The high water mark for sled sales was in 1997 and itโs been in decline ever since. The number of XC races has dropped off pretty significantly in Alaska. SnoX is dead up here except for a small group of clowns who think itโs going to come back. The largest number of racers they get for snoX is the 120 and 200 classes. As the kids get older they quit doing it to play school sports or just free ride in the mountains and make videos.
A guy or kid and get way more sponsorship help and build a much bigger following by free riding than they ever could racing. Few people care about racing up here and it makes sense when the vast majority of sleds being sold are mountain or utility sleds. The dealers donโt even want to bring in trail sleds unless someone snow checks them. They donโt sell and you can get big discounts on them in the spring as left over units.
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AK440 ·