Make It Go in the Snow

People and Ideas in the History of Snowmobiles

Larry Jorgensen

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Hardback

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English

Modern History Press
01 August 2024

History of the Americas; Road & motor vehicles: general interest; Local history; Motor sports; Winter sports

Through the years, the challenge of powered transportation in the snow has been met with ideas from explorers, creative inventors and small companies, all with new ideas - often unique and sometimes successful. The name ""snowmobile"" was trademarked in 1917, but there were snow travel ideas before that date and certainly thousands more since.

Winter explorers and trailblazers sought to replace their dogsleds and snowshoes as they explored difficult locations, including remote locations, on the north and south poles. Early inventors of snow vehicles often scavenged parts from many mechanical devices, trying many power and propulsion methods, from 2- and 4-stroke engines to air propulsion, and even a ""snow biting"" screw auger concept.

The snow travel ideas from some early inventors were simply designed to solve their own needs; others came from entrepreneurs who believed folks would be impressed and want to buy their creations. Some of their ideas evolved into companies such as Polaris, Arctic Cat and Ski-Doo, which prospered and now can trace their roots back to that first snowmobile idea.

Make It Go In The Snow provides a fun look at the history of a few of the many thousands of snow travel ideas and those enthusiasts who gave them birth. Captured and recorded are a wide variety of snowmobile ideas, without offering judgment on any individual venture. Join me as I pay tribute to all those ideas; past, present and future. But keep watching, because more snow excitement is waiting to be created.

""I have read many snowmobile books over the years, and I believe Larry Jorgensen's was very informative and easy to read. It shows that Larry has done an excellent job researching information. I have recommended Make It Go In The Snow to all my snowmobiling friends, I look forward to handing out copies to them at Christmas."" -- Daniel C. Blaney, Antique Snowmobile Museum, Morocco, Indiana.

""Michigan plays a minor yet important part in this detailed history of snowmobiles. The first snowmobile was created in 1913 by a Ford dealer in New Hampshire. He took the rear wheels off a Model T and replaced them with dual wheels covered by tracks and replaced the front wheels with skis. He patented his invention and called it a snowmobile. A company later bought the patent and made 3,500 kits a year. As the author makes it abundantly clear, over the years backyard tinkerers, high schoolers, and just guys with a vision created snowmobiles of all shapes and sizes. If you have any interest in snowmobiles you're going to ski-doo through Make It Go in the Snow."" -- Tom Powers, Michigan In Books

""Jorgensen purchased his first snowmobile in 1967. Subsequently, he joined a snowmobile enthusiast group and participated in long-distance rides. The most notable was an endurance test from Fairbanks, Alaska to Seattle for the new Allsport Tracker. Pabst Brewing Company contracted him to create its programs for recreational snowmobiling and racing. He's also served on the board of the Central Division of the United States Snowmobile Association (USSA). So immersed in the activity has he been that when one of his children, then a first grader, was asked what her father did, she replied, 'He snowmobiles.' And now he's written of them as well and included a concluding chapter telling of various snowmobile museums he's discovered around the country."" -- Helen V. Hutchings, SpeedReaders

From Modern History Press

By: Larry Jorgensen
Imprint: Modern History Press
Dimensions: Height: 229mm, Width: 152mm, Spine: 13mm
Weight: 431g
ISBN: 9781615998159
ISBN 10: 1615998152
Pages: 194
Publication Date: 01 August 2024
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active

LARRY JORGENSEN first became addicted to the sport and business of snowmobiling after buying his first sled, an Arctic Cat, in 1967. He purchased that Cat from the first Arctic Cat dealer in Green Bay, a local shoe repair shop which had a total available inventory of two machines. Jorgensen was fortunate to become a riding member of the pioneer cross-country snowmobile group, the Peninsula Pathfinders of Upper Michigan. He participated in the club's first three long-distance rides, including the 1970 trip across the giant Mackinac Bridge which connects lower Michigan to the Upper Peninsula. Although he owned the Arctic Cat, he had been convinced to ride an Eskimo snowmobile and it may have been the only time an Eskimo sled crossed the Big Mac. He was a news reporter for a TV station in Green Bay, and in 1969 he and a fellow station employee named John Ireland produced the first consumer snowmobile exposition at the Brown County Arena. In the years which followed, the two snowmobilers produced additional expositions in Fargo, North Dakota; Duluth, Minnesota; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Chicago, Illinois; Des Moines, Iowa; and Lansing, Michigan. Jorgensen was one of three snowmobilers who participated in the 1970 Allsport Alaskan Expedition. It was an endurance test for the new Allsport Tracker snowmobile which went from Fairbanks to Seattle, Washington.The Pabst Brewing Company of Milwaukee contracted with Jorgensen to help introduce Pabst to the new world of snowmobiling. He worked with the brewer to create programs for recreational and snowmobile racing. He organized and participated on the original Pabst Racing Team, which raced Polaris and Ski-Doo sleds. The team also raced for three years on the Winnipeg to St. Paul cross-country event, and during one of those years Jorgensen drove a new John Deere LC. Jorgensen served on the board of directors for the United States Snowmobile Association Central Division, including one year as President. He also was President of his local snowmobile club in Green Bay. He published a monthly snowmobile magazine Midwest Sno-Trails for six years and also wrote a weekly snowmobile column for United Press International. In looking back at over a decade of snowmobiling, it might best be summarized by his oldest daughter...when as a first grade student she was asked what does your father do? The answer: ""He snowmobiles.""

Reviews for Make It Go in the Snow: People and Ideas in the History of Snowmobiles

"""Michigan plays a minor yet important part in this detailed history of snowmobiles. The first snowmobile was created in 1913 by a Ford dealer in New Hampshire. He took the rear wheels off a Model T and replaced them with dual wheels covered by tracks and replaced the front wheels with skis. He patented his invention and called it a snowmobile. A company later bought the patent and made 3,500 kits a year. As the author makes it abundantly clear, over the years backyard tinkerers, high schoolers, and just guys with a vision created snowmobiles of all shapes and sizes. There was the motorized toboggan, the propellor-driven snow version of the swamp buggy, the Ford Motor Company converted a Fordson tractor with rear tracks and front skis, and then there's the screw-propelled snowmobiles featuring grooved rotating cylinders. The last is hard to imagine. As tired as I am of hearing it from wait staff to bank tellers -- 'No Problem.' The book is packed with photos that complement a thorough history of snow machines. Of particular note to Michiganders, there is a full chapter on Marquette's Peninsula Pathfinders club. Their mission was to promote snowmobile touring and the encouragement of snowmobile trails. To this end, in 1968 they made their first long-distance ride, a 498-mile four-day jaunt across the U.P. The second year they snowmobiled from Copper Harbor to Green Bay, Wisconsin and in year three they were the first snowmobilers to cross Big Mac in a trip from Marquette to Cadillac. In 1972 they did what seemed impossible, driving snowmobiles from Marquette to Yellowstone National Park. Also of interest is a chapter devoted to homemade snowmobiles. Included is the story of three high schoolers from Calumet who salvaged an engine to which was attached a wooden propeller they made in shop class and away they flew. Then there's the man from Saginaw who built a small snowmobile to take him ice fishing. It earned the nickname the 'Pizza Oven.' Photographs of both are included. If you have any interest in snowmobiles you're going to ski-doo through Make It Go in the Snow."" -- Tom Powers, Michigan in Books"