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In this video we want to talk about sled control.
Using the technique that we teach it’s all about having control of the sled.
When you have control of the sled then you can advance into the backcountry.
At will you shoud be able to go up slope, down slope, reverse, turn around, in other
words just be able to navigate the backcountry at will, and feel safe and have a good time
doing it.
With the backcountry sled you need to be able to pull the sled to it’s edge and this is
what gives you control to carve.
Anytime you’re driving with both skis on the snow you cannot carve, you don’t have
that edge that gives you the control you need to carve and make turns in the snow.
Of course, if you’re running down the trail, you need to be two skis down.
That’s the right and correct way to do it.
When you’re cruising out through the fields on the flat two skis down is perfectly alright.
You can certainly, in a flat field, pull the sled to it’s edge and carve a turn through
the snow both left and right, have a great timing doing it.
But, you can also navigate that turn two skis down.
If you’re traversing a slope, and you’re doing it two skis down, you’ll get to the
point on steeper slopes where you’ll lose control of the sled and it will just take
the fall line.
The fall line is simply where a soccer ball will roll if you turn it loose on the slope,
and that’s what happens to a sled when you’re two skis down.
The most fun is when you’re on your edge and your able to carve and have that control
of the sled.
Anyone can learn the technique and have control of the sled in the backcountry.
It’s all about technique, it’s not about strength.
When you’re committed to bring the sled to it’s edge, then you can carve across
the slope, and you have control of direction and speed.
In the descent for example you can scrub off speed with your sled when you’re on your
edge.
I often like to compare this to a skier.
They will not have any control when they’re skis are flat on the snow, on the surface.
But, as soon as they bring their skis, or board to it’s edge then they have control
of direction and the ability to scrub off speed.
The other thing that comes along with sled control is learning how to use your throttle
and your brake properly.
Part of carving, part of balance, part of having control of your sled is knowing when
to get on the throttle, and when to back out of the throttle.
And at the same point, using your brake at the right time.
And we will address this to great extent in later videos.
But, for now you should always have control of the handlebar grip with a thumb on the
throttle, and the opposite hand a hold of the grip with a finger on the brake lever.
This is the form you should use, and you can then be prepared to address the control that
is needed with the sled.