7-5Riding downhillWhen riding downhill, keep speed to a min-imum. It is important to apply just enoughthrottle to keep the clutch engaged whiledescending the hill. This will allow you touse engine compression to help slow thesnowmobile, and to keep the snowmobilefrom rolling freely down the hill. Also applythe brake frequently, with light pressure.WARNING@Use extra caution when applying thebrake during a descent. Excessivebraking will cause the drive track tolock, causing a loss of control.@Traversing a slopeWARNING@Traversing slopes is not recommendedfor a novice snowmobiler.@Traversing a slope requires you to properlyposition your weight to maintain proper bal-ance. As you travel across the slope, leanyour body to position your weight towardsthe uphill side. A recommended ridingposition is to kneel with the knee of thedownhill leg on the seat and the foot of theuphill leg on the running board. This posi-tion will make it easier for you to shift yourbody weight as needed.Snow and ice are slippery, so be preparedfor the possibility that your snowmobilecould begin to slip sideways on the slope. Ifthis happens, steer in the direction of theslide if there are no obstacles in your path.As you regain proper balance, graduallysteer again in the direction you wish totravel.If your snowmobile starts to tip, steer downthe hill to regain balance.WARNING@If you are unable to maintain correctbalance, and your snowmobile is goingto tip over, dismount your snowmobileimmediately on the uphill side.@Ice or icy surfaceOperating on ice or icy surfaces can bevery dangerous. Traction for turning, stop-ping, or starting is much less than that onsnow.WARNING@When you have to operate on ice or icysurfaces, drive slowly and cautiously.Avoid accelerating, turning, or brakingrapidly. Steering is minimal and uncon-trolled spins are an ever-present dan-ger.@