7 Tips for Sledding Road Trips
Whether you are travelling to seek out fresh snow or just to experience a new riding area, road tripping is something many of us sledders do! A couple of tips can go a long way to maximizing your sledding road trips.
Through white-knuckle winter driving on slippery roads, in freezing temperatures and sketchy snow conditions, I have done it all. My most epic road trip was leaving Fernie, BC at 4 pm after a two-day riding clinic and driving all the way to Yellowstone by 9 am the next morning for the release the 2020.5 Ski-Doo Turbo. Now that was crazy!
Over the years I’ve learned a few things about how to make the most of a sledding road trip.
Here are 7 tips to make your next sledding road trip more enjoyable!
7 Tips for Sledding Road Trips
1. Co-Pilot Qualities
Road trips are always more fun with friends! My good buddy Theo is always up for a good road trip, and man does he deliver—good convo, organized and always with a full cooler of bevies ready for when we arrive at our destination.

Theo loves a good road trip, and you can count on him to always bring a positive energy to the experience.
A few tips for the passenger to help the trip go smoothly are:
- Be prepared and ready with all your gear for pick up—this ensures you won’t forget anything. Quick pick ups and drop offs ensure the driver can get home in good time as well.
- As the co-pilot, it’s your job to figure out the best places to gas up, find food and generally help make things go smoothly along the way.
- A good music playlist is a bonus!
How to Split the Costs
This one can be difficult if you have cheap buddies, but talking about it up front is important. Splitting the full cost of everything is the best way to go.

Fuel is one of the bigger expenses on a road trip, so be sure to discuss splitting the tab ahead of time so everyone’s on the same page.
Remember—if you’re being chauffeured around, have the luxury of a few parking lot beers after riding and just more time to relax, then it’s good etiquette to make that up to the driver with some extra gas money or picking up the dinner tab. I always aim to pay for more if I am the guest, and you should too!
Gassing Up
A good co-pilot will figure out ideal places to stop and fuel up the truck and sleds at the same time (remember: not all fuel stations have diesel). Always fuel up in Alberta before crossing into BC to save a lot of $! Elsewhere, look for stations with cheap gas AND a great snack selection. This allows for fewer stops and a more efficient trip!
If you’re driving through the Columbia Valley, the Crossroads Clover Market ESSO just outside Invermere is pretty all-time—awesome food selection, sick animal shirts and a Monster Energy drink wall that even Brett Turcotte would be proud of!
Tracking Down Tasty Eats
Finding tasty food on the road is a must, not only to survive of course but to keep the trip enjoyable and morale high. Sometimes we stop for lunch, but most of the time we grab-and-go so we can keep moving.

There are so many great local food options in the Interior, you just need to sniff them out. The guys always hit up Reposados in Golden, BC for some delicious tacos and margs.
Fortunately there are tons of great cafes in small-town BC with excellent to-go sandwich options. Boston Pizza is another fave stop of Theo’s and mine for lunch.
Again, a good co-pilot will sniff out the best spots to stop while the driver is busy getting you both there.
Pack Efficiently
On the road you are somewhat limited to what you can fit in the truck. Theo carries it all in one huge container—I call it the ‘Dead Body Bin’!

Theo and his ‘Dead Body Bin’.
Packing efficiently allows enough room for all your gear—plus don’t forget some key items like boot dryers and shorts for the hot tub.
One awesome thing Theo always packs is a power bar with a multi-outlet USB charging adapter. With those, he can charge his radio, GoPro, heated goggles, ZOLEO, etc all at the same time. Which is great because I usually forget my chargers, so I can use his too!

With a power bar and some USB outlets, you’ll be able to charge all your devices. Just hope no one calls the fire marshal on you.
Sleep Well
Theo and I don’t need fancy accommodation on the road, but we do like plenty of space. Having enough room for all your stuff means you’re not walking over crap on your way to the can at 2 am.
It can be hard to get a good night’s sleep in a hotel room sometimes. One trick we do is to bring boot dryers from home so we can still dry our gear without cranking the heat in the room. That way we can get a great sleep without overheating.
Oh yeah—Theo snores like a diesel engine, but he always brings earplugs for me! What a team player.
Staying with Friends
We often crash with friends and this is awesome as we get the rockstar treatment! It also allows you to pack a bit lighter, as you can wash your gear in their laundry.
However, there’s no room service so it is important to be tidy and keep your gear contained to one area.
It is always appreciated to take those friends out for dinner to repay them for turning their house upside-down, which you were not supposed to do in the first place, but can sometimes happen.

If you’re staying with friends, remember that they may not exactly be in ‘Road Trip Party Mode’, so take note and set your enthusiasm to an appropriate level.
Fun!
This one is more a reminder than a tip. Road trips are supposed to be relaxing and fun, so make them that. If the weather and roads are bad, don’t rush! Stop and wait a day. Getting there and home safely is the #1 goal.

7 Tips for Sledding Road Trips
I will leave you with one last important point. Sledders are easily recognizable and very visible when they are driving around town with sleds on a deck or in a big enclosed trailer.
The local residents will paint all sledders with the same brush, so remember that when you’re driving around town or pulling into a restaurant. Your conduct will dictate how people judge our sport and community. A smile and a thumbs up goes a long way!
Hopefully these tips for sledding road trips will help you make the most of your next adventure. Enjoy!
– Dave