i agree, start it the day before. but some older augers may have a hard time starting. if your auger is old and needs a little help starting run some fuel cleaner through it. run teh tank completely empty at a high speed. then put on a fresh spark plug. if it is still having problems starting it may need to have fuel mixture, fuel rate, and all that stuff adjusted. a small engine repair shop can do it pretty quickly, just tell them that you run in the mountains so they can adjust for that. another tip if the engine is choked and still wont start try changing the amount of choke. sometimes more air is needed to get a satisfactory burn.