The minimal snow cover in the area kept the number of participants in the annual vintage snowmobile ride from Palmer to Clear Lake down this year, with organizers scratching their heads to find a passable route that would carry the veteran machines safely to and from their destination.

 

Rides in recent years have included examples of machines from the “Golden Age” of snowmobile manufacturing, rare items like Sno-Prince, Sno-Jet, Fox Trac and Boa-Ski sleds, along with the more usual restored Arctic Carts, Polaris and Ski-Doo machines. The field this year was limited to a handful of restored Cats, a bevy of Ski-Doos, a Minnesota-made Scorpion and a “Franken-Sno-Jet” display in which someone was attempting to insert a modern three-cylinder motor into an ancient frame, a portent of things to come for next year.

 

Organizer Mike Ganz was the chief scout for the day, and had completed his map work as the 12:30 p.m. start time approached.  The ride began at Kinitski’s in Palmer (the former Palmer House), and concluded at the Brickyard in Clear Lake.