Vance,
Great sled photo - hope that's a Skidoo. You are really deep in that fresh powder!
The cherry picker is a Harbour Freight special @ about $125 is rated at up to 1000 lbs - but as you extend out you drop in rating. I am extended to a 600 lb max which will lift almost any sled including touring models and swings to the perfect position in the back lift bed. If the sled is heavier then I shorten the pick arm and just have to muscle it into position a little. The unit comes with a hand crank but I replaced it with a 2000 lb electric winch - and doubled the cable up with a snatch block which will lower cable load by 50%. I can unhook the bitter end and use it straight if there was some need. Also, didn't like the boom end fittings so I welded a larger diameter wire pully to eleminate the sharp radius which tends to really coil the wire rope.
Finding a good base support is critical, hence you see some support struts welded in to provide additional stability and support.
Since my bed length was not long enough to support inline piggybacking I went with cross carry - also you just pull up to the sled on the drivers side - pick up the sled and rotate tail end on first and you have a quick, easy load with minimal manuvering. I lower the boom to horizontal and swing out, getting max standoff, lift the rig in a 6000 lb nylon strap until you are almost two blocked and raise the rest of the way with the hydraulic arm jack, and swing over bed, and lower with the winch (more control).
Since my cat width is 8 ft I used a single sheet of 3/4" ply framed in angle iron for dimensional stability. Treated with Thompsons Water Sealer. The bed has two hinge points aft and an eye hook forward center, this allows the picker to be hooked up to the bed and access to drive line is accomplished by lifting the bed with the picker to expose the running gear - also with a load of snow on it, you just lift the bed up about 45 degress and the snow rolls off.
Of course this was just a simple mock up to see how everything works - I intend to do a more elgant execution this summer after using awhile and finding out my likes and dislikes.
I normally load an older Polaris Indy touring because it is relativley short and carries two up and does not stick out too much on either side. This provides the most flexibility with whatever I encounter, injured riders, breakdown loaner sled, etc. The old indy 500 is a real trooper and I wouldn't cry if it got trashed - Now my mountain sleds with 151/164" tracks really stick out and pose more problems, and I am less generous with. I am looking for a Skidoo Scandic - super light, high flotation, short, slow but sure and carries two up, the perfect piggyback sled.
And when I feel the need for speed.... I'll risk posting two single track snowcat photos!
