Depends on what type of trails you ride. Where I ride a 144" is about max as far as being able to navigate some of the turns in the woods. A 144" is pretty capable in deep snow, but you won't get the high marks you can reach with a longer track if you're riding the steep mountains.

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Like Rczr said. The type of snow has a lot to do with it. There are days where my 144" goes anywhere the 155" sleds do, and days it doesn't pay to take it off the trailer. For 50/50 trail/off trail, I think that would be very capable. It will also depend on the type of sled; the Polaris Switchback 144" has a smaller lug than the Polaris RMK 144". The deeper lug on the RMK gives better performance in deep snow, the Switchback is better on the trails. Your call. It's hard to find the 'perfect' sled when the type of riding is split between the deep stuff and the trail. The manufacturers would love to figure that one out!

 

Heck yes they would! They would have to have some sort of adjustable slides with a tensioner. Maybe sometime in the future we will get it

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One of my buddies rides a 144 edge 800 and outrides a lot of guys that are riding 163's. Lot just depends on the rider. I actually saw him highmark a '13 1100 turbo.... Granted the guy on the turbo had never ridden it before and didn't really know what to do with a turbo in deep snow yet.. but... you get the point....

 

I got a 600 144 for 2 season, if your are a good driver, you can do anything you want, but it is a bit tricky and it is good to know your limit and you and the capability of this sled, but I'm very happy to have one.

 

I have been out to Montana and Rode around the midwest and upper UP many times. Can get tricky on the trails sometimes with a 144 but if you know how to ride and know how to control your sled you will be fine. When I was out west I was going through just as much as the 154 RMK's and other sleds out there. I only have 1.25 inch lugs and 144 inch track. The power end of it though if you were going out there with a crossover sled I would highly recommend an 800.

 

136" is enough if you're good enough.

 

If you plan on climbing no
If you plan on playing and having fun in the trees than yes
It all depends how big of lug you have

 

It wasn't that long ago that a 136" track was a Long Track. My 95 Summit has a 135.8" (yeah yeah), with a 1 1/4" paddle. That was considered an awesome mountain sled back in the day.

It also depends on the rider. A young kid was driving around on a 92 Indy Sport with a 440 fan and everyone who watched him climb up and down these mountains wanted to know what he was riding. The key with him was he was 14 years old and weighed 85 lbs soaking wet.
A few years later he was riding with the Slednecks. I'm not sure he was an official Sledneck rider, but he was always riding right along with them.

I now ride a '15 Gade with a 137" track, 1.75" paddles and took it to the mountains this past winter with no problems going where I wanted to go.
I rode with a guy that had the Summit 174" and he said he was going to sell it and get something shorter. He said it was great for pointing it up a mountain and going to the top, but other than that it was just to much track.

 

if the group you ride with all have short sleds you might not like it
if the sleds in your out west trip all are longer you might not like it

I like my 146 2.5 for most all the riding I do but also have a 163 3 inch for out west but did not always have that option to have 2 selds do to cost

I say ride it - have fun ride to the limit that your safe and can do it again another day

if the day comes when you can have 2 selds that is the best

mylo making memories is what it all about

 

I think the type of snow makes a difference. Up here in the interior of Alaska and in the mountain, the snow is dry and fluffy. Once in a while we get the wet heavy stuff and know that it is much tougher to ride in.