the quest to conquer winter 1913-1957
"The
first snowmobile race was held the day they made the
second snowmobile." Anonymous
In 1913, Virgil D. White,
a Ford automobile dealer in West Ossipee, New
Hampshire, invented a caterpillar-type tracked unit
which could be mounted to the rear axle of a Ford car,
along with a set of skis for the front end, complete
with independent suspension arms.
the very first race 1958-1960
They unloaded their
machines once again on Grace Lake to show how well they
would work compared to the sled dog teams. Driving
around the lake, the natural urge to test one machine
against another got the best of the snowmobilers.
the brandi bottle classic 1960-1961
At the starting line were
Lionel Bellile, Ron Strum, Fred Gates, Mike Taylor and
Herman Lassig. Lassig had a fast new nine-horsepower
model—the most powerful Bombardier Ski-Doo available.
One of the estimated 1,000 curiosity-seekers who had
gathered to watch stepped forward, waved his arm and
the five Ski-Doos roared off on a round-trip race
around an island a half-mile away.
The Start of something different 1961-1962
The all-new line of
snowmobiles for model year 1962 was introduced quietly.
There was no trade show, There were no snowmobile
magazines. There wasn't much room to talk about or show
a new snowmobile in a one-inch advertisement in Outdoor
Life.
Snowmobile Boom Begins 1962-1963
During the late summer days prior to the winter of
1962-63, Edgar Hetteen's patience was growing as short
as the four-hour nights he slept. He was financially
strapped, working two full shifts in the plant and
trying to run an office, too.
Earlan Campbell
- 2006 Snowmobile Hall of Fame Inductee
The Snowmobile
Hall of Fame located in St. Germain, Wisconsin,
inducted four luminaries including the late Earlan B.
Campbell from the sport of snowmobiling at its annual
Induction Banquet in Eagle River, Wisconsin, on the
evening of January 12, 2006.
Memorial Conducted at B-52 Crash Site
It was "gut-wrenching" for the members of the search party to come upon the
destruction caused by the crash of a B-52 bomber on Elephant Mountain in January
1963. And it was just as difficult for five of the searchers to be standing at
the remote crash site four decades later. With the gruesome details of that
tragic day still etched in their minds, four former Air National Guard members
and a Millinocket man were among those who paid their respects Saturday to the
seven airmen who died in the fiery crash. The two sole survivors - retired Capt.
Gerald Adler of Davis, Calif., and the aircraft commander retired Lt. Col. Dante
E. Bulli of Nebraska - who ejected from the plane before it crashed, also were
recognized and honored Saturday.
A
2000 Sled Odyssey
"I say odd, because when
you stop to think about it, it has to seem pretty
strange to the modern day snowmobilers, or anyone else
for that matter, that a group of men would climb on 36
year old iron and expect it to get them into the North
Maine Woods and back."
Allagash 85 by Steve Campbell
“I guess there is something to be said for the
engineering and workmanship of these earlier
machines. As crude as they were in the formative
years, they worked due to the perseverance and
forethought of the pioneers that were building them
and using them.
These pioneers are the people who I would like to
dedicate this trip and this story to - the
individuals that made the sport of snowmobiling what
it is today. The reason I organized this trip was to
recognize these people, the history of snowmobiling,
and especially to my father, E.B. Campbell.”
Iron Dog
Promotions
The
Grandfather of Snowmobiling.
A little History of Snowmobiling
The history of the
modern day recreational snowmobile is fairly recent,
however, over the snow travel goes back many years.
Bombardier
R12 Muskeag
The Bombardier R-12 (12 for 12 passenger) was
discovered in a field in the town of Milford just
outside of Old Town in rhetoric condition.
Antique Run of '88
The Antique Run of '88 was complete, but will live in
our memories forever.
Allagash '85
by C.J. Ramstead
The E.B. Campbell Memorial Snowmobile Run. One of
snowmobilings truly great pioneers was the late E.B.
Campbell of Millinocket.
Maine Attraction
Reliving The Trail-Blazing days In Maine's Allagash
Wilderness - Reprinted from Snow Goer Magazine of
November 1984
Party Time in Roseau
Polaris Industries celebrated its 45-years of
existence by throwing a birthday party bash on June
18 & 19, 1999 at the original Polaris
HQ in Roseau, Minnesota
Rose Robinson Memorial Trail
The Northern Timber Cruisers dedicates trail in
name of lady snowmobile enthusiast.
Winter Trek on Mt. Katahdin
See spectacular photos of winter scenery atop Mt.
Katahdin
Economic Impact of Snowmobiling in Maine
Take a gander at an interesting article as to
what snowmobiling brings to Maine. Before reading
take your best guess what snow means to the state of
Maine. And to
Millinocket!
Northern Timber Cruisers and Pioneer Hose
Company donate Rescue Boggan
Organizations increase emergency services
protection for area snowmobilers
The Tucker SnoCat Purchase
How it all began in the Katahdin Area.
ANTIQUE SNOWMOBILE MUSEUM DREAM INCHES
CLOSER TO REALITY IN MILLINOCKET
Re-printed from
the Katahdin Times
Sportsman Packs Fishing Gear for the Allagash
Reprinted from the Portland Press Herald February
21, 1962
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