My Visit to the Snowmobile Hall of Fame and Museum

[gary_in_neenah]

Just back from a week's vacation in Northern Wisconsin. One of our stops included the Snowmobile Hall of Fame near St. Germain. I've always wanted to see the place and when we found ourselves nearby, my wife who has no interest in snowmobiles, thought it'd be fine to stop for awhile. We/I spent about an hour touring the place, she parked it on a sofa in the lobby with one of her books while I prowled the aisles of Old Iron. The following are a series of photos from my camera phone that I hope you enjoy. And by all means, if you enjoy the origins of our sport, pay a visit of your own. They're nice people, it's easy to find, and all they ask is that you make a donation at the door.

Here's a view of when you walk in, kind of a Wow Factor at first. Notice the 1960 Ski Doo had Wooden Skis.

 

[gary_in_neenah]

Johnson, Mercury, Ariens, and Brut

 

[gary_in_neenah]

This John Deere was mint just like it came out of the crate in 1980!

 

[gary_in_neenah]

The Skiroule is one of the first machines you see when you walk in. The Double Eagle was a Twin Engine beast designed for Land Speed Records.

 

[gary_in_neenah]

This Arctic Cat had 4 Three Cylinder Engines and Twelve Pipes for exhaust. Incredible just to see it!

 

[gary_in_neenah]

King Kat, Mike Trapp's 73 Blizzard, and the Rupp Magnum.

 

[gary_in_neenah]

And to wrap things up, here's the two machines that battled for the World Championship in 1971. Mike Trapp beat Yvon Duhamel with his 433cc Yamaha followed by Duhamel with the 800 Triple, Blizzard. I was just old enough to remember watching this race on TV and it was great to see these machines in person.

 

[gary_in_neenah]

I saw a sign in the museum that seemed to say it all, "The first snowmobile race was on the day they built the second snowmobile."

So that's it. It's kind of cumbersome to upload this many pictures and I apologize for all of the posts. If you're in northern Wisconsin this summer, or any time really, stop in the Snowmobiling Hall of Fame near St. Germain on HWY 70. You'll be seeing snowmobiling from it's infancy through to the modern era.

Gary

 

[skiroule]

These are cool. There is so much to like about these shots. It’s easy to think back on one’s own experiences when you see some of these machines. The first sled I ever bought was identical to the Skee Horse – like I’ve mentioned before, 16 mph wide open on hard pack ice. The Brut is awesome. A small upstart company that was able to develop one of the first production liquid cooled machines (if not the first). They showed up in a lot of cross country races.

I talked to a Ski-Doo buff last fall that was at the Trapp-Duhamel race. In his opinion, it really was the most exciting race in history. Pretty impressive that the 433 Yamaha ran side by side with that big 800 triple.

Thanks for posting these and, of course, always appreciate the Skiroule shots. I occasionally drive through the area on my way to Marquette. I really need to stop in some time.

 

[ezra]

looks like a great place to spend the day

 

[moosehead]

We visit this place once a year. Never gets old..

 

[bigvin]

Thanks for sharing Gary!
NICE

 

[polarismike]

Wow, I didn't know they had a Boss Cat there! Thanks for sharing the photos. Really need to stop in and check the place out, have driven by, but have never had the time to stop.

 

[indy_500]

It's odd how I can remember almost all of those from only going there once LOL

 

[fatdaddy]

Took the family there last year, you can't believe the odds and ends you'll see in that place. the old metal gas cans, six packs of oil, one piece suits. that place rocks. I got everyone a t shirt and also purchased a sled video of the old I-500 races with Brian Nelson on a John Deer. The sled is on display and its pretty funny to watch the selds run in those days. they keep adding stuff every year and the more you go the more you find.

 

[dj2muchjunk]

They have more sleds in an over flow shed next door that they rotate. At one time in my life I owned a 340 Merc sno pro that was raced by one of the Hayes brothers. It's in the over flow and I hope on one of my visits to see it in the museum.

 

[snoduke88]

If you are in area another great stop is just North of the track in Eagle River.

 

[lvr1000]

Thanks for sharing Gary!
NICE

xxx (3x)

 

[teamblue]

Did you get a chance to go out back and check out the race shop?

 

[indy_500]

Did you get a chance to go out back and check out the race shop?

I did 2 winters ago when I went there. THey were wrenching on a bunch of snocross sleds too...