Derrick Neill was in the middle of a two-week road trip, chasing the early season snow through B.C., when we caught up with the Flin Flon, Manitoba, sledder to let him know he’d won our Hotshot contest.
And this is how it went down:
How long have you been a sledder?
I’ve been sledding for 21 years.
How did you get into it?
My dad got me sledding when I was a kid.
What was your first sled?
My first own machine was a 1979 Yamaha Exciter 440.
What do you ride now?
Now I ride a 2016 Summit 163.
Where do you usually ride?
I ride various areas, ranging from southern B.C. (Elkford) all the way up to McBride.
What is your favourite riding area?
My favourite area is Revelstoke.
What are your ideal sledding conditions?
Ideal conditions for me is the first bluebird day after a good storm with good riding buddies, carving handlebar deep powder.
What is the longest sledding road trip you’ve taken?
The longest trip in terms of distance was from Flin Flon, Manitoba, to Whistler, B.C., and if you are asking about time, I once made a 3½-week trip chasing snow in B.C.
How do you spend your summers?
I spend my summers working every day I can so I have the funds to ride as much as possible. If I’m not working, I’m in a boat fishing walleye, daydreaming of fresh powder days.
Tell us more about the day you took this photo?
This picture was taken when I first met Rob (Alford) and we went riding to some of his local hotspots. He is an amazing rider and I have become friends with him and we get together every season to go have fun in the mountains.
Thanks Derrick for entering our Hotshots contest! And a big thank you to our sponsor, Trigger Point Avalanche Training, for providing a free Avalanche Companion Rescue Course to our winner.
Do you want free stuff? Enter our Hotshot contest. This month, we’re giving away an Avalanche Skills Training Level 1 course from Zac’s Tracs Avalanche Skills Training.
