Page 49 - WCM 2023 Winter Flip

the outfitter’s base, a ten-mile ride with temps hovering around 25 degrees, and speeds up to 30 mph. My leather, wool-lined mittens were soaked from reaching into the frigid water, but remained fairly warm with the help of the hand-warming grips on the sled.
Back at the outfitter’s, we planned to go back to retrieve the sunken snowmobile that evening. Everyone was amazed that I wasn’t hypothermic after the long ride. Ifeltfine,asifIwasinawarm,wetsuit.Ijumpedon the tow sled and headed out to the potato field to meet up with the owner of the outfitter’s shop. He offered to have me drive the truck, and to let him take the sled. I confirmed that I was fine, and took to the trail.
After the trek back to the sunken sled, we got the machine hauled out and trailed it through the field until the track dried out a little. Amazingly, the sled started right up! We drove it to a friend’s heated garage near the field and let it dry out for the night. I hopped on the tow sled and drove it back to the shop. It was seven-thirty before I was in my heated vehicle and on my way home.
During the whole four-and-a-half hours in soaked clothing and frigid temps, I never felt too cold. The worst part was the heavy feeling of the wet clothing, or maybe when I dunked my bare arm up to the elbow to hook the tow rope on the sunken sled. Other than that, I never really felt cold, never once like a “life-
Backed up ice along the Androscoggin River can often be both fragile and dangerous.
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