As a rule of thumb, you need at least 4” – 12” of snow to safely ride a snowmobile. The minimum amount of snow needed depends on many factors like snow conditions, where you ride, your sled’s features, and so on. If you want to learn more about how much snow you will need to safely ride your snowmobile, as well as how much snow is needed to open snowmobile trails, this post is for you.
We’ve compiled all the necessary information on this topic under one roof!
How Much Snow is Needed to Open Snowmobile Trails?
In most states around 3” – 7” of snow is needed to open the trails. While many states open their trails if there is 3” or 4” of snow on them, others stay closed until they have 6” – 7” of snow. Finally, it always depends on local regulations.
Another important factor to consider is the quality of the snow. If you like riding on groomed trails, you will probably have to wait until there is more snow. Why?
This is because groomers usually need at least 8”-12” of wet snow to operate effectively on smooth terrain. But if the terrain is uneven, or the snow is drier, groomers need at least 12”-18” of snow to operate effectively and safely.
Because of this, many trails aren’t groomed until the snow is at least 6” – 8” at minimum.
For example, according to the Indiana Snowmobile Trails Program Manual, the trails in this state open if there are 4” of snow, but their groomers will only start if there is 6” of snow.
This means that even if a trail has been opened, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you can ride on a well-groomed surface!
Another problem is that there is less and less snow each year, so many trails can’t be opened.
Moreover, as you will see, in many cases 3”-4” are not enough!
How Much Snow Do You Need to Ride a Snowmobile?
How much snow you need to ride your snowmobile depends on the following factors:
- Where you want to ride
- Snow conditions
- Your sled’s features (cooling system, weight, performance, lug length)
- Your riding style
Let’s take a closer look at these!
Where You Ride and Snow Conditions
If you only ride on trails you will need at least 4”-6” of snow at a bare minimum. It also has to be mentioned that it’s always safer to ride on trails in shallow-snow conditions. Why?
This is because if you ride off-trail, there is always a higher risk that your track will get damaged by a rock or a stump.
In many cases, 12”-15” of snow is enough to cover these hazards. But again, as the terrain and the conditions vary widely, the amount of snow required also varies depending on the circumstances.
Another consideration is the quality of the snow, since 10”-12” of powder isn’t as good as 4” of hard-packed snow!
Many say that 5”-6” of fresh snow is still not enough without a decent base.
Your Sled Features and Your Riding Style
If your sled is liquid-cooled, you will need more snow to keep the engine cool. This is because the track should continuously throw fresh snow toward the heat exchanger. If there isn’t enough snow, your engine can easily overheat.
If your track features longer lugs you will also need deeper snow, since the long lugs can dig deeper and reach the ground much easier.
If you have a high-performance sled, it probably means you like riding aggressively. Keep in mind that riding hard in minimum-snow conditions is not recommended. This is because the track can dig more easily to the bottom of the snow at the corners.
The issue can worsen if your track is studded!
Types of Damage If You Ride in Low Snow Conditions
If there isn’t enough snow for your snowmobile, you can damage it in many ways. The most common types of damage caused by minimal-snow conditions are as follows:
- Overheating
- Lack of track lubrication
- Damaging the track, sliders, and idler wheels
- Damaging the skis
- Damaging the land
Overheating
As we’ve discussed, liquid-cooled sleds need fresh snow to keep their engines cool. Although there are many tricks from ice scratchers to secondary exchangers, if there isn’t enough snow, none of them help.
You can read more about this topic or learn how to prevent overheating issues here!
Don’t forget that not only your engine but your track can also overheat due to lack of lubrication. (Tracks are lubricated by the snow!)
Track, Sliders, and Idler Wheel Damage
Improper lubrication is just one of several types of damage that shallow-snow conditions can cause.
If the track hits a stump or a rock it may end in ripped lugs, especially on the tracks with longer lugs. In the worst case, not only the lugs but the track itself can rip!
Another concern is that if you ride your sled without the minimal snow conditions, the track can pick up dirt, gravel, sand, and who knows what else from the ground.
These can damage not just the track, but the sliders (hyfax), and idler wheels as well. Dealers say that they can tell from one look which sleds run with sufficient snow and which do not!
Damaging the Skis
Don’t forget about the skis either. If there is enough snow but you need to ride on gravels, dirt, or asphalt for any reason, this can heavily damage the skis and the carbides.
Riding on these surfaces will wear out your carbides in a very short distance. (And they are not cheap!)
Finally, don’t forget that beyond the sled, you can damage the ground as well.
Conclusion
How much snow do you need to safely ride a snowmobile?
When it comes to trail riding, you will need at least 4”-6” of snow. While in many states the trails are open if there are 3” – 4” of snow on them, in other states you have to wait until the snow reaches a 6”-7” depth. If you are considering riding in the backcountry, you will need at least 12”-15” of snow for safety purposes.
Please note that these numbers are just for informational purposes, as the exact snow your sled needs depends on many factors. These mainly are your sled’s design and features, the terrain, the condition of the snow, and your riding style.
Moreover, it also depends on how careful you are.
Keep in mind that many owners start riding their sleds on 4” of hard-packed snow, while others won’t take it out under 10”-12”.
As the final word, don’t forget that the less snow on the ground, the higher your chances are that you will damage your track or other parts on your sled.
References:
http://www.snowmobilers.org/groomer_guide/GroomerGuideChapterFour.pdf
http://www.state.in.us/dnr/outdoor/files/or-SnowmobileTrailProgramManual.pdf
