Best ways to get a snowmobile unstuck from slush?

[Mike Stark]

this is my first winter using a snowmobile consistently. with burntsides slush condtions i imagine i will get stuck again sometime this winter.

what are the best ways to get unstuck from slush?

thanks.

[Steve Foss]

Avoidance is the best medicine.

When the spot I want to fish in has slush (if slush is a suspected issue I buzz through on the sled first to see if there's actually slush on the spot), I keep going until the sled is out of slush. Then I unhook the portable and pull it back to the spot by hand, fish, then pull the portable back to the sled so when I go again I'm not trying to start on top of slush.

Another way to fix things in advance is to make a few circles with the snowmobile to pack down an area. If you do that in the morning and are fishing most of the day in cold weather, usually that area will be packed down/frozen enough to get going again several hours later. Usually, not always.

If you are stuck in slush with the sled and portable (happened to me on opener), unhook the portable and try to get out using just the sled. That often works, and worked for me Saturday. Then sled ahead until you're out of slush, stop the sled, and go back and pull the portable to the sled. Should be able to get going then.

With a sled as light as yours, you can also easily lift the back and move it over to fresh snow and kick new snow over the trench you just dug. Pack that snow down hard as you can and pick the sled up and move it back on top of the new packed snow. Clear as much slush as possible from the sled undercarriage and skis to reduce drag, and try it again (minus any towed portable.)

If you have some company and get stuck, sometimes a push from a couple guys while gunning the sled works, too.

Your sled has a ton of power for its weight, and the only times I ever had slush issues using it were when I was pulling a portable. Otherwise it rode on top really well, and with all that power in such a light sled you can seriously gun it when you feel slush starting to bleed away your speed. Speed and RPMs can get you through many slushy situations.

Were you towing a portable, or were you stuck with the sled alone?

[Mike Stark]

i was pulling a med sized otter sled with gear(no otter house). it was not too heavy but not super light either. i did unhook the otter sled but the snowmobile still went no where. i had to move the snowmobile to a near by track.

[fishinfey8]

I usually pack it down by buzzing through the area a bunch before I fish. This is really noisy below the ice i'm sure, but it beats getting frustrated which usually for me, ends up in me doing something careless. Another thing you can do is pack a shovel with and "prep" some spots for future use by shoveling the snow off and letting the frigid air lock up the slush. I do this often times when the fishing is slow and want to fish an exact spot that is in the middle of slush sometime in the near future. Just shovel off a little island so you have something to aim for when you come out the next time...and don't stop unless you are there!

[splakeshaker]

Studs will help a ton if you don't have them already..Also, I have a come-along and a 4x4 piece of lumber in case I get in a real mess...I'll drill a hole on the ice with the auger and wedge the 4x4 into it..strap on the come-along and start ratcheting...usually it take a few holes and quite a while. It works and I've been able to do it by myself so it's good to know that.. I've had to do it..Steve is right though..Avoid it if you can.

[Steve Foss]

When I got stuck Saturday I was towing an Otter Cottage loaded with gear. Total weight of Cottage/gear was probably about 120 lbs. I stopped to fish after circling several times to pack a trail, but didn't realize I hadn't gone far enough to clear the slush pocket before stopping, and even after 5 hours the packed area wasn't frozen solid. So when it came time to head out, I hit the throttle, the track ripped all the snow off the slush and I was sitting on water/ice.

So I unhooked the Otter, moved the back of the sled over, kicked fresh snow in the trench and packed it, put the track back on that and it came out of that easily. I just stopped 20 yards farther ahead on non-slushy ground and reattached the portable and got going again with no problem.

Don't know how deep the slush was where you got stuck, but speed/RPMs could well have gotten you through it. Not always, though.

[Mike Stark]

avoiding slush on burntside is not an easy task right now. the first time i got stuck i was following a fresh track. i saw slush on the track ahead so i gunnned it but was not able to get through. the other times i was hoping to cross over to another trail but the second i got off the packed trail i got stuck.

[Steve Foss]

avoiding slush on burntside is not an easy task right now.

Totally true! By "avoidance" I meant avoiding getting stuck, not avoiding slush. Didn't word it very well.

[Mike Stark]

When I got stuck Saturday I was towing an Otter Cottage loaded with gear. Total weight of Cottage/gear was probably about 120 lbs. I stopped to fish after circling several times to pack a trail, but didn't realize I hadn't gone far enough to clear the slush pocket before stopping, and even after 5 hours the packed area wasn't frozen solid. So when it came time to head out, I hit the throttle, the track ripped all the snow off the slush and I was sitting on water/ice.

So I unhooked the Otter, moved the back of the sled over, kicked fresh snow in the trench and packed it, put the track back on that and it came out of that easily. I just stopped 20 yards farther ahead on non-slushy ground and reattached the portable and got going again with no problem.

Don't know how deep the slush was where you got stuck, but speed/RPMs could well have gotten you through it. Not always, though.

i found 6-8in of slush with around a foot of snow on top it.

putting fresh snow down and packing it would have helped.

[leech~~]

If you want to have some fun like I did try following the track I made around Brownell and behind Lost Girl isle. Not sure how deep the slush was but I almost came to a stop a few times. I tried to keep my circle back as wide as i could but it just kept getting deeper. I had the 550 pegged and some how I got back to the trails I think Wanderer and his crew made in the morning and got the heck out of that area! If I would have gone down out there I don't know who I would have had to pay to bring in a chopper to lift me out! When I got back to hard pack I said a good pray of thanks. Praying when you have the throttle pegged and confessing your sins at the same time helps a lot!!

[caseymcq]

Put your feet on the ice on one side of the snowmobile, push on the handle bars, hit the gas and get ready to jump on.

[Great Outdoors]

this is my first winter using a snowmobile consistently. with burntsides slush condtions i imagine i will get stuck again sometime this winter.

what are the best ways to get unstuck from slush?

thanks.

Mike,

Stop in the shop tomorrow if you get a chance, and I'll give you the crash course.

It's a bit lengthy to put into writing.

[NoWiser]

Put your feet on the ice on one side of the snowmobile, push on the handle bars, hit the gas and get ready to jump on.

Exactly what I learned to do this year! My first plan of attack was to not fish anywhere slushy. When I realized that eliminated 75% of my favorite spots, I would do the usual big loop just to make sure it wasn't too deep, and then I'd come back around and fish it. I had some trouble getting stuck, but after I learned to push it and run along side for 10 or 20 feet, I never got stuck again regardless of slush conditions. It helped not to can it right away because that would just spin me down to bare ice. Once you get going don't let up on the throttle no matter what. If you throw enough slush backwards, fast enough, your sled will keep moving forward. Simple physics. I also wouldn't be caught dead towing sleds when its slushy. Thats asking for trouble.

[JeffB]

Another piece of advice is if you just went through slush don't get off and fish for a few hours with out clearing out the track first. I have had the track freeze up solid so I couldn't get going without burning up a belt. If you are in a large slushy area have someone pick up the back of the machine and run the machine half throttle to clear the ice and water out of the track area before you let the machine sit.

[leech~~]

I also wouldn't be caught dead towing sleds when its slushy. Thats asking for trouble.

And how do you then get you auger, flasher, minnow bucket, rods and other gear out there to fish?

[Steve Foss]

And how do you then get you auger, flasher, minnow bucket, rods and other gear out there to fish?

Rack or box on the back. Added weight on the back of the sled is preferable to the drag from towing a portable when slush is an issue. The best weight distribution for a heavy power auger is actually to mount a rack on the front of the sled.

And cut all unnecessary weight. One guy I know only uses a hand auger. Carries that and a Vex and a rod bag on his sled and has no trouble going anywhere all winter. If it's too cold to suit him fishing off the sled, he stays home. Laker lakes don't put up more than 18 inches of ice most years, and if you know your spots and aren't exploring, you only have to drill a handful of holes for a day's fishing.

[NoWiser]

And how do you then get you auger, flasher, minnow bucket, rods and other gear out there to fish?

Steve is exactly right. I have the auger mounted on the front. It doesn't hurt the handling at all, and makes it easy to keep an eye on it so you don't hit trees on portages. On the back I have 2 7 gallon buckets mounted. One has my vex in it, and the other has a rope, tow strap, and small container of auger gas. I keep my water bottle, lunch, and a very small tackle container in the back compartment of the snowmobile. Spare set of gloves stays in my bibs in case my hands get cold. One pvc tube holds heavy duty ice dipper/ice pounder for knocking ice out of the tunnel. Other holds my rod and ax. This picture is a couple years old and I have since modified it a few times to accomodate a 10" auger, and make it handier, but the basic design is the same.

[leech~~]

Steve is exactly right. I have the auger mounted on the front. It doesn't hurt the handling at all, and makes it easy to keep an eye on it so you don't hit trees on portages. On the back I have 2 7 gallon buckets mounted. One has my vex in it, and the other has a rope, tow strap, and small container of auger gas. I keep my water bottle, lunch, and a very small tackle container in the back compartment of the snowmobile. Spare set of gloves stays in my bibs in case my hands get cold. One pvc tube holds heavy duty ice dipper/ice pounder for knocking ice out of the tunnel. Other holds my rod and ax. This picture is a couple years old and I have since modified it a few times to accomodate a 10" auger, and make it handier, but the basic design is the same.

Aaah I see! Now I "SomeWiser" !

[SledNeck]

136" studded track min.....and only park on packed down stuff

[bturck]

Interesting thread. I don't sled anymore but lots of tricks of the trade given here. I just wanted to post an item of caution; it was noted if with someone to have a person pick up the back of sled and then throttle up to clear the snow or ice from the track. My brother who is a private investigator worked a case a few years ago, where dad had his daughter do that exact thing while he held the back of the sled off the ground, the track seperated and completly amputated his right leg just above the knee. Needless to say a lawsuit ensued, however his daughter (13) ended up going through therapy because of the trauma that she witnessed and the guilt she felt for cutting off her dads leg. So please be careful if using this method to clear the track...good luck and safe travel to all.

[PiedmontAngler]

I would also add if you are unfamiliar with the particular lake you are on and it is getting close to dark, consider leaving early. We hit a slush pocket on the N arm of B-side one year and spent a good hour or so in the dark with 4 guys pulling out 2 sleds and gear, using the techniques discussed above (thanks Steve).

When the temp dips you don't want to be stuck out there in the dark. Be careful out there, take some time to be sure your return path is still safe after a full day of fishing.