CROWNEST PASS, ALBERTA
Raised with snowmobiles
Teen rider Crystal Tracey has been a sledhead since the age of two
by KIRSTEN ARMLEDER
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AN EARLY START: At 21⁄2 years old, Crystal Tracey was already riding sleds solo; today, at 15, she is proud to ride her own 2006 Yamaha Apex.
—Photo by Lil Boone(Top); photo by Tammy Tracey(Bottom) |
At first, Crystal Tracey may seem like your average teenager. She attends high school, plays basketball and has a part-time job. However, for this 15-year-old, nothing compares to the thrill of snowmobiling.
Born and raised in Crowsnest Pass, Alberta, Tracey was introduced to snowmobiles at the tender age of two and still remembers her first ride when she fell asleep doubling on her mother's machine. She was given her first sled—a Kitty Cat—at 21/2 years old; once Tracey got a taste for the sport, she became hooked for life.
Teenage enthusiast
Now, 13 years later, Tracey rides her own 2006 Yamaha Apex; she is an active member of the Crow Snow Riders snowmobile club and enjoys helping with the club's newsletter.
"I like to be a younger person that is involved with the club just as much as or more than others," said Tracey.
Recently, she even built her own teen riders' website, www.crowsnowriders.
piczo.com, which provides information about the club and snowmobiling opportunities in the Crowsnest Pass.
"It's for people that would like to come here and ride," said Tracey, "so they have some information and a good idea of what it is like here."
Going places, seeing new faces
Tracey said the Crowsnest Pass offers a lot of different types of riding.
"If you want a challenge, you can go into the bowls or if you want just a trail ride you can stay on the groomed trails," she said.
One of Tracey's favourite places to snowmobile is York Creek on the south side of the Pass.
And while she loves to ride around her hometown, Tracey's passion for the sport has taken her to a few other destinations, including Revelstoke, B.C.
"I rode in Revelstoke for the Big Iron Shootout last winter with my dad," said Tracey. "I thought it was just an awesome ride. Then at the actual shootout the next day, it was amazing meeting all the people you read about, and some of them even knew me—like Randy Swenson."
A lifelong pursuit
Over the years, Tracey's passion for snowmobiling has developed into a career goal.
"I am really hoping that this will take me professionally and land a contract with Yamaha Canada," said Tracey. "I would like to become a female freerider, ride in movies and have an awesome sled to ride every day."
With eight sponsors already on board, she is well on her way to seeing her dreams become reality—and for Tracey, that is what it's all about.
"It's what I grew up doing and I just got hooked," said Tracey. "I love to do this sport with my heart and my life. It's what I want to do forever."
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