...wilderness mechanics

THE ROUTE:  From the end of the pavement at Capt Cook State Park, along the pipeline right-of-way, through some woods, and over swamps and lakes.
TERRAIN:  Snow covered woods and swamps.
DISTANCE: 34 miles RT.

Jim and Shane try to get the track to turn.

Trying to loosen the track.

The track of Jim's snowmachine dug right down into the snow when he started pulling the other snowmachine.

As mechanical things are apt to do, they break down at inopportune times and inconvenient places.  We were a long ways from the end of the road this afternoon on our way to Snag Lake when one of our machines quit moving.  The engine ran fine but the clutch wouldn't engage.  After trying to get things to work and realizing it wasn't going to happen we decided to tow the machine back.  That's when we found out the track wouldn't turn.  Bad news.  It wasn't going anywhere.  We marked the location with a GPS and decided to leave it and come back later with more tools and equipment.

Fortunately we made one last attempt at moving the track before we left and it broke free.  We hitched it to another sled and started back toward the pipeline right-of-way which turned out to be several miles away.  Once back at the pipeline trail the going was easy and we made it back to the parking area in about 20 minutes. 

It took four of us to lift the disabled machine into the back of a truck and just like that our adventure was over.  Just another day in paradise for us...wilderness mechanics.