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SHE SHREDS MOUNTAIN ADVENTURES: A GIRL’S AFFAIR
I’m starting this Chicks And Machines article in a different way than I usually do.
I simply write,
“I wanted to tell you about these girls, no, I had to tell you about these girls.”
Why? Because they represent, each in their own way, the essence and the reason for the existence of Chicks And Machines. You’ll see that very quickly in the next few lines.
MY GOAL AND CHALLENGE: the Mountains of Revelstoke, British Columbia
When I first touched a mountain snowmobile about three years ago, I had no idea what would happen next. At that time, I had no idea that this sport would become a passion for me that would soon define me, become part of me. But you know, not everything is so rosy!
“Behind those beautiful “Instagram” photos that look so perfect, there is a lot of sweat, sore muscles, bruises and sometimes even a few tears of discouragement under our mirror glasses!”
Those who really want to grow in this sport know that it takes practice, perseverance, self-deprecation, technique, and a “badass” side that must inevitably come out when it’s time to push the throttle hard at the right time.
During each of my off-trail snowmobile trips, when I was the only “ugly duckling” among a group of men who handled their snowmobiles like a bike, I told myself that one day I would go ride in the Revelstoke Mountains.
At some point, all that shoveling, pulling skates, and the guys who were telling me: “Come on, it’s not complicated, just gas it and it’ll pass,” would pay off. (By the way, I love those guys! They were patient and they helped me!)
Last February, I finally did it… I signed up for the She Shreds Mountain Adventures snowmobile clinic and flew to Revelstoke, BC.
I didn’t even tell my partner at the time. It was my project, my own challenge. I was going to ride with a bunch of girls I didn’t know and that was exactly what I wanted!
TO BE COACHED BY WOMEN AND RIDE WITH REAL “CHICKS AND MACHINES
“It was paramount to me that my guide and coach be a woman and that my group be all girls.”
Why?
I quickly realized over the past few years that women generally do not have the same strength, weight and size as men.
First of all, we have to know how to work with the parts of our body that are usually stronger. For example, our legs and buttocks are usually stronger than our little spaghetti arms! 🍝
Also, since we can’t usually compensate for our lack of technique with our strength and weight, we need to know the right techniques to be able to handle our snowmobile in the mountains in deep snow.
So I wanted to have a female coach who would teach me tips and techniques adapted to my small size.
I also wanted to experience riding with girls only, without the stress of being the only woman in a group of men who has to be watched and helped. I had never had the chance to ride with girls in Quebec before and I experienced something extraordinary with the She Shreds Mountain Adventures gang!
A few words about She Shreds Mountain Adventures
She Shreds Mountain Adventures is a mountain guiding and snowmobile clinic company located in Western Canada. Founded and operated by a woman, Julie-Ann Chapman, the company offers clinics specifically for women. Julie-Ann got her start by excelling in snowboarding and has been a professional rider with the Polaris team for many years.
When founding She Shreds, Julie-Ann wanted to provide a space for women to first learn about snowmobiling in the mountains, and then to learn and progress in the sport in a safe and pressure-free environment. All the guides on the She Shreds team are women and, generally, all the groups are made up of women.
These clinics are for beginners who have never touched a snowmobile in their lives, as well as for those who wish to perfect their techniques or move on to a higher level of mountain riding. There are different types of clinics for different levels of riders.
So it stands to reason that when I learned about the values and mission of She Shreds Mountain Adventures, I felt that my first experience in the mountains of Western Canada should be with THEM.
Being coached by women
First of all, what I appreciated about She Shreds Mountain Adventures is that Julie-Ann’s team goes beyond just learning to drive.
For those who wish, you can learn how to load and unload your snowmobile from your truck or learn how to make your own basic mechanical adjustments and checks on your snowmobile.
We will also introduce you to geolocation, weather and avalanche phenomena.
Let’s talk about driving techniques. I was pleased with the number of techniques I was able to learn. Some of them were aimed at both male and female snowmobilers, while others were aimed more at female snowmobilers.
I really appreciated the way the techniques were explained. Everything was so clear. I could know what to expect and how to do it with each new maneuver. We love our guys. But the truth is, they don’t always verbalize the techniques to us in the way that we girls would like.
The fact that we were equipped with a radio, from which Julie-Ann could give us instructions and encouragement during our tests, also greatly enhanced the experience. She could guide us, as if she was right there with us. She was calm and caring, but also excited when we improved or succeeded in a maneuver.
In Quebec, when my spouse tries to give me advice, he has to shout it from a distance, giving me the curious (and annoying) impression that he is shouting at me, while stressing me out and making me angry. I know I must not be the only one who has experienced this, ladies (haha)!
Beyond the techniques, Julie-Ann also wanted to push us to get over some of our fears or anxieties (always staying in the safety zone). There are certain things in life that scare us only because we have not tried them or because they take us out of our comfort zone.
Julie-Ann’s goal was to take each of us out of our own comfort zone, to get rid of some of our fears, but also to take our mountain riding experience to the next level.
“I came back to Quebec equipped, with a better technique of driving in the mountains and freed from some of my fears.”
Back in Quebec, the mountains that used to seem so high and difficult to climb suddenly seemed much smaller and less scary! My gang of guys also surprised me by using techniques that seemed dubious at first but that, in the end, worked very well (haha!).
Riding with a gang of real “Chicks And Machines »
Whether it was our female coaches who single-handedly, without the help of any men, drove, taught and took us through the mountains of Revelstoke, or all the girls I did this clinic with, they were all, without exception, inspiring in their passion, determination and strength. They were simply beautiful to watch.💜
Until I saw this all-women’s group of about ten riding their mountain snowmobiles, floating on the Revelstoke’s snow, I didn’t think it was possible!
It is an indescribable feeling to ride with a group of women. One of the things that struck me was how helpful and supportive we were, among other things. A strong bond of friendship quickly developed between all of us, even though none of us knew each other the first morning.
As soon as one of us would get caught, one girl, then two, then three, would come to help or give tips. As soon as one of us pulled off a maneuver that she had been practicing for a while, a torrent of girlish screams would be heard on our radios and echoed through the mountains.
At no time did I feel stressed or judged. On the contrary, I felt encouraged and supported.
“I am also very proud to say that it was THESE GIRLS who taught me how to “crank my sled” (without an electric starter).”
The first morning, when I realized that my rental snowmobile did not have an electric starter (although it should have!), some of them told me: “It’s not a big deal, Bianca, we’ll take turns “cranking” it. We’ll work it out.”
I thought they were so nice! But I told myself that I had to learn. They all gave me their little tips on how to do it. And you know what? Because of them and their encouragement, I did it.
“And now, when I “crunch my sled” coming out of a snowmobile stop and I see faces of astonishment, I say that it was a gang of girls who taught me how to do it.
As I wrote at the beginning of this article, I wanted to tell you about these women. I had to tell you about them, since they were all, without exception, real Chicks And Machines (without knowing it).
I hope they will inspire and encourage you to have a similar girl-on-girl experience. An experience like this will definitely change your view of the sport and make you a better driver.
I have shared my experience with the She Shreds Mountain Adventures gang in Revelstoke but, ladies, there is nothing to stop you from doing it with other groups of women off-trail snowmobilers elsewhere in Canada.
And why not in Quebec? I invite you to read the article by our collaborator Myriam “Girls’ off-trail snowmobile camp 2022” where she describes her experience at the Girls’ camp in the Chic-Chocs mountains in Gaspésie, led by the talented Vanessa Belley.
And if, like me, you dream of Revelstoke and have the goal of riding there one day, read my complete article: “Snowmobiling in the mountains: DESTINATION REVELSTOKE, BC, Plan your next trip to REVY”. You will find a lot of details, tips and recommendations for your next trip.
I’ll close by saying “see you soon She Shreds Mountain Adventures beautiful gang“, especially to Marie and Jess, who I’m so excited to visit and ride the mountains with.
