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Whether you’ve used power sports equipment for years or just gotten back from your trip to the snowmobile dealer, there are risks you need to be aware of to operate your vehicle safely. One of the major dangers when you’re out cruising through the snow is that you might be caught in an avalanche. The weight of tons of snow crashing down a slope can be deadly, so here’s how you can avoid this situation.

Avalanche Safety

Education

First, make sure you and everyone in your party know the rules for preventing avalanches and what to do if one occurs anyway. One person acting improperly can put everyone with you in danger.

Check the Forecast

Snowmobile DealerThe Alaska Avalanche Information Center provides online updates showing the risk level in your area based on several factors. Check the forecast before you go out, and if the risk is high that day, make other plans.

Learn the Factors

You can also learn to judge the likelihood of an avalanche yourself using the same criteria. These include the steepness of a slope, how recent the last rain or snowfall was, whether the spot has already had an avalanche recently, the temperature, the wind, and the structure of the accumulated snow.

Park & Drive Correctly

When traveling in a group, make sure to park to the side of any slope instead of directly below it, and line your snowmobiles up facing away from the slop in a side-by-side fashion rather than single file. This makes for a quicker escape if necessary. If you need to travel across a slope, go one at a time. Test the stability of the snow by driving on the edges of the slope before attempting the middle section, or avoid the middle entirely.

 

For more safety tips, ask your local snowmobile dealer. McKinley Polaris in Healy, AK, is the Denali Borough’s most reputable, attentive, and knowledgeable used snowmobile dealer; they also offer trailers and parts for a full range of equipment. Their selection includes vehicles for pleasure and work, including 2-Up® & Utility® models. To ask about their stock or inquire about a part, get in touch at (907) 683-7669 or online.

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