Here it is mid November and we get the call that the snow has arrived and there is lots more fresh about to hit, so do our final checks for the season and ensure our equipment is ready.  We watch the weather bulletins and we can see the massive front heading for Revy.  Then it's like the 2014/15 sled season all over again, the temperature begins to rise from 3, to 4 to 5 and then to 6 degrees celcius.  The massive front is now rain, and lots of it, the valley is drenched and it seems mother nature has teased us again and then spoiled it with warm temperatures.  But we are hardy souls, or maybe addicted, so we head up the hill expecting the worse, hoping for the best.  We unload at the 7 KM marker in the rain / wet snow and are hopeful.  We head up the Kirkup Trail through wet snow, and then at about  3800 m we see Old Man Winter has arrived with 5 feet of fresh snow in the trees.  We quickly head off the trail and blast up through the trees into a riding zone we call Homer's Hole.  The area has nice tree spacing, rolling hills, and some technical aspects that always keeps us coming back.  We spend the next while carving fresh lines into fresh pow while being thankful that Old Man Winter has decided to come back to Revy.  We eventually end up at the Cabin to meet up with more friends and quickly head back into the trees to begin to make up for the terrible winter we had last year.  We ended up burning a tank of gas while breaking into old familiar areas and revisiting the mountain we love so much, especially when it's covered in fresh deep snow, thanks Old Man Winter, we missed you. 

The satellite image of the Pacific shows the massive front that will be coming to Revy and area- game on.

Sled season is about to begin, what do we have to do to prepare the first ride.  The first thing I do is make sure all of my riding gear is clean and ready to go.  I check my AVI pack to make sure it is in good working order.  I check to make sure my first aid kit is filled and any missing items are replaced.  I check to make sure there's no holes are tears in my jacket and bib pants and I check my gloves, helmet and goggles and of course I put fresh batteries in my avalanche transceiver I make sure my shovel and my probe are functioning as they should.   Next I turn my attention to my bag I use on the back of the sled; in this bag I have a third spare belt, 2 sets of goggles and a few tools to help me in a pinch.   After going through my pack, and clothes I head to the garage to do a fall check of my sled.  I say fall check, because in the spring before I put the sled away for the season, I check the track for rips or missing lugs, I check the Hy-Fax and I pull the clutches off and clean them and make sure everything is working properly.  I grease the skid and check it for wear and tear and damage.  I add stable to the gas and I clean up the engine bay and sled to make sure the area is clean and free of debris that could bounce around and hit the clutch.  So when the fall comes around my sled is basically ready to go, but I like to give it a once over to ensure everything looks good.  I rather fix things in my warm garage than on the side of the hill why my buddies ride or even worse, have to wait.   
Just as important as my sled condition is in, I also start working out in September to that come late November, I am ready to ride.  I start working that upper body strength, not just bulking up, but building endurance muscles as well as flexibility.  I like to cross train and play some different sports just to ensure I have fun while I get in sled shape.  I also work on my cardio because once in the mountains the elevation offers huge challenges to your riding day.  I live at 3700 feet, so I am not overly affected by the elevation, as most of my riding is in the 3500 – 6000 foot range.  However if you’re coming from 200 feet or a much lower elevation, you will need to prepare for the elevation differences.  You need to arrive in the mountains with some cardio endurance, plus you need to refrain from drinking alcohol, instead drink as much water as you can tolerate, that will help you acclimate quicker.  And just as important as avoiding alcohol, getting good rest and healthy meals will help ensure your body has what it needs to keep you going in the mountains.  You would the to travel, spend the time and money to get to the mountains and end up too tired to ride or not on your game, causing you to get stuck more and not enjoying the mountain adventure.  Often people get fatigued at the end of the day and that's when you can make mistakes that can cause you to get stuck, or end up hitting stationary objects, like trees.  So preparing for your trip to the mountains in advance will help ensure your time there is fun, safe and memorable and you will make more trips to Revy and the mountains