What My Garmin Watch Tracked While Snowmobiling
Last month, I went snowmobiling with Steve Martin—no, not that Steve Martin. This Steve is a pro rider for Ski-Doo. Together, we explored the backcountry on two of Ski-Doo’s newest 2025 snowmobiles, and it was wild. While Steve was cruising effortlessly, I was just trying to keep up without face-planting.
The ride? Insane. Small hills, massive climbs, and sketchy near-vertical side hills kept me on edge. Between trails and powder runs, I got stuck countless times. Through all this madness, my Garmin fenix 7 Pro Sapphire had my back. It tracked how my body was handling this extreme snowmobile adventure. Spoiler alert: I’m not as fit as I thought!
How Garmin Tracks Your Snowmobile Adventures
When you fire up a Garmin fenix 7 Pro, you unlock a world of data tracking. For snowmobiling, this watch records over 28 metrics. It measures activity time, speeds, heart rate, elevation, and more. All this data gets visualized through detailed graphs to analyze peak moments of physical intensity.
One of the coolest features is the ability to overlay data points. For example, you can view heart rate, elevation, and speed on one graph. It’s like a personalized sports science report. For simplicity, I’ll focus on key stats: heart rate, aerobic vs. anaerobic training effect, calories burned, hydration, and intensity minutes. These metrics give a clear view of how my body handled the ride.
Why do I care? Simple. I’ve always wondered how powersports impact physical fitness. Garmin’s data helps me connect the dots. It’s like having a sports coach on my wrist, guiding me through every heart-pounding moment.
Snowmobiling: The Physical Toll
Let’s talk about my fitness. I’m in decent shape—probably the best shape of my life. Hiking daily at 7,000 feet with 45 pounds on my back will do that. My weight stays around 190-200 pounds, depending on how many donuts I devour in a week. My resting heart rate? About 55 bpm. Not bad, but there’s always room to improve.
During the snowmobiling trip, my Garmin recorded an average heart rate of 133 bpm over three hours. The highest? A sweaty 185 bpm. This spike likely came when I was digging out a stuck sled in deep powder. Trust me, that’s a workout on its own!
In terms of speed, the watch clocked our fastest run at 52.7 mph. For someone who hadn’t snowmobiled in over a decade, that felt exhilarating—and slightly terrifying.
The Training Effect of Snowmobiling
Garmin’s Training Effect feature breaks down aerobic and anaerobic benefits. It’s like having a personal trainer cheering you on. According to the watch, my primary benefit from the ride was “Sprint.” Essentially, this activity improved neuromuscular coordination, speed, and power.
Here’s the breakdown:
- Aerobic Training: Improved endurance by enhancing cardiovascular capacity.
- Anaerobic Training: Boosted power and explosive movements, crucial for high-intensity efforts like snowmobiling.
The Garmin tracked 38 minutes of moderate exercise and 164 minutes of vigorous exercise. Altogether, I burned 2,649 calories during the ride. Yeah, it’s no wonder I was sore the next day.
Hydration and Sweat Loss on the Trail
Snowmobiling at 9,234 feet above sea level is no joke. Combine physical exertion with heavy gear and bright sunshine, and you’ve got a recipe for serious sweat loss. According to my Garmin, I lost an estimated 1,507 milliliters of sweat—about 51 ounces. That’s like chugging over two water bottles.
Of course, this number is an estimate. Factors like body type, sweat rate, and gear impact the accuracy. Personally, I think I lost more. By the end of the ride, my clothes were drenched, and my body felt completely drained. If you’re planning a similar trip, staying hydrated is key to survival.
Reflections on the Adventure
So, what’s the verdict? Snowmobiling is a full-body workout disguised as an adrenaline-fueled activity. My Garmin tracked every heartbeat, calorie, and drop of sweat, proving that powersports demand serious physical effort. But here’s the kicker—it’s also ridiculously fun.
The day after the ride, I was sore but still managed a slow-paced hike. A few days later, I felt better than ever. Snowmobiling might just be the ultimate cross-training activity. It challenges your body in unique ways, combining strength, endurance, and agility.
I can’t wait for the next adventure. Whether it’s snowmobiling, hiking, or something entirely new, my Garmin will be there to track every moment. Stay tuned for more insights as I continue this fitness journey. Who knows? Maybe I’ll even hit the snowmobile trails again soon to see if my stats improve!