Name: Alex Ibbotson
Lives in: Kimberley, B.C.
Hometown: Invermere, B.C.
Age: 30
Occupation: Business systems consulting with Mitech Business Systems
Sledding since: 2008
First sled: 1997 Ski-Doo Summit 670
Current ride: 2011 Ski-Doo XP 800 E-TEC with an SLP exhaust system
What do you like about your sled? The throttle response is instant at all RPM levels and even though I'm fairly light, I can shift my weight easily with the narrow stance. I could not imagine a better ride in deep, technical tree riding.
Would you change anything about it? It's true, it does nosedive a bit when coming down hills into a gully. Also, I would like an engine heat gauge instead of just an overheated light. It would be nice if there was more space between my pipe and the bumper, a little buffer room for those love taps.
Where do you usually ride? Up St. Mary's (near Kimberley, B.C.).
Favourite riding: I like it when the trees are spaced out enough so that you can explore forever but tight enough to keep you on your game. As long as it's deep and fresh, I don't discriminate.
What was your most memorable ride? It seems like every day for the past three seasons has been phenomenal. One day, up the Diorite stands out from last season. It was really deep and we couldn't make it onto the ridge because it was socked in. Once it cleared up, the view from the top was infinite. At one point in the trees, I pulled off a memorable sidehill to get myself out of a jam.
What was your most epic sled whoopsie? My biggest whoopsie was the same day. I was coming out on the trail, dog-tired and was just at the crest of a hill when my skis hit a root and my handlebars kicked. I just happened to be on the throttle at the time and that instant throttle response that I spoke of earlier did not work to my advantage. My sled launched and I abandoned ship. With a crushed airbox, cracked coolant tank and a smashed-up pipe we still managed to ride out.
Where do you want to ride in the future? I would like to explore the Invermere area so that we have another close option to chase the snow. Valemount and Revy would be nice to know more about.
What does sledding mean to you? It's as Canadian as you can get. I love that sledding allows us to be out exploring nature even in the dead of winter. We can get to places on snow that we would never imagine getting to in the summer. I also like how it pushes me to my extremes, both physically and mentally. Your average person does not realize how demanding the sport is.
