretty sure they do have more surface area than a powder sled. The rear tracks are 14" wide each x around 42" long (contact area). Front tracks are 12" wide x around 30" long. Total of around 1,896 square inches. Figuring 900 pounds for machine (Yamaha Kodiak) and rider puts it right around .47. One of the best things about it is that you can stop, backup, etc. and not have to worry about it burying itself. Just before I bought my tracks I took a Polaris RMK with a 154" (I think) track up to my cabin and got stuck 4 times. The road is too narrow to be able to turn around when the sled started to sink, and steep enough that if I stopped or slowed down on the hill there was no getting started again. With the tracks I can crawl along as slow as I want, stop, etc. and then start going again. Not anywhere close to as fast as a sled, but for getting from point A to B with the added ability of carrying cargo, people, etc. I don't think the tracks can be beat.

I really need to upgrade to the UTV tracks for my Rhino - they have 2,400 inches of contact area

Some time this winter if ya ger bored i would like to go for a ride in a tracked utv! I guarantee it can make it farther than I could on any sled (I can get stuck in parking lot)

ps wanta come to Moab next Thursday?

 

[rholbrook]

The problem with the tracks on a Rhino is they dont have enough power to really spin the things. You are in low range, lockers engaged and mashing the peddle to the floor when you are off the road. It takes a lot of power to spin those things. When you have a teenager, you learn that they can get stuck easily enough in the deep stuff.

[video=youtube;rf_uWmPsqDg]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rf_uWmPsqDg[/video]

Razor
[video=youtube;5rUFQATewCk]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rUFQATewCk[/video]

 

[DToy]

The problem with the tracks on a Rhino is they dont have enough power to really spin the things. You are in low range, lockers engaged and mashing the peddle to the floor when you are off the road. It takes a lot of power to spin those things. When you have a teenager, you learn that they can get stuck easily enough in the deep stuff.

That's probably true with a stock Rhino. My Rhino is supercharged, so it spins the tracks pretty well. My 4wheeler did have a better power-to-weight ration though and definitely was better with the tracks.